Pearson picks up $1bn from Penguin – but no treat for investors | Nils Pratley

The education business sold nearly half its stake in the publisher to Bertelsmann, but much of the proceeds will be reinvestedPearson is still going to own a quarter of Penguin Random House, so it’s not too late to hope that it can learn to tell a story like it is. Please, drop this bland corporate talk about “rebasing” the dividend. The cut in the offering is from 52p to 17p a share, or thereabouts, which is too severe to dress in neutral language. Pearson’s status as an investment one might wish to own for income is about to be obliterated.The shame is that Pearson’s sale of a 22% stake in PRH has been secured on terms that look respectable, at least in circumstances where there was only one possible buyer – German media group Bertelsmann, which owns 53% to Pearson’s current 47%. Pearson will collect $1bn (£778m) in cash, via a combination of the sale of the stake and a dividend, in a transaction that values PRH at about seven times its top-line earnings. That valuation feels roughly right, which is why Pearson’s shares initially rose. Related: Pearson sells slice of Penguin for $1bn Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2017-07-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #22% stake #$1bn

Other Publishing stories related to: 'Pearson picks up $1bn from Penguin – but no treat for investors | Nils Pratley'


Pearson picks up $1bn from Penguin – but no treat for investors | Nils Pratley

The education business sold nearly half its stake in the publisher to Bertelsmann, but much of the proceeds will be reinvestedPearson is still going to own a quarter of Penguin Random House, so it’s not too late to hope that it can learn to tell a story like it is. Please, drop this bland... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2017-07-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #22% stake #$1bn


Pearson sells slice of Penguin for $1bn

The beleaguered FTSE 100 firm strengthens balance sheet by selling a 22% stake to Bertelsmann in deal valuing the publishing giant at $3.55bn Pearson has sold a 22% stake in Penguin Random House, the world’s biggest publisher, with titles ranging from Fifty Shades of Grey, Jamie Oliver and The... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2017-07-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #deal valuing #publishing giant #biggest publisher #titles ranging #fifty shades #jamie oliver #profit warnings


Will the Pearson chief be brought to book over profits warnings? | Nils Pratley

John Fallon has presided over a string of mishaps at the educational giant and a plunge in the share priceForecasting is difficult, especially about the future, as the old line goes – but is it quite as hard as John Fallon, chief executive of Pearson, makes it seem?Two errors in 2016 were... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2017-01-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #pearson chief #students enrolling #profits warnings #john fallon #educational publishers


Olin expands board to add activist investor's picks

Olin Corp. said Monday that it has added two directors to its board as part of a new agreement with activist investor Sachem Head Capital Management LP, which owns about a 9.5% interest in the chemical manufacturer. Olin said Scott Ferguson, Sachem Head's founder and managing partner, and... Continue reading at Silicon Valley Business Journal

[ Silicon Valley Business Journal | 2020-03-02 17:51:21 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #managing partner #effective immediately


OUP picks up Penguins from Brownlow and completes 26th deal for Isadora Moon

OUP has bought a new picture book by Mike Brownlow, author of Orchard Books’ Ten Little... series, while selling Harriet Muncaster’s Isadora Moon series into three languages Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-03-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #picture book #orchard books


Pearson sells 22% stake in Penguin Random House

Shares in the publishing firm rise after it says the sale will raise about $1bn (£776m). Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2017-07-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Pearson to sell 22% stake in Penguin Random House

Pearson has agreed to sell 22% of its stake in Penguin Random House (PRH) to co-shareholder Bertelsmann, valuing the publisher at $3.55bn (£2.76bn). The deal means Bertelsmann will increase its control over the publisher, owning a 75% stake, while Pearson will own the remaining 25%. The deal is... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-07-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #markus dohle


Advertisers should follow Vodafone's lead after Facebook and Google failures | Nils Pratley

Telecoms giant is right to stop relying on social media titans to stop its adverts appearing next to inappropriate contentAbout time too: a major advertiser has become so frustrated with Facebook and Google’s limp attempts to police the content they publish that it has taken matters into its own... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2017-06-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #longer rely #ads appearing #hate speech #fake news #online advertising


Pearson to sell its stake in Penguin Random House

Pearson intends to sell its 47% stake in Penguin Random House and will be issuing an "exit notice" to its joint venture partner Bertelsmann, which holds a majority 53% stake in the group. Bertelsmann has responded by saying it is "open" to increasing its share in the world’s biggest trade... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-01-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #47% stake #financial terms


Books world alarmed by Pearson's sale of stake in Penguin Random House

Management have moved to reassure staff and writers that selling the 47% holding will not affect business, but authors and agents express uneaseAuthors and staff have reacted cautiously to news that Pearson is to sell its stake in Penguin Random House (PRH), the world’s biggest publisher and... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2017-01-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #fifty shades #jamie oliver


Pearson to Sell Stake in Penguin Random House

Faced with worse-than-expected results in its North American higher education publishing business, Pearson said this morning that it is putting its 47% stake in Penguin Random House up for sale. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-01-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #47% stake


Pearson investors unclear of company vision as shares tumble

Pearson investors have “little visibility” on what the company may do in the next few months, one analyst has warned, while another has said further restructuring at the academic publisher was “almost inevitable.” Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-11-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #academic publisher


Penguin book picks up book prize

A book about a penguin who flies to the tropics with the aid of a kite is named the winner of the 2015 Waterstones Children's Book Prize. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2015-03-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book prize


Pearson Earns £69M in 2014 from Penguin Random Stake

Pearson reported 2014 earnings of £69 million, after taxes, from its 47% stake in Penguin Random House. For the year Pearson reported total revenues of £4.8 billion and operating earnings of £720 million. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-02-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #47% stake


Strong growth at Penguin in first half, as Pearson posts loss

Pearson made an operating profit of £20m in the first half of 2013, compared with £... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-07-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #strong growth #pearson made #operating profit


Penguin's 'good' fourth quarter as Pearson prepares for demerger

Penguin has benefited from a "good" fourth-quarter publishing performance and has... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-01-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #fourth quarter


Penguin talks lift Pearson shares

Pearson shares open higher on news that two of the world's biggest publishers, Penguin and Random House, are in talks about a possible merger. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2012-10-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #biggest publishers #random house


Pearson in Penguin merger talks

Publisher Pearson says it is holding talks with German media group Bertelsmann about combining their Penguin and Random House businesses. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2012-10-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #publisher pearson


Pearson buys Author Solutions, will integrate with Penguin

Pearson has acquired self-publishing company Author Solutions Inc for $116m (£74m) in cash... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-07-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Penguin sales top £1bn as ebook revenues grow 106%

Penguin has reported sales of £1.04bn in 2011, growing 1% on an underlying basis, though... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-02-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #reported sales