UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 6-K
REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER
PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-16 OR 15d-16 UNDER
THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the
month of January 2026
PEARSON plc
(Exact
name of registrant as specified in its charter)
N/A
(Translation
of registrant's name into English)
80 Strand
London, England WC2R 0RL
44-20-7010-2000
(Address
of principal executive office)
Indicate
by check mark whether the Registrant files or will file annual
reports
under
cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F:
Form
20-F
X
Form 40-F
Indicate
by check mark whether the Registrant by furnishing the
information
contained
in this Form is also thereby furnishing the information to
the
Commission
pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934
Yes
No X
Pearson 2025
Trading Update (Unaudited)
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14th January
2026
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Strong execution delivers 2025 financial performance in line with
guidance, with all business units contributing to growth. Good
strategic progress underpins our confidence for 2026 and
beyond.
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Highlights
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Underlying Group sales growth of 4% for the full year, with Q4
accelerating to 8%.
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Group adjusted operating profit of £610-615m at £:$ of
1.32 for the full year, up c.6% on an underlying
basis.
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Strong cash generation with free cash flow conversion of more than
95%1 plus
£0.1bn State Aid repayment.
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Delivered against our 2025 strategic priorities, with Q4 highlights
including:
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o
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Leading on the application of innovative technologies with the
launch of Communication Coach - an
AI-powered learning solution integrated into Microsoft 365,
enabling professionals to enhance communication skills seamlessly
within the flow of work, marking our first go-to-market
collaboration with Microsoft (link here).
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o
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Ongoing Enterprise momentum, including a new strategic partnership
with IBM (link
here) and
winning a strategic vocational skilling contract for the
construction sector in Saudi Arabia. Pearson Professional
Assessments (formerly known as Pearson VUE) selected to be the test
delivery provider for Google Cloud
certifications.
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Omar Abbosh, Pearson's Chief Executive, said:
"In 2025 we successfully delivered against our financial and
strategic priorities by expanding our partnerships, growing our
Enterprise reach, and advancing the use of AI to improve learning
and upskilling. All of this was achieved thanks to the strong
delivery of our people, who have been focused on executing for our
customers. We enter 2026 with momentum, are excited about the
opportunities that lie ahead, and remain well positioned to deliver
value to our stakeholders."
Underlying Group sales growth of 4% for the full year, with Q4
accelerating to 8%
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Assessment & Qualifications sales grew 4% for the full year
with all sub-business units contributing to growth. Pearson
Professional Assessments secured several new contracts, with
continued strong customer retention supporting future growth. US
Student Assessment renewed and extended several key contracts in
the year, although lost the contract with New Jersey, which will be
a headwind in H1 2026. In Clinical Assessment, sales grew due to
the continued traction of our products in the market, pricing and
digital product growth. UK & International Qualifications
benefited from volume, pricing, and International growth. Sales
growth accelerated in Q4, with sales up 8%, driven by new contract
launches in Pearson Professional Assessments and the return to
growth in US Student Assessment as phasing
normalised.
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Virtual Learning sales increased 8% for the full year with strong
performance in H2. Sales increased 20% in Q4, driven by a 13%
increase in 2025/26 academic year enrolments in
the Fall semester, favourable mix and funding.
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Higher Education sales were up 2% for the full year and flat in Q4.
US Higher Education sales grew 3% for the full
year, driven
by enrolments and pricing in our
core Courseware business, partly offset by K-12 declines given the
transitionary period, with adoption share maintained. In the year,
there was growth of 1% in US digital subscriptions and 19% in
Inclusive Access. International Higher Education faced ongoing
challenging trading conditions in mature markets, declining 7% for
the full year.
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English Language Learning sales grew 1% for the full year driven by
Institutional. Pearson Test of English (PTE) sales were flat,
performing well against a tough market backdrop. Sales growth
accelerated in Q4 to 8%, driven by a strong performance in
Institutional, particularly in key Latin American markets and Asia,
partially offset by expected declines in PTE following volume
strength ahead of test enhancements in Q3.
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Enterprise Learning & Skills sales grew 6% for the full year
and 13% in Q4, with a solid performance in Vocational
Qualifications and continued quarter-on-quarter improvement in
Enterprise Solutions, driven by the recently announced
partnerships.
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Strong financial position
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Pearson's financial position remains robust, with a strong balance
sheet, net debt of c.£1.1bn and a 2025 free
cash flow conversion of more than 95%1 plus
recovery of the £0.1bn in relation to State Aid
taxes.
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Medium Term Outlook unchanged
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Beyond 2025, Pearson is positioned to deliver a mid-single digit
underlying sales growth CAGR, sustained margin improvement that
will equate to an average increase of 40 basis points per annum and
strong free cash conversion1,
in the region of 90% to 100%, on average, across the
period.
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Financial calendar
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Full year results will be announced on 27 February 2026. We will
hold an in-person presentation and Q&A session, during which we
will outline the 2026 outlook.
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Financial summary
Underlying growth for the fourth quarter and financial year ended
31 December 2025 compared to the equivalent period in
2024.
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Sales
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Q4
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Full Year
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Assessment & Qualifications
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8%
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4%
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Virtual Learning
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20%
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8%
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Higher Education
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0%
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2%
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English Language Learning
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8%
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1%
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Enterprise Learning & Skills
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13%
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6%
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Total
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8%
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4%
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Throughout this announcement: a) growth rates are stated on an
underlying basis unless otherwise stated. Underlying growth rates
exclude currency movements and portfolio
changes. b)
The 'business performance' measures are non-GAAP measures. Please
refer to full year and half-year results for further detail and
reconciliations to the equivalent statutory heading under
IFRS.
1Free cash
flow conversion calculated as free cash flow divided by adjusted
earnings.
Contacts
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Investor Relations
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Alex Shore
Steph Crinnegan
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+44 (0) 7720 947 853
+44 (0) 7780 555 351
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Gemma Terry
Brennan Matthews
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+44 (0) 7841 363 216
+1 (332) 238-8785
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ir@pearson.com
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https://plc.pearson.com/en-GB/investors
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Media
Teneo
Pearson
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Ed Cropley
Laura Ewart
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+44 (0) 7492 949 346
+44 (0) 7798 846 805
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About Pearson
At
Pearson, our purpose is simple: to help people realise the life
they imagine through learning. We believe that every learning
opportunity is a chance for a personal breakthrough. That's why our
Pearson employees are committed to creating vibrant and enriching
learning experiences designed for real-life impact. We are the
world's lifelong learning company, serving customers with digital
content, assessments, qualifications, and data. For us, learning
isn't just what we do. It's who we are. Visit us at
pearsonplc.com.
Notes
Forward looking statements: Except for the historical information
contained herein, the matters discussed in this statement include
forward-looking statements. In particular, all statements that
express forecasts, expectations and projections with respect to
future matters, including trends in results of operations, margins,
growth rates, overall market trends, the impact of interest or
exchange rates, the availability of financing, anticipated cost
savings and synergies and the execution of Pearson's strategy, are
forward-looking statements. By their nature, forward-looking
statements involve risks and uncertainties because they relate to
events and depend on circumstances that will occur in future. They
are based on numerous assumptions regarding Pearson's present and
future business strategies and the environment in which it will
operate in the future. There are a number of factors which could
cause actual results and developments to differ materially from
those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements,
including a number of factors outside Pearson's control. These
include international, national and local conditions, as well as
competition. They also include other risks detailed from time to
time in Pearson's publicly-filed documents and you are advised to
read, in particular, the risk factors set out in Pearson's latest
annual report and accounts, which can be found on its website
(www.pearsonplc.com). Any forward-looking statements speak only as
of the date they are made, and Pearson gives no undertaking to
update forward-looking statements to reflect any changes in its
expectations with regard thereto or any changes to events,
conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.
Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such
forward-looking statements.
SIGNATURE
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf
by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
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PEARSON
plc
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Date: 14
January 2026
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By: /s/
NATALIE WHITE
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------------------------------------
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Natalie
White
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Deputy
Company Secretary
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