UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
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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, 2008
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
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This Report includes the following documents:
1. A press release from Pearson plc announcing Trading Statement
22 January 2008
PEARSON TRADING UPDATE
Pearson is today providing its regular January trading update.
Across the company, our trading momentum continued in the fourth quarter and we
will produce record profits for 2007. We will also report strong cash generation
and a further underlying improvement in our return on invested capital.
Our businesses have again achieved good sales growth and margin improvement. In
our largest business, education, we continued to perform very well
competitively, as expected, and will report our strongest year ever.
In business information and consumer publishing, we finished the year ahead of
expectations. The FT Group grew strongly in all its subscription businesses, and
FT Publishing also sustained its advertising revenue growth and achieved a
further significant margin improvement. Penguin combined its ongoing operating
improvements with an outstanding publishing performance.
We now expect to report full-year adjusted earnings at or above the top end of
the range of current market expectations*, even after the significant weakening
of the US dollar during the year**.
Our full year results will also benefit from a tax charge of approximately 27%
on adjusted profit before tax.
Marjorie Scardino, chief executive, said:
"This is another excellent performance across all our businesses and on all our
financial measures. We have produced another record year and our third
consecutive year of underlying earnings growth in the mid-teens or higher. Over
this period we have changed the shape of Pearson, invested in our future growth
and made the company more efficient and more resilient. Those moves make us
confident that we will sustain our financial and competitive progress in 2008."
Pearson will announce its preliminary results for 2007 on 3 March 2008.
ENDS
* Range of analyst estimates for 2007 adjusted earnings per share is 42.0p to
45.5p according to Bloomberg.
** Pearson generates approximately two-thirds of its sales in US dollars. The
average GBP:$ exchange rate for the full year was GBP1: $2.00 (against
GBP1:$1.84 in 2006). Each 5c move in the average GBP:$ exchange rate for the
full year affects Pearson's adjusted earnings by approximately 1p per share.
For more information:
Luke Swanson/ Simon Mays-Smith/ Charles Goldsmith + 44 (0)207 010 2310
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.
PEARSON plc
Date: 22 January 2008
By: /s/ STEPHEN JONES
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Stephen Jones
Deputy Secretary