$PSO

Pearson (PSO) was upgraded to a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) due to upward earnings estimate revisions. The company's EPS for FY2026 is expected at $0.93, unchanged YoY, but the consensus estimate rose 0.7% over three months. The upgrade suggests potential buying pressure and stock price increase.

Citigroup downgraded Pearson (PSO) to Neutral, marking the second downgrade in recent months. The company's stock is slightly overvalued according to GF Value™ at $15.83 vs. $16.16. Pearson has a GF Score™ of 73/100, indicating solid overall performance but moderate financial strength. The company operates in the education sector with a market cap of $9.71 billion.

Berenberg downgraded DCC and Mitie to 'hold' due to limited upside relative to takeover bids, citing DCC's share price near the 6,672p bid and Mitie's 221.6p offer. Citi downgraded Pearson to 'neutral' after a 40% rally, noting operational momentum but limited short-term upside. Both firms adjusted price targets accordingly.

Citi downgraded Pearson to a neutral rating but raised its price target. The company's stock has seen a 5-day change of -2.20% and a year-to-date change of +14.19%. The downgrade is based on a weighted average of various ratings, including valuation and EPS revisions.

Pearson PLC issued 320,603 ordinary shares of 25 pence each between August 1 and 31, 2026, to satisfy awards under its Save for Shares Plan. The shares are fungible with existing shares and were admitted to trading on the London Stock Exchange Main Market.

About 600,000 public school students attended fully virtual schools in 2024-25, a twofold increase since pre-pandemic. Stride and Pearson operate many of these schools, with Stride reporting 240,000 students in its virtual schools. Virtual schooling has grown due to school choice, but concerns about quality and academic progress remain.

Pearson Education settled a $150,000 disability discrimination lawsuit with the EEOC, alleging its third-party online platforms were inaccessible to visually impaired employees. The settlement requires Pearson to audit and improve accessibility, train HR personnel, and report compliance. The EEOC emphasized employer responsibility for accommodations, even when technology is outsourced, raising questions about vendor liability and due diligence.

Oklahoma lawmakers and regulators say higher electric bills this summer reflect multiple factors, including interim rate changes at Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) effective July 1, rising Southwest Power Pool transmission costs, summer air-conditioning demand, and grid upgrades. A proposed PSO settlement would cut a roughly 15% residential increase to about 1%. Data centers are cited as emerging demand, with HB 2992 taking effect July 1.

Polski Swiatlowod Otwarty (PSO) said it expanded its fibre network in July, covering over 11,000 new households across 112 locations, with the largest additions in Warsaw, Wroclaw and Gdansk. It also upgraded more than 43,500 addresses on its HFC network to FTTH and added nearly 700 subsidized households in nine sites, increasing total fibre-optic coverage.

Pearson (PSO) reported H1 2026 adjusted operating profit of £226m, up 14%, and adjusted EPS of 28.9p, up 19% at constant exchange rates. Adjusted operating margin rose to 15.5%. Free cash flow was £259m. Full-year guidance calls for adjusted operating profit of £640m to £685m and mid-single-digit revenue growth.