Pearson PLC (PSON) - Net Assets
Based on the latest financial reports, Pearson PLC (PSON) has net assets worth GBX3.66 Billion GBX (≈ $445.68K USD) as of December 2025. Net assets (also known as shareholders' equity or book value) represent the difference between a company's total assets (GBX6.46 Billion ≈ $785.75K USD) and total liabilities (GBX2.79 Billion ≈ $340.07K USD). This figure indicates the residual interest in the assets after deducting liabilities, essentially showing what would remain for shareholders if all assets were liquidated and all debts paid off. Check PSON financial resilience to evaluate the company's liquid asset resilience ratio.
Key Net Assets Metrics
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Current Net Assets | GBX3.66 Billion |
| % of Total Assets | 56.72% |
| Annual Growth Rate | 5.57% |
| 5-Year Change | -14.42% |
| 10-Year Change | -15.75% |
| Growth Volatility | 100.0 |
Pearson PLC - Net Assets Trend (1985–2025)
This chart illustrates how Pearson PLC's net assets have evolved over time, based on quarterly financial data. Also explore PSON total asset value for the complete picture of this company's asset base.
Annual Net Assets for Pearson PLC (1985–2025)
The table below shows the annual net assets of Pearson PLC from 1985 to 2025. For live valuation and market cap data, see PSON stock market capitalisation.
| Year | Net Assets | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-12-31 | GBX3.66 Billion ≈ $445.68K |
-9.62% |
| 2024-12-31 | GBX4.05 Billion ≈ $493.13K |
+1.63% |
| 2023-12-31 | GBX3.99 Billion ≈ $485.22K |
-9.67% |
| 2022-12-31 | GBX4.42 Billion ≈ $537.18K |
+3.15% |
| 2021-12-31 | GBX4.28 Billion ≈ $520.75K |
+3.53% |
| 2020-12-31 | GBX4.13 Billion ≈ $502.99K |
-4.37% |
| 2019-12-31 | GBX4.32 Billion ≈ $525.98K |
-4.46% |
| 2018-12-31 | GBX4.53 Billion ≈ $550.56K |
+12.53% |
| 2017-12-31 | GBX4.02 Billion ≈ $489.24K |
-7.52% |
| 2016-12-31 | GBX4.35 Billion ≈ $529.03K |
-32.25% |
| 2015-12-31 | GBX6.42 Billion ≈ $780.88K |
+7.23% |
| 2014-12-31 | GBX5.99 Billion ≈ $728.20K |
+4.89% |
| 2013-12-31 | GBX5.71 Billion ≈ $694.26K |
-0.07% |
| 2012-12-31 | GBX5.71 Billion ≈ $694.74K |
-4.23% |
| 2011-12-31 | GBX5.96 Billion ≈ $725.40K |
+6.37% |
| 2010-12-31 | GBX5.61 Billion ≈ $681.97K |
+20.90% |
| 2009-12-31 | GBX4.64 Billion ≈ $564.07K |
-7.72% |
| 2008-12-31 | GBX5.02 Billion ≈ $611.28K |
+29.69% |
| 2007-12-31 | GBX3.87 Billion ≈ $471.35K |
+6.31% |
| 2006-12-31 | GBX3.64 Billion ≈ $443.37K |
-2.38% |
| 2005-12-31 | GBX3.73 Billion ≈ $454.20K |
+23.86% |
| 2004-12-31 | GBX3.01 Billion ≈ $366.72K |
-2.40% |
| 2003-12-31 | GBX3.09 Billion ≈ $375.72K |
-12.52% |
| 2002-12-31 | GBX3.53 Billion ≈ $429.50K |
-6.42% |
| 2001-12-31 | GBX3.77 Billion ≈ $458.97K |
-10.48% |
| 2000-12-31 | GBX4.21 Billion ≈ $512.72K |
+217.56% |
| 1999-12-31 | GBX1.33 Billion ≈ $161.46K |
+22.42% |
| 1998-12-31 | GBX1.08 Billion ≈ $131.89K |
+594.87% |
| 1997-12-31 | GBX156.00 Million ≈ $18.98K |
-60.23% |
| 1996-12-31 | GBX392.30 Million ≈ $47.73K |
-54.14% |
| 1995-12-31 | GBX855.40 Million ≈ $104.08K |
-18.68% |
| 1994-12-31 | GBX1.05 Billion ≈ $127.99K |
+5.18% |
| 1993-12-31 | GBX1.00 Billion ≈ $121.68K |
-5.50% |
| 1992-12-31 | GBX1.06 Billion ≈ $128.76K |
+7.87% |
| 1991-12-31 | GBX981.10 Million ≈ $119.37K |
+37.89% |
| 1990-12-31 | GBX711.50 Million ≈ $86.57K |
+8.53% |
| 1989-12-31 | GBX655.60 Million ≈ $79.77K |
+35.54% |
| 1988-12-31 | GBX483.70 Million ≈ $58.85K |
-19.57% |
| 1987-12-31 | GBX601.40 Million ≈ $73.17K |
+26.58% |
| 1986-12-31 | GBX475.10 Million ≈ $57.81K |
+13.58% |
| 1985-12-31 | GBX418.30 Million ≈ $50.90K |
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Equity Component Analysis
This analysis shows how different components contribute to Pearson PLC's total equity over time. Equity components include common stock, retained earnings, additional paid-in capital, and other elements.
Equity Composition Insights
- Retained earnings have grown by 219.8% over the analyzed period, indicating profitable operations and earnings retention.
Current Equity Component Breakdown (December 2025)
| Component | Amount | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Retained Earnings | GBX629.00 Million | 17.24% |
| Common Stock | GBX158.00 Million | 4.33% |
| Other Comprehensive Income | GBX212.00 Million | 5.81% |
| Other Components | GBX2.65 Billion | 72.62% |
| Total Equity | GBX3.65 Billion | 100.00% |
Pearson PLC Competitors by Market Cap
The table below lists competitors of Pearson PLC ranked by their market capitalization.
| Company | Market Cap |
|---|---|
|
EMEK Elektrik Endustrisi AS
IS:EMKEL
|
$84.12 Million |
|
Macroblock
TWO:3527
|
$84.16 Million |
|
Kumpulan Kitacon Berhad
KLSE:5310
|
$84.16 Million |
|
Three A Resources Bhd
KLSE:0012
|
$84.19 Million |
|
Infant Bacterial Therapeutics AB (publ)
ST:IBT-B
|
$84.06 Million |
|
AAC Clyde Space AB (publ)
ST:AAC
|
$84.04 Million |
|
Immutep Ltd ADR
NASDAQ:IMMP
|
$84.03 Million |
|
Atrium Real Estate Investment Trust
KLSE:5130
|
$84.01 Million |
Equity Growth Attribution
This analysis shows how different factors contributed to changes in Pearson PLC's equity between the two most recent reporting periods.
Equity Growth Insights
- From 2024 to 2025, total equity changed from 4,038,000,000 to 3,648,000,000, a change of -390,000,000 (-9.7%).
- Net income of 335,000,000 contributed positively to equity growth.
- Dividend payments of 160,000,000 reduced retained earnings.
- Share repurchases of 424,000,000 reduced equity.
- Other comprehensive income decreased equity by 191,000,000.
- Other factors increased equity by 113,000,000.
Equity Change Factors (2024 to 2025)
| Factor | Impact | Contribution |
|---|---|---|
| Net Income | GBX335.00 Million | +9.18% |
| Dividends Paid | GBX160.00 Million | -4.39% |
| Share Repurchases | GBX424.00 Million | -11.62% |
| Other Comprehensive Income | GBX-191.00 Million | -5.24% |
| Other Changes | GBX113.00 Million | +3.1% |
| Total Change | GBX- | -9.66% |
Book Value vs Market Value Analysis
This analysis compares Pearson PLC's book value (net assets) with its market value over time. The relationship between these values can provide insights into investor sentiment and company valuation.
Valuation Insights
- Current price-to-book ratio: 204.26x
- The company is trading at a significant premium to its book value, suggesting the market values its earnings potential, brand, or other intangibles highly.
- The price-to-book ratio has decreased from 1291.26x to 204.26x over the analyzed period, indicating reduced market premium.
Historical Price-to-Book Ratios
| Date | Book Value per Share | Market Price | P/B Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985-12-31 | GBX0.87 | GBX1128.50 | x |
| 1986-12-31 | GBX0.97 | GBX1128.50 | x |
| 1987-12-31 | GBX1.24 | GBX1128.50 | x |
| 1988-12-31 | GBX0.90 | GBX1128.50 | x |
| 1989-12-31 | GBX1.13 | GBX1128.50 | x |
| 1990-12-31 | GBX1.16 | GBX1128.50 | x |
| 1991-12-31 | GBX1.58 | GBX1128.50 | x |
| 1992-12-31 | GBX1.70 | GBX1128.50 | x |
| 1993-12-31 | GBX1.61 | GBX1128.50 | x |
| 1994-12-31 | GBX1.66 | GBX1128.50 | x |
| 1995-12-31 | GBX1.32 | GBX1128.50 | x |
| 1996-12-31 | GBX0.61 | GBX1128.50 | x |
| 1997-12-31 | GBX0.23 | GBX1128.50 | x |
| 1998-12-31 | GBX1.54 | GBX1128.50 | x |
| 1999-12-31 | GBX1.86 | GBX1128.50 | x |
| 2000-12-31 | GBX5.55 | GBX1128.50 | x |
| 2001-12-31 | GBX4.52 | GBX1128.50 | x |
| 2002-12-31 | GBX4.19 | GBX1128.50 | x |
| 2003-12-31 | GBX3.62 | GBX1128.50 | x |
| 2004-12-31 | GBX3.51 | GBX1128.50 | x |
| 2005-12-31 | GBX4.45 | GBX1128.50 | x |
| 2006-12-31 | GBX4.35 | GBX1128.50 | x |
| 2007-12-31 | GBX4.63 | GBX1128.50 | x |
| 2008-12-31 | GBX5.96 | GBX1128.50 | x |
| 2009-12-31 | GBX5.43 | GBX1128.50 | x |
| 2010-12-31 | GBX6.90 | GBX1128.50 | x |
| 2011-12-31 | GBX7.41 | GBX1128.50 | x |
| 2012-12-31 | GBX7.06 | GBX1128.50 | x |
| 2013-12-31 | GBX7.05 | GBX1128.50 | x |
| 2014-12-31 | GBX7.36 | GBX1128.50 | x |
| 2015-12-31 | GBX7.88 | GBX1128.50 | x |
| 2016-12-31 | GBX5.33 | GBX1128.50 | x |
| 2017-12-31 | GBX4.93 | GBX1128.50 | x |
| 2018-12-31 | GBX5.80 | GBX1128.50 | x |
| 2019-12-31 | GBX5.55 | GBX1128.50 | x |
| 2020-12-31 | GBX5.46 | GBX1128.50 | x |
| 2021-12-31 | GBX5.63 | GBX1128.50 | x |
| 2022-12-31 | GBX5.93 | GBX1128.50 | x |
| 2023-12-31 | GBX5.54 | GBX1128.50 | x |
| 2024-12-31 | GBX5.90 | GBX1128.50 | x |
| 2025-12-31 | GBX5.52 | GBX1128.50 | x |
Capital Efficiency Dashboard
This dashboard shows how efficiently Pearson PLC utilizes its equity to generate returns, including Return on Equity (ROE) and its components based on the DuPont analysis framework.
Capital Efficiency Insights
- Current Return on Equity (ROE): 9.18%
- The company has moderate efficiency in generating returns from equity.
- DuPont Analysis Breakdown:
- • Net Profit Margin: 9.37%
- • Asset Turnover: 0.55x
- • Equity Multiplier: 1.77x
- Recent ROE (9.18%) is below the historical average (13.68%), suggesting potential challenges in capital efficiency.
Historical Capital Efficiency Metrics
| Year | Return on Equity | Net Profit Margin | Asset Turnover | Equity Multiplier | Economic Value Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 17.78% | 7.12% | 1.14x | 2.19x | GBX30.23 Million |
| 1986 | 14.50% | 6.76% | 1.01x | 2.13x | GBX19.99 Million |
| 1987 | 40.30% | 25.13% | 0.89x | 1.81x | GBX179.92 Million |
| 1988 | 37.46% | 14.71% | 0.91x | 2.80x | GBX128.80 Million |
| 1989 | 42.58% | 18.92% | 0.94x | 2.39x | GBX211.33 Million |
| 1990 | 12.50% | 5.75% | 0.88x | 2.48x | GBX17.62 Million |
| 1991 | 13.75% | 8.38% | 0.83x | 1.98x | GBX36.56 Million |
| 1992 | 10.01% | 6.44% | 0.76x | 2.04x | GBX100.00K |
| 1993 | 14.84% | 7.91% | 0.97x | 1.93x | GBX48.27 Million |
| 1994 | 21.51% | 14.38% | 0.65x | 2.32x | GBX119.29 Million |
| 1995 | 31.33% | 14.26% | 0.71x | 3.08x | GBX177.68 Million |
| 1996 | 61.89% | 11.00% | 0.97x | 5.78x | GBX201.64 Million |
| 1997 | 25.11% | 1.67% | 1.02x | 14.77x | GBX23.05 Million |
| 1998 | 41.70% | 18.25% | 0.45x | 5.07x | GBX332.20 Million |
| 1999 | 22.26% | 8.82% | 0.62x | 4.05x | GBX161.90 Million |
| 2000 | 4.43% | 4.63% | 0.44x | 2.18x | GBX-225.43 Million |
| 2001 | -10.89% | -9.25% | 0.53x | 2.24x | GBX-751.20 Million |
| 2002 | -3.33% | -2.57% | 0.63x | 2.05x | GBX-444.80 Million |
| 2003 | 1.90% | 1.36% | 0.64x | 2.19x | GBX-234.30 Million |
| 2004 | 9.36% | 7.09% | 0.56x | 2.35x | GBX-18.00 Million |
| 2005 | 17.51% | 16.39% | 0.50x | 2.13x | GBX267.60 Million |
| 2006 | 12.83% | 11.18% | 0.55x | 2.08x | GBX98.40 Million |
| 2007 | 7.69% | 6.82% | 0.57x | 1.97x | GBX-85.50 Million |
| 2008 | 6.15% | 6.07% | 0.49x | 2.08x | GBX-183.00 Million |
| 2009 | 9.78% | 8.27% | 0.55x | 2.17x | GBX-9.50 Million |
| 2010 | 23.42% | 22.90% | 0.53x | 1.93x | GBX743.20 Million |
| 2011 | 16.10% | 16.33% | 0.52x | 1.89x | GBX362.70 Million |
| 2012 | 5.73% | 6.44% | 0.45x | 2.00x | GBX-242.60 Million |
| 2013 | 9.44% | 10.61% | 0.46x | 1.92x | GBX-32.00 Million |
| 2014 | 7.88% | 9.66% | 0.43x | 1.91x | GBX-126.90 Million |
| 2015 | 12.83% | 18.42% | 0.38x | 1.81x | GBX181.60 Million |
| 2016 | -53.80% | -51.34% | 0.45x | 2.32x | GBX-2.77 Billion |
| 2017 | 10.12% | 9.00% | 0.57x | 1.97x | GBX4.70 Million |
| 2018 | 13.02% | 14.24% | 0.52x | 1.75x | GBX136.40 Million |
| 2019 | 6.12% | 6.82% | 0.51x | 1.77x | GBX-167.30 Million |
| 2020 | 8.00% | 9.71% | 0.46x | 1.81x | GBX-82.50 Million |
| 2021 | 4.15% | 5.16% | 0.47x | 1.72x | GBX-250.00 Million |
| 2022 | 5.50% | 6.30% | 0.53x | 1.66x | GBX-198.20 Million |
| 2023 | 9.51% | 10.29% | 0.55x | 1.69x | GBX-19.40 Million |
| 2024 | 10.75% | 12.22% | 0.52x | 1.71x | GBX30.20 Million |
| 2025 | 9.18% | 9.37% | 0.55x | 1.77x | GBX-29.80 Million |
Industry Comparison
This section compares Pearson PLC's net assets metrics with peer companies in the Publishing industry.
Industry Context
- Industry: Publishing
- Average net assets among peers: $188,307,500
- Average return on equity (ROE) among peers: 4.61%
Peer Company Comparison
| Company | Net Assets | Return on Equity | Debt-to-Equity | Market Cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pearson PLC (PSON) | GBX3.66 Billion | 17.78% | 0.76x | $84.07 Million |
| Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (BMY) | $114.81 Million | 6.50% | 0.34x | $5.94 Million |
| Future PLC (FUTR) | $63.30 Million | -30.49% | 1.21x | $3.65 Million |
| Informa PLC (INF) | $631.88 Million | 11.06% | 1.07x | $127.77 Million |
| Reach PLC (RCH) | $57.02 Million | 15.90% | 0.75x | $1.95 Million |
| Smiths News PLC (SNWS) | $153.63 Million | 19.54% | 2.05x | $1.96 Million |
| XLMedia PLC (XLM) | $109.22 Million | 5.16% | 0.49x | $30.17K |
About Pearson PLC
Pearson plc provides educational courseware, assessments, and services in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, the Asia Pacific, other European countries, and internationally. It operates through five segments: Assessment & Qualifications, Virtual Learning, English Language Learning, Enterprise Learning & Skills, and Higher Education. The Assessment & Qualifications segment offers pears… Read more