
Annual Report 2019
Focused on digital, lifelong learning
Overview from Chair & Chief Executive

"We are pioneering new forms of digital learning."
John Fallon, Chief Executive
Read the full Chief Executive's overview
Financial KPIs
£3,869m
Sales
(2018: £4,129m)
£581m
Adjusted operating profit
(2018: £546m)
57.8p
Adjusted earnings per share
(2018: 70.3p)
19.5p
Dividend per share
(2018: 18.5p)
£418m
Operating cash flow
(2018 £513m)
£1,016m
Net debt1
(2018: £809m)
£480m
Net cash generated from operations
(2018: £547m)
£275m
Operating profit
(2018: £553m)
34.0p
Basic earnings per share
(2018: 75.6p)
1 Includes the impact of IFRS 16. 2018 is presented on a post IFRS 16 basis for comparability. Net debt as reported in 2018 was £143m (pre-IFRS 16).
Our 2030 Sustainability Strategy

Pearson sees a world of talent
Talent is the world’s most valuable resource. We want to unleash it.
Our Sustainability Strategy has three main pillars:
1
Advance equity in learning
2
Build skills for sustainable futures
3
Lead by example
Learning stories

Meet BTEC Student of the Year 2019
Josephine Kiaga, is both a creative and an inspirational voice for her peers and the wider community. She took a BTEC Subsidiary Diploma in Creative Media Production (Film and Television), as well as a BTEC Diploma in Performing Arts (Acting) at Braeburn International School Arusha in Tanzania, to support her ambitions to become a director.

Online school provides opportunity for young students to pursue passions and achieve their dreams
Madison Kenney has a passion for STEM and wants to share that enthusiasm with other young female students. STEM is often intimidating and Madison has made it her mission to work with female students to make STEM more approachable. To allow Madison to spend more time on this mission, her mother enrolled her in Connections Academy, Pearson’s Virtual Schools business for students in K12.

Aida – the world’s first AI-inspired calculus app
Meet Aida. The world’s first AI-enabled mobile calculus tutor. Aida is a first in education. By using multiple types of AI to tutor students, we can teach them how to learn calculus and apply it in the real world. Aida gives feedback tailored to everyone. Aida is designed based on evidence of the most effective ways to teach and learn calculus. It’s a highly personalised learning approach for a highly personalised world.
- Full Annual Report
- Chair’s introduction
- Chief Executive’s strategic overview
- Our strategy
- Our performance
- Governance
- Financial statements
- Read more about our year in review (PNG | 435.00 KB)
- Sustainability supplement
- Further detail relating to the performance targets for the 2020 Long-Term Incentive Plan awards to Executive Directors
