The Pulse
Pearson Assessment Revenue Rose 10% as AI Skills Demand Grew
Pearson said revenue in its Assessment & Qualifications business grew 10% in the third quarter, citing new contracts and strong demand to verify AI skills. Its nine-month update also details an Anthropic certification programme, a completed
AI.info Team · Written with AI · fact-checked ·
Assessment growth accelerated in the third quarter
Pearson’s Assessment & Qualifications revenue grew 10% in the third quarter of 2026, after rising 4% over the first nine months of the year. The company attributed the faster quarterly growth to new contracts and strong demand for verification of AI skills, according to its trading update published on October 22.
Across the group, underlying revenue increased 5% in the nine-month period and 6% in the third quarter. Pearson said growth rates exclude currency movements and changes to its portfolio. Chief executive Omar Abbosh said the company was “strengthening our portfolio through two high-quality acquisitions” as it builds its assessment and verification business.
“Pearson delivered accelerated revenue growth in the quarter, meaning we are on track to deliver our 2026 guidance.”
Omar Abbosh, chief executive, Pearson
An Anthropic certification contract joins the assessment mix
Pearson Professional Assessments grew 7% over the nine months. The company said the business benefited from contracts launched during the period and in the prior year, including a global certification programme with Anthropic. Pearson described the programme as evidence of growing demand for trusted AI-skills verification, but did not disclose its revenue or the number of people taking part.
Other businesses posted mixed results. Virtual Learning revenue rose 17% for the nine months, with enrolment for the 2026–27 academic year up 8% in the fall semester. Higher Education grew 2%, while English Language Learning declined 4%; Pearson linked pressure in its Pearson Test of English business to challenging market conditions and a strong comparison with the prior year.
ITS is completed; Workera is still pending
Pearson completed its acquisition of ITS, an assessment technology provider it describes as a long-standing partner. The deal adds capabilities in remote testing, proctoring, performance-based assessment and continuous certification, according to the update.
The company has also agreed to acquire Workera, which Pearson describes as a provider of enterprise assessment and skills verification. Pearson expects that transaction to strengthen its enterprise offering with skills-intelligence capabilities and says it expects completion before the end of 2026. The announcement does not provide a purchase price for either deal.
2026 guidance narrows to £650m–£675m
Pearson maintained its expectation for mid-single-digit underlying revenue growth in 2026 and narrowed its adjusted operating profit guidance to £650 million–£675 million, from a previous range of £640 million–£685 million. The profit range uses exchange rates from the end of 2025, including a pound-to-dollar rate of £1 to $1.35. The company also expects free-cash-flow conversion of 90% to 100%.
The update sets out a structural change alongside the financial guidance: from January 1, 2027, Pearson plans to organise its operations into four customer-focused units—US K12, US Higher Education, UK & International Education, and Enterprise. It expects one-off reorganisation costs of about £50 million across 2026 and 2027, excluded from adjusted operating profit. Pearson did not break out how much of the assessment growth came from AI-skills verification contracts.