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Dr. Charlie Tian is the founder and CEO of GuruFocus.com, a leading global investment research platform established in 2004. With a Ph.D. in physics, Dr. Tian transitioned from science to finance, applying a data-driven, disciplined approach to value investing.
GuruFocus Profitability Rank ranks how profitable a company is and how likely the company's business will stay that way. It is rated on a scale of 1 to 10 and is based on these factors:
1. Operating Margin %
2. Piotroski F-Score
3. Trend of the Operating Margin % (5-year average). The company with an uptrend profit margin has a higher rank.
4. Consistency of the profitability
5. Predictability Rank
A higher score indicates superior profitability, with companies rated 7 or above considered to have more robust and sustainable profit generation. Conversely, a score of 3 or lower suggests challenges in generating consistent profits.
For the Publishing subindustry, Pearson's Profitability Rank, along with its competitors' market caps and Profitability Rank data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
Pearson Profitability Rank vs Media - Diversified Industry
For the Media - Diversified industry and Communication Services sector, Pearson's Profitability Rank distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Pearson's Profitability Rank falls into.
GuruFocus Profitability Rank ranks how profitable a company is and how likely the company's business will stay that way.
The rank is rated on a scale of 1 to 10. A higher score indicates superior profitability, with companies rated 7 or above considered to have more robust and sustainable profit generation. Conversely, a score of 3 or lower suggests challenges in generating consistent profits.
Pearson has the Profitability Rank of 7.
Profitability Rank is not directly related to the Financial Strength. But if a company is consistently profitable, its financial strength will be stronger.
Operating Margin % - also known as operating income margin, operating profit margin and return on sales (ROS) - is the ratio of Operating Income divided by net sales or Revenue, usually presented in percent.
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
Pearson (PSORF) has a Profitability Rank of 7 as of Dec. 2025. Profitability and Growth ranks a company based on its profit margins and earnings growth. View historical data on Pearson and its competitors. This is near median its historical median of 7.00. Over the past decade, Pearson's Profitability Rank has ranged from 6.00 to 7.00.
Is Pearson's Profitability Rank too high?
Pearson's current Profitability Rank of 7 is near median its 10-year median of 7.00. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 6.00 to a high of 7.00. Overall, Pearson has a GF Score™ of 79/100 and is considered Modestly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Pearson's Profitability Rank compare to NYT and WLY?
Pearson's Profitability Rank of 7 can be compared against companies in the Media - Diversified industry. Historically, Pearson's own Profitability Rank has ranged from 6.00 to 7.00 over the past decade. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Profitability Rank for a Media - Diversified company?
A good Profitability Rank depends on the Media - Diversified industry context. However, Profitability Rank should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Profitability Rank mean?
A high Profitability Rank can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Profitability and Growth ranks a company based on its profit margins and earnings growth. View historical data on Pearson and its competitors. Pearson's current Profitability Rank is 7, which is near median its own 10-year median of 7.00. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Pearson stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Pearson (PSORF) is currently considered Modestly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $13.82, compared to a current price of $16.00 — trading 15.8% above its estimated fair value. The current Profitability Rank is 7, which is near median its 10-year median of 7.00. Pearson's overall GF Score™ is 79/100 with 7 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Profitability Rank calculated?
Profitability Rank is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Pearson (PSORF), the current Profitability Rank is 7 as of Dec. 2025. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is Pearson (PSORF) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Pearson stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of $16.00 is trading 15.8% above its estimated GF Value™ of $13.82.
GuruFocus considers Pearson to be Modestly Overvalued.
Key valuation signals for PSORF:
Profitability Rank: 7 (near median its 10-year median of 7.00)
GF Value™: $13.82 vs. price of $16.00 (15.8% above fair value)
No single metric tells the full story. See the PSORF stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
UK-listed Pearson is a testing and educational provider. Pearson's primary operations are in assessment and qualifications, testing and higher education, but they also provide English education and testing, virtual learning, prehiring testing and screening, and upskilling/reskilling. The company divested noncore businesses, including the Financial Times, The Economist, and publishing house Penguin, and is now focused on being an educational resource and testing provider.
79GF Score
Get the complete analysis for PSORF
Profitability Rank is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.
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