Pearson
Financial ratios & Valuation

Forward Multiples (2025 – 2027)

202520262027
Price/Earnings ratio
20.8119.2719.56
Price/Sales ratio
2.892.773.13
Earnings per Share (EPS)
$0.70$0.76$0.74

Historical Multiples (2014 – 2023)

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 TTM Median
Valuation Ratios
Price/Earnings ratio
20.387.22-2.8214.6912.3818.7015.3826.4428.4118.3319.9412.38
Price/Sales ratio
1.961.331.441.321.761.271.491.361.791.881.961.76
Price/Book Value ratio
1.600.921.511.481.611.141.231.091.561.742.331.61
Price/Cash Flow ratio
21.1028.1916.0820.0215.7613.3813.0414.3519.0413.207.6913.38
Price/Free Cash Flow ratio
35.16-165.2639.9690.4027.7928.0619.9031.2032.1317.3711.4428.06
Price/Earnings Growth ratio
-1.510.090.00-0.120.23-0.330.74-0.600.650.30-1.69-0.33
Dividend Yield
4.13%7.10%6.43%5.32%1.86%2.97%2.87%3.18%2.26%2.22%1.81%2.97%
Profitability Indicator Ratios
Gross Profit Margin
54.82%55.66%54.02%54.22%52.94%51.97%47.98%49.03%46.73%49.94%50.66%51.97%
Operating Profit Margin
8.16%-9.04%-54.85%9.99%13.39%7.10%8.33%5.33%7.05%13.55%15.00%13.39%
Pretax Profit Margin
6.25%-9.69%-56.17%9.32%12.06%5.99%10.42%4.57%8.40%13.41%13.30%12.06%
Net Profit Margin
9.66%18.41%-51.34%8.99%14.24%6.82%9.71%5.16%6.30%10.28%10.00%10.00%
Effective Tax Rate
20.65%18.70%8.68%3.08%-18.47%-14.65%12.42%-1.91%24.45%22.92%25.35%-18.47%
Return on Assets
4.13%7.07%-23.21%5.14%7.43%3.45%4.42%2.41%3.31%5.61%6.63%6.63%
Return On Equity
7.87%12.83%-53.79%10.11%13.02%6.12%8%4.14%5.49%9.51%11.45%11.45%
Return on Capital Employed
4.32%-4.15%-30.66%7.93%9.58%4.46%4.87%3.17%4.63%9.35%12.60%9.58%
Liquidity Ratios
Current Ratio
1.332.142.121.551.582.122.03N/AN/AN/A1.771.58
Quick Ratio
1.232.032.001.421.502.011.951.971.841.661.711.50
Cash ratio
0.240.890.750.230.260.290.660.590.370.220.230.29
Days of Sales Outstanding
88.7493.6177.0559.8494.58106.8899.60115.3189.9972.0288.73106.88
Days of Inventory outstanding
37.1238.8740.9826.1430.8033.1926.6420.4718.7318.0614.8033.19
Operating Cycle
125.87132.49118.0385.99125.39140.08126.25135.78108.7290.08103.54140.08
Days of Payables Outstanding
54.5358.7758.0746.8158.4270.3270.2373.3362.0862.91172.3958.42
Cash Conversion Cycle
71.3373.7259.9639.1766.9769.7556.0162.4546.6427.17-68.8469.75
Debt Ratios
Debt Ratio
0.190.200.240.130.090.100.130.100.080.090.160.09
Debt Equity Ratio
0.370.360.560.260.160.190.230.180.140.150.280.16
Long-term Debt to Capitalization
0.230.240.350.200.120.160.160.130.120.130.180.12
Total Debt to Capitalization
0.270.260.350.210.140.160.190.150.120.130.220.14
Interest Coverage Ratio
5.257.013.823.278.785.402.88N/AN/AN/A6.535.40
Cash Flow to Debt Ratio
0.200.090.160.270.620.430.390.420.560.851.050.62
Company Equity Multiplier
1.901.812.311.961.751.771.801.711.661.691.761.75
Cash Flow Ratios
Operating Cash Flow / Sales Ratio
0.090.040.090.060.110.090.110.090.090.140.250.11
Free Cash Flow / Operating Cash Flow Ratio
0.6-0.170.400.220.560.470.650.460.590.760.660.56
Cash Flow Coverage Ratio
0.200.090.160.270.620.430.390.420.560.851.050.62
Short Term Coverage Ratio
1.340.6810.5119.86720.52.013.5813.881754.6120.5
Dividend Payout Ratio
84.28%51.39%-18.14%78.32%23.12%55.68%44.24%84.18%64.46%40.74%40.22%23.12%