Pearson plc (PSON-L)
FTSE 100 · Media · data since 1988-07-01 · last close 2026-09-09
Pearson plc (PSON-L) monthly returns (%)
| Year | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | -8.8 | 0.3 | 3.1 | 9.3 | 2.8 | 7.5 | 5.1 | -1.9 | -5.4 | · | · | · |
| 2025 | 4.7 | 1.4 | -10.5 | -1.8 | -2.6 | -8.0 | 0.1 | 0.4 | -1.9 | 0.3 | -5.9 | 5.3 |
| 2024 | 0.8 | -1.1 | 8.5 | -6.6 | -2.6 | 4.5 | 6.6 | 0.0 | -4.0 | 12.4 | 8.2 | 4.0 |
| 2023 | -1.7 | -0.6 | -8.0 | 5.0 | -10.0 | 3.0 | 5.2 | -3.0 | 3.5 | 9.6 | -1.5 | 2.9 |
| 2022 | 0.3 | 5.3 | 15.8 | 4.7 | -4.0 | -0.6 | 0.9 | 14.0 | 0.5 | 10.8 | 3.6 | -5.6 |
| 2021 | 19.4 | -7.6 | 2.8 | 7.6 | -1.4 | 1.4 | 4.8 | -11.7 | -7.3 | -15.4 | -1.5 | 3.4 |
| 2020 | -10.8 | -1.9 | -0.9 | -16.8 | 0.8 | 24.3 | -7.8 | 5.4 | -1.8 | -7.1 | 26.9 | 5.2 |
| 2019 | -3.5 | -6.6 | -1.2 | -0.7 | -5.2 | 4.1 | 6.3 | -4.6 | -11.2 | -7.6 | -5.2 | -1.5 |
| 2018 | -5.7 | 5.6 | 2.3 | 11.3 | 8.1 | -1.8 | 4.5 | -0.8 | -3.0 | 1.0 | 7.2 | -2.6 |
| 2017 | -24.4 | 8.9 | 1.3 | -6.3 | 10.6 | -2.1 | -4.9 | -7.8 | 0.9 | 14.9 | 0.6 | 4.0 |
| 2016 | 7.2 | 8.9 | 1.9 | -8.0 | 4.2 | 15.3 | -8.8 | -1.9 | -13.0 | 0.6 | 5.0 | 2.9 |
| 2015 | 13.5 | 5.1 | 2.2 | -9.0 | -1.0 | -7.8 | -0.2 | -5.8 | -0.5 | -23.6 | -4.1 | -10.9 |
| 2014 | -17.1 | -8.9 | 4.9 | 4.4 | 5.6 | -1.4 | -1.1 | -2.6 | 11.6 | -5.7 | 5.2 | -3.3 |
| 2013 | 0.5 | -3.3 | 2.5 | -1.1 | 5.0 | -4.7 | 15.3 | -5.8 | -1.1 | 3.7 | 3.5 | -0.7 |
| 2012 | -3.1 | 2.2 | -2.8 | -0.4 | -2.0 | 11.3 | -5.5 | -0.1 | 1.3 | 2.9 | -5.4 | 0.8 |
| 2011 | 1.6 | 2.5 | 4.9 | 4.6 | -0.8 | 3.0 | -0.2 | -5.2 | 2.3 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 4.9 |
| 2010 | 0.1 | 2.3 | 13.6 | 1.5 | -9.6 | -6.6 | 11.4 | -1.7 | 1.3 | -3.1 | -3.0 | 8.9 |
| 2009 | 3.8 | -0.9 | 6.4 | 0.7 | -7.5 | -6.7 | 13.8 | 8.4 | 2.5 | 8.0 | -0.4 | 7.5 |
| 2008 | -5.7 | -3.5 | 2.3 | -3.6 | 3.9 | -10.0 | 5.9 | 4.4 | -11.6 | 1.3 | 1.9 | 3.5 |
| 2007 | 4.0 | -1.5 | 10.4 | -1.2 | 4.2 | -6.1 | -5.5 | -6.5 | 1.7 | 5.3 | -6.3 | -2.0 |
| 2006 | 5.9 | -2.6 | 12.6 | -4.7 | -5.1 | 2.1 | -1.3 | 2.8 | 1.8 | 1.7 | -3.0 | 2.8 |
| 2005 | -2.0 | 3.6 | 1.1 | -1.5 | 3.8 | -0.2 | 3.6 | -1.9 | -1.4 | -4.7 | 7.1 | 2.2 |
| 2004 | -1.1 | 0.7 | -0.2 | 6.4 | 1.1 | 0.8 | -8.0 | 0.5 | -4.6 | 1.2 | 2.7 | 2.4 |
| 2003 | -5.4 | -11.7 | 0.1 | 8.5 | 9.3 | -0.7 | 3.0 | 6.0 | -7.7 | 7.0 | 6.2 | -4.0 |
| 2002 | 3.4 | -4.7 | 15.7 | -8.4 | 2.5 | -22.9 | -5.8 | 4.4 | -20.6 | 33.9 | 8.4 | -22.3 |
| 2001 | 2.5 | -7.0 | -18.8 | 19.8 | -11.2 | -10.4 | -8.4 | -8.7 | -25.6 | 12.9 | 0.5 | -4.3 |
| 2000 | 4.4 | 0.5 | 3.8 | 1.4 | -8.8 | 4.2 | -12.9 | 23.5 | -5.6 | -1.6 | -14.7 | 0.8 |
| 1999 | 12.7 | 2.1 | 2.9 | -6.3 | -10.0 | 8.3 | -2.6 | 2.2 | 1.5 | 4.9 | 9.6 | 33.8 |
| 1998 | -0.8 | 15.3 | 7.2 | -3.4 | 19.9 | -2.2 | 2.0 | -11.0 | 9.8 | -4.8 | 4.6 | 9.4 |
| 1997 | 1.3 | 1.3 | -5.2 | -2.8 | 1.3 | -3.1 | -2.1 | 6.5 | 8.1 | -0.5 | 5.8 | -4.1 |
| 1996 | 6.7 | 2.7 | -2.2 | 5.5 | -2.0 | -4.0 | -9.5 | 13.6 | -0.2 | 11.6 | -3.3 | 2.0 |
| 1995 | 2.5 | -2.7 | 1.4 | 2.2 | 5.6 | -1.6 | 6.5 | -4.9 | -2.3 | 6.8 | 3.2 | -3.9 |
| 1994 | 15.0 | -0.3 | -8.0 | 1.4 | -6.2 | -3.9 | 11.6 | 1.2 | -12.1 | 8.9 | -3.1 | -9.6 |
| 1993 | -3.6 | 1.3 | 7.6 | 6.6 | 0.5 | 8.2 | -1.5 | 7.7 | 7.2 | 4.3 | 7.3 | 0.7 |
| 1992 | 12.5 | 2.9 | -2.9 | 13.8 | -3.1 | -13.1 | -13.3 | -2.1 | 21.9 | -10.5 | 4.6 | 7.1 |
| 1991 | 0.6 | 10.0 | 6.1 | -5.8 | 0.7 | -6.3 | 10.1 | 0.4 | 5.0 | -3.6 | -2.6 | -6.3 |
| 1990 | -2.7 | -6.3 | -0.9 | -6.3 | 13.4 | 3.7 | -5.4 | -3.2 | -9.1 | 2.0 | 1.9 | -0.9 |
| 1989 | 12.8 | -4.5 | 0.9 | 3.7 | -3.6 | 2.4 | 8.3 | 0.6 | -6.4 | -7.2 | 5.1 | 7.4 |
| 1988 | · | · | · | · | · | · | 10.1 | -8.5 | 6.5 | -4.1 | -6.3 | -4.7 |
| Avg | 1.1 | 0.2 | 2.1 | 0.6 | 0.2 | -0.5 | 0.8 | 0.1 | -1.8 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 0.9 |
Values in %. Current and first-listed months are partial (greyed).
returnsview.com
PSON-L seasonality — average by calendar month
Pearson plc has monthly history back to 1988. Its strongest month by median is March — positive in 26 of 38 years, median +2.2%, and higher in 5 of the last 9. June is the soft spot, down in 22 of 38 with a median of -1.1%. Across its full record it has closed 54% of months higher, swings ±7.6% in an average month and has fallen 81.2% peak to trough.
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg | +1.1% | +0.2% | +2.1% | +0.6% | +0.2% | -0.5% | +0.8% | +0.1% | -1.7% | +1.8% | +1.7% | +0.9% |
| Win rate | 61%/38 | 53%/38 | 68%/38 | 50%/38 | 50%/38 | 42%/38 | 51%/39 | 46%/39 | 45%/38 | 63%/38 | 61%/38 | 58%/38 |
Win rate = share of positive months / sample size.
PSON-L risk & extremes
PSON-L drawdown & rolling returns
Percent below the all-time high at each month-end — how far underwater the asset was.
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Frequently asked questions
What was Pearson plc's best month?+
Pearson plc's strongest completed month on record is October 2002, at +33.86%.
What was Pearson plc's worst month?+
Its weakest completed month on record is September 2001, at -25.61%.
Is Pearson plc up this year?+
Pearson plc is up 11.11% year to date, measured from its last close before 1 January.
What is Pearson plc's 1-year return?+
+10.75% over the past twelve months, comparing the latest close with the most recent close on or before the same date a year earlier.
What is Pearson plc's biggest drawdown?+
The deepest peak-to-trough fall on record is 81.2%, measured on month-end closes since 1988.
Which calendar month is historically best for Pearson plc?+
March has the highest average return across every completed March since 1988. An average is not a forecast.
About Pearson plc
Pearson plc is a FTSE 100 company, a media business worth about $10 billion. It competes for the only truly scarce resource: your attention — with price receipts on this site going back to 1988. And the long game: $100 at its first close here (1988) would be about $365 today.
Did you know?
- Its best month on record was October 2002 at +33.86%; its worst, September 2001 at -25.61%.
Trivia for entertainment — the numbers come from our price data; the jokes don't.