We recently compiled a list of the 10 Best FTSE Dividend Stocks To Buy Now. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Pearson plc (NYSE:PSO) stands against the other FTSE dividend stocks.
The first half of 2024 has been notable for the UK equity market, as the FTSE 100, the benchmark index for UK company shares, hit a record high. However, stocks tumbled in the first week of June as financial shares mirrored broader losses in European markets. That was mainly due to the political uncertainty that unsettled investors and a slump in industrial mining stocks further dragged down the market. That said, with some time remaining in the general elections, there is still some potential for additional developments and surprises within the UK market. The index is up by nearly 6% this year so far, compared with a 14.3% return of the broader US market
The Bank of England (BoE) was one of the first central banks to begin increasing interest rates after the peak of the COVID pandemic. From December 2021 to August 2023, it raised the bank rate by 515 basis points to a 16-year high of 5.25% in order to address rising inflationary pressures in the economy. According to a Reuters poll of economists, the BoE is expected to begin cutting interest rates in August. Most economists also anticipate at least one more rate reduction this year, despite ongoing high inflation in wages and services. Yael Selfin, chief UK economist at KPMG, made the following comment on the situation:
“While we are seeing some tentative signs of cooling in the labor market, service sector inflation remains persistently high and it is likely the MPC would want to wait until the next set of forecasts and a few more data points before it embarks on its first rate cut.”
Overall, UK inflation is expected to remain slightly above the BoE’s target of 2.0% in every quarter until at least the end of 2025, according to the poll. Median forecasts indicated that inflation would average 2.5% this year and 2.2% next year.
After reaching new highs in 2024, the FTSE 100 may attract more investors, particularly those focused on income accumulation. The projected dividend yield of 3.8% for 2024 and 4.1% for 2025 is appealing, especially since these yields surpass the current inflation rate. Analysts predict that the ten largest dividend-paying companies in the UK will return £43.9 billion to shareholders, accounting for 55% of the total dividends from the FTSE 100. The top 20 companies are expected to contribute £57.4 billion, making up 72% of the total dividends.
In 2023, UK dividend growth of 5.4% aligned with the global average, according to a report by Janus Henderson. This increase was driven by substantial dividend increases from banks and oil producers, although it was tempered by lower payouts from mining companies. The report further mentioned that annual dividends in the UK grew to $86 billion in 2023 from over $63 billion in 2020.
While investors gravitate toward American dividend stocks, some of the best FTSE dividend stocks also offer similar investment opportunities.
Our Methodology:
For this article, we scanned through the list of FTSE stocks and picked dividend stocks from the list. From the resultant dataset, we picked the 10 best FTSE dividend stocks with the highest number of hedge fund investors tracked by Insider Monkey as of Q1 2024. Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points. (see more details here).
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Pearson plc (NYSE:PSO)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 11
Pearson plc (NYSE:PSO) is a British multinational publishing and education company that mainly provides related products and services. The stock is up by over 80% since March 2020 as the publisher has adapted well to the evolving landscape of online education. The company capitalized on the pandemic, generating significant earnings from its virtual schooling services. It reported a 43% enrollment growth in its virtual schools during the academic year of 2020-2021. However, in fiscal 2023, the company reported a 20% decline in its Virtual Learning sales driven by lower enrolments.
That said, Pearson plc (NYSE:PSO) saw growth on various other fronts last year. The company’s adjusted operating profit came in at £573 million ($724.5 million), up from £456 million ($576.54 million) in 2022. Its dividend is also on a safe foundation as the company reported strong cash generation. Its operating cash flow for the year was £587 million ($742.16 million) and its free cash flow was £387 million ($489.30 million), both showing year-over-year growth from £401 million ($507 million) and £222 million ($280.68 million), respectively. The company distributed £155 million ($195.97 million) to shareholders through dividends, which makes PSO one of the best FTSE dividend stocks on our list. Moreover, it expects to improve its free cash flow this year due to reduced restructuring costs.
Pearson plc (NYSE:PSO) currently offers a semi-annual dividend of $0.199 per share for a dividend yield of 2.38%, as of June 11.
Pearson plc (NYSE:PSO) has a forward P/E ratio of 14.68, which appears a little low considering growth forecasts in its earnings over the next two years. The company’s net debt currently stands at £700 million ($885.03 million), which shouldn’t concern investors given its outlook. In addition, its return on capital increased to 10.3% in 2023, from 8.7% last year, which suggests an improvement in the company’s efficiency in generating profits from its invested capital.
As of the end of March, 11 hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey own stakes in Pearson plc (NYSE:PSO), up from 10 in the previous quarter. The overall value of these stakes is over $20.5 million.
Overall PSO ranks 9th on our list of the best FTSE dividend stocks to buy. You can visit 10 Best FTSE Dividend Stocks To Buy Now to see the other FTSE dividend stocks that are on hedge funds’ radar. While we acknowledge the potential of PSO as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than PSO but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
