PSO vs WLY: Pearson PLC ADR and John Wiley & Sons compared
The short version
From the latest prices and each company's SEC filings. Who's ahead on each measure, not which to buy.
- Pearson PLC ADR is the larger company, worth $10.5B, about 3.9 times John Wiley & Sons.
- Pearson PLC ADR grew revenue faster over the last year (+0.7% vs -2.6%).
- John Wiley & Sons keeps more of each dollar of revenue as operating profit (14.9% vs 14.2%).
- On earnings, John Wiley & Sons is the cheaper stock (18.6x vs 26.1x).
Side by side
The stronger figure is shaded where higher (or, for valuation multiples, lower) reads as better. How the implied growth works.
| Measure | PSO | WLY |
|---|---|---|
| Market cap | $10.5B | $2.7B |
| Share price | $16.97 | $49.64 |
| Revenue (last fiscal year) | $3.6B | $1.7B |
| Free cash flow (last fiscal year) | $551M | $209M |
| Revenue growth, last year | +0.7% | -2.6% |
| Revenue growth per year, last 5 fiscal years | +1.1% | -5.3% |
| Operating margin | 14.2% | 14.9% |
| Net margin | 9.4% | 11.9% |
| Return on equity | 9.2% | 24.9% |
| P/E (trailing) | 26.1x | 18.6x |
| Price / free cash flow | 16.3x | 19.3x |
| EV / EBITDA | 7.26x | 9.38x |
| FCF growth the price implies | — | -0.65% |
| Dividend yield | 2.0% | 2.7% |
| Debt / equity | 0.77x | 2.93x |
| Fundamental grade | C | D |
| Superinvestors holding it | 1 | 2 |
| Insider purchases, last 12 months | 0 | 0 |
Results from SEC filings
Revenue and free cash flow by fiscal year, from each company's 10-K filings.
Pearson PLC ADR
| Year | Revenue | Free cash flow | Op. margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $3.4B | $150M | 5.3% |
| 2022 | $3.8B | $271M | 7.1% |
| 2023 | $3.7B | $429M | 13.6% |
| 2024 | $3.6B | $536M | 15.2% |
| 2025 | $3.6B | $551M | 14.2% |
John Wiley & Sons
| Year | Revenue | Free cash flow | Op. margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $2.1B | $250M | 10.5% |
| 2023 | $2.0B | $196M | 2.8% |
| 2024 | $1.9B | $132M | 2.8% |
| 2025 | $1.7B | $141M | 13.2% |
| 2026 | $1.7B | $209M | 16.5% |
Where the revenue comes from
Pearson PLC ADR · by segments, 2025
Assessment & Qualifications$1.6B45%
Higher Education$775M22%
Virtual Learning$511M14%
English Language Learning$405M11%
Enterprise Learning & Skills$282M8%
John Wiley & Sons · by segments, 2026
Research$1.1B67%
Learning$547M33%
Compare them in fullFifteen years of statements, quarterly results, DCF and IRR models, and any number of peers side by side.
Open PSO in InvestinglyQuestions
Which is bigger, Pearson PLC ADR or John Wiley & Sons?
Pearson PLC ADR (PSO), at $10.5B against $2.7B.
Is PSO or WLY cheaper?
By trailing P/E, John Wiley & Sons (18.6x) is cheaper than Pearson PLC ADR (26.1x). A lower multiple can also mean the market expects less growth.
Which grows faster, PSO or WLY?
Pearson PLC ADR: revenue grew +0.7% over the last year, against -2.6%.
More comparisons
Prices and ratios as of the last daily update; statements from SEC filings. Information only, not investment advice.