Pearson plc

Is Pearson plc publicly traded?
Yes, Pearson plc is publicly traded on the London Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol PSON. The company has no controlling shareholder, with ownership distributed among institutional investors including Vanguard Group and BlackRock.

What is Pearson's annual revenue?
For FY2025, Pearson reported sales of GBP 3,577 million, up 4% on an underlying basis from GBP 3,552 million in FY2024. Adjusted operating profit was GBP 614 million, up 6% underlying, with adjusted operating margin of 17.2%. Adjusted EPS was 64.5p, up 4%.

Who is the CEO of Pearson?
Omar Abbosh is the Chief Executive Officer of Pearson plc. He joined Pearson in 2024, succeeding Andy Bird. Abbosh previously held senior roles at Accenture and served as CEO of SolarWinds. Under his leadership, Pearson is scaling AI across its products, building enterprise partnerships, and expanding into fast-growing areas including Early Careers and Enterprise Skilling.

What brands does Pearson own?
Pearson owns Edexcel, Pearson VUE (rebranding as Pearson Professional Assessments), Prentice Hall, Longman, Addison-Wesley, Scott Foresman, Allyn and Bacon, Peachpit Press, Pearson English, and eDynamic Learning (acquired in 2025).

When was Pearson founded?
Pearson was founded in 1844 by Samuel Pearson as S. Pearson and Son, initially operating as a construction and engineering company. The company entered publishing in the 1920s and transformed into an education company through acquisitions in the 1960s through 2000s.

What is Pearson VUE?
Pearson VUE is Pearson's professional testing and certification business, providing computer-based testing services for IT, healthcare, finance, and other professional industries. In late 2025, Pearson VUE announced it would rebrand as Pearson, with its assessment segment identified as Pearson Professional Assessments.

What happened to the Financial Times?
Pearson sold the Financial Times to Nikkei for GBP 844 million in 2015 and its stake in The Economist for GBP 469 million in the same year. These divestitures allowed Pearson to refocus entirely on education.

What is Pearson's 2026 guidance?
For 2026, Pearson guides to mid-single digit underlying sales growth, adjusted operating profit of GBP 640 million to GBP 685 million at FX rates as at the end of 2025, and free cash flow conversion of 90% to 100%. The company reiterated its medium-term guidance for mid-single digit compound annual sales growth.

Pearson's history spans more than 180 years, during which the company transformed from a construction firm into the world's largest education company.

Pearson was founded in 1844 by Samuel Pearson as S. Pearson and Son, initially operating as a construction and engineering company in Yorkshire, England. The company built its reputation on large-scale civil engineering projects, including tunnels, railways, and harbor works.

In the 1920s, Pearson acquired a stake in the London-based publisher Longman, marking its initial entry into the publishing industry. Over the following decades, Pearson diversified into media and publishing, acquiring the Financial Times in 1957 and a stake in The Economist.

The transformation into an education company began in earnest in the 1960s through 1990s. Pearson acquired Longman fully in 1968, establishing its presence in educational publishing. In 1988, Pearson acquired Addison-Wesley, a leading publisher of STEM and higher education materials. In 1998, Pearson acquired Prentice Hall, further expanding its higher education portfolio. These acquisitions established Pearson as a major force in educational publishing globally.

In 2000, Pearson acquired Virtual University Enterprises and renamed it Pearson VUE, establishing a major presence in professional testing and certification. In 2003, Pearson acquired Edexcel, one of the UK's largest providers of qualifications and assessments, including GCSEs and A-Levels.

In 2015, Pearson sold the Financial Times to Nikkei for GBP 844 million and its stake in The Economist for GBP 469 million, refocusing entirely on education. In 2016, the company rebranded with a new logo featuring the interrobang to convey excitement, curiosity, and individuality in learning.

In 2019, Pearson sold its US K-12 courseware business to Nexus Capital Management, which rebranded it as Savvas Learning Company. This divestiture allowed Pearson to focus on higher education, professional education, and international markets.

In 2024, Omar Abbosh became CEO, succeeding Andy Bird. Abbosh previously held senior roles at Accenture and most recently served as CEO of SolarWinds. Under Abbosh's leadership, Pearson has accelerated its AI strategy, secured partnerships with leading technology companies, and expanded into fast-growing areas including Early Careers and Enterprise Skilling.

In 2025, Pearson acquired eDynamic Learning, a provider of career and technical education courses for North American schools. The acquisition supports Pearson's expansion into the fast-growing career and technical education market. In late 2025, Pearson VUE announced it would rebrand as Pearson, with its assessment segment identified as Pearson Professional Assessments.

CFO Sally Johnson announced she would leave Pearson in May 2026 after nearly 26 years with the company, including six years as Group CFO. Simon Robson, previously Group CFO at Sky, joined Pearson in March 2026 as her successor.

Pearson has developed sustainability initiatives focused on educational access, environmental responsibility, and ethical business practices. The company is committed to reducing its environmental impact through digital-first strategies that reduce paper consumption and through energy efficiency in its operations.

Pearson's social impact is centered on its core mission of education. The company's products and services serve learners across the education lifecycle, from early childhood through professional development. Pearson's commitment to educational access includes providing affordable learning materials, supporting underserved communities, and developing products that serve diverse learner needs.

The company has set science-based targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and has implemented programs to increase sustainability across its supply chain and operations. Pearson's digital-first strategy reduces the environmental footprint associated with print publishing and distribution.

Pearson addresses ethical considerations through its commitment to responsible AI development, data privacy, and educational integrity. The company's assessment businesses operate under strict security and integrity standards to maintain the validity and reliability of high-stakes tests. Pearson has implemented AI governance frameworks to ensure responsible use of AI in its products and services.

Pearson has faced scrutiny related to its dominance in the education publishing and assessment markets. Critics have raised concerns about the cost of educational materials, the company's influence on curriculum and assessment standards, and the impact of standardized testing on education.

Pricing and Access: Pearson has faced criticism over the high cost of textbooks and educational materials, particularly in higher education. The company has responded by expanding digital offerings, subscription models, and inclusive access programs that reduce costs for students.

Standardized Testing: Pearson's role in developing and administering standardized tests has drawn scrutiny from educators and policymakers who question the emphasis on standardized testing in education. The company's assessment contracts with governments and educational institutions have been subject to procurement reviews and public debate.

AI and Academic Integrity: As AI tools become more prevalent in education, Pearson faces the challenge of balancing AI integration in its products with the need to maintain academic integrity in assessments. The company has invested in AI-powered proctoring and plagiarism detection tools while also developing AI-enhanced learning products.

Data Privacy: Pearson's digital platforms collect significant amounts of student data, raising privacy concerns. The company operates under data protection regulations including GDPR in Europe and FERPA in the United States, and has implemented data protection programs across its products.

Platform Convergence Impairment: In FY2025, Pearson recorded an GBP 87 million non-cash impairment of legacy product development assets arising from strategic platform convergence in Higher Education. While this is a non-cash charge, it reflects the challenges of transitioning from legacy systems to modern digital platforms.