Pearson : Financial Document

AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON APRIL 1, 2021

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

Form 20-F

(Mark One)

• REGISTRATION STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OR (g) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
  or

• ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020

or

• TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

for the transition period from	to
or

• SHELL COMPANY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
  Date of event requiring this shell company report
  Commission file number 1-16055

PEARSON PLC

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

England and Wales

(Jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)

80 Strand

London, England WC2R 0RL

(Address of principal executive offices)

Graeme Baldwin

Telephone: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

80 Strand

London, England WC2R 0RL

(Name, Telephone, E-mail and/or Facsimile Number and Address of Company Contact Person)

Securities registered or to be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

	Title of Class	Trading Symbol		Name of Each Exchange on Which Registered
*Ordinary Shares, 25p par value	PSO		New York Stock Exchange
American Depositary Shares, each			New York Stock Exchange
Representing One Ordinary Share, 25p per Ordinary
	Share

* Not for trading, but only in connection with the registration of American Depositary Shares, pursuant to the requirements of the SEC.

Securities registered or to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:

None

Securities for which there is a reporting obligation pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Act:

None

Indicate the number of outstanding shares of each of the issuer's classes of capital or common stock at the close of the period covered by the annual report:

Ordinary Shares, 25p par value . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	. . . . . . . . . 753,257,638
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.	Yes È No '

If this report is an annual or transition report, indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Yes ' No È

Note - Checking the box above will not relieve any registrant required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 from their obligations under those Sections.

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports) and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes È No '

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes È No '

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer or an emerging growth company. See definition of "accelerated file", "large accelerated filer" and "emerging growth company", in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

È Large accelerated filer

' Accelerated filer

' Non-accelerated filer

' Emerging growth company

If an emerging growth company that prepares its financial statements in accordance with US GAAP, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. '

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management's assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. È

Indicate by check mark which basis of accounting the registrant has used to prepare the financial statements included in this filing

' US GAAP	È International financial Reporting Standards as Issued	' Other
	by the International Accounting Standards Board
If "Other" has been checked	in response to the previous question, indicate by check mark which financial statement item	the	Registrant has elected to
follow: Item 17 ' Item 18 '
If this is an annual report, indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act):	Yes	' No È

	TABLE OF CONTENTS
		Page
	Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	3
	Forward-Looking Statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	4
	PART I
Item 1.	Identity of Directors, Senior Management and Advisers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	5
Item 2.	Offer Statistics and Expected Timetable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	5
Item 3.	Key Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	5
	Selected Consolidated Financial Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	5
	Dividend Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	6
	Risk Factors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	7
Item 4.	Information on the Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	15
	Pearson plc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	15
	Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	15
	Recent Developments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	16
	The Group's Strategy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	16
	Operating Divisions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	17
	Operating Cycles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	20
	Competition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	21
	Intellectual Property . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	22
	Raw Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	22
	Government Regulation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	22
	Licenses, Patents and Contracts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	22
	Legal Proceedings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	22
	Organizational Structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	23
	Property, Plant and Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	23
	Capital Expenditures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	24
Item 4A.	Unresolved Staff Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	24
Item 5.	Operating and Financial Review and Prospects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	24
	General Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	25
	Results of Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	30
	Liquidity and Capital Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	45
	Accounting Policies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	48
Item 6.	Directors, Senior Management and Employees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	48
	Directors and Senior Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	48
	Compensation of Senior Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	53
	Share Options of Senior Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	65
	Share Ownership of Senior Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	65
	Employee Share Ownership Plans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	66
	Board Practices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	66
	Employees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	67
Item 7.	Major Shareholders and Related Party Transactions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	68
Item 8.	Financial Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	68
Item 9.	The Offer and Listing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	69
Item 10.	Additional Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	69
	Articles of Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	69
	Material Contracts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	75
	Exchange Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	75
	Tax Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	75
	Documents on Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	78

1

		Page
Item 11.	Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	79
	Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	79
	Capital Risk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	79
	Interest and Foreign Exchange Rate Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	79
	Liquidity and Re-financing Risk Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	80
	Financial Counterparty Risk Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	80
Item 12.	Description of Securities Other Than Equity Securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	80
	American Depositary Shares . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	80
	Fees paid by ADR holders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	80
	Fees incurred in past annual period and fees to be paid in the future . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	81
	PART II
Item 13.	Defaults, Dividend Arrearages and Delinquencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	82
Item 14.	Material Modifications to the Rights of Security Holders and Use of Proceeds . . . . . . . . .	82
Item 15.	Controls and Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	82
	Disclosure Controls and Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	82
	Management's Annual Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	82
	Change in Internal Control over Financial Reporting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	82
Item 16A.	Audit Committee Financial Expert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	83
Item 16B.	Code of Ethics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	83
Item 16C.	Principal Accountant Fees and Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	83
Item 16D.	Exemptions from the Listing Standards for Audit Committees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	83
Item 16E.	Purchases of Equity Securities by the Issuer and Affiliated Purchases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	84
Item 16F.	Change in Registrant's Certifying Auditor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	84
Item 16G.	Corporate Governance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	84
Item 16H.	Mine Safety Disclosure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	84
	PART III
Item 17.	Financial Statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	85
Item 18.	Financial Statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	85
Item 19.	Exhibits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	85

2

INTRODUCTION

In this Annual Report on Form 20-F (the "Annual Report") references to "Pearson", the "Company" or the "Group" are references to Pearson plc and its consolidated subsidiaries, except as the context otherwise requires. "Ordinary Shares" refer to the ordinary share capital of Pearson of par value 25p each. "ADSs" refer to American Depositary Shares which are Ordinary Shares deposited pursuant to the Second Amended and Restated Deposit Agreement dated August 15, 2014, amended and restated as of August 8, 2000 among Pearson, The Bank of New York Mellon as depositary (the "Depositary") and owners and holders of ADSs (the "Deposit Agreement"). ADSs are represented by American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs") delivered by the Depositary under the terms of the Deposit Agreement.

The Group has prepared the financial information contained in this Annual Report in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS") and IFRS Interpretations Committee ("IFRS IC") interpretations as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board ("IASB") and in conformity with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 and in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards adopted pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1606/2002 as it applied to the European Union ("EU-adopted IFRS"). Unless otherwise indicated, any reference in this Annual Report to consolidated financial statements is to the consolidated financial statements and the related notes, included elsewhere in this Annual Report.

The Group publishes its consolidated financial statements in sterling. The Group has included, however, references to other currencies. In this Annual Report:

• references to "sterling", "pounds", "pence" or "£" are to the lawful currency of the United Kingdom,
• references to "euro" or "€" are to the lawful currency of the participating Member States in the Third Stage of the European Economic and Monetary Union of the Treaty Establishing the European Commission, and
• references to "US dollars", "dollars", "cents" or "$" are to the lawful currency of the United States
• references to "brl", "R$" are to the lawful currency of Brazil.

For convenience and except where specified otherwise, the Group has translated some sterling figures into US dollars at the rate of £1.00 = $1.37, the noon buying rate in The City of New York for cable transfers and foreign currencies as certified by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York for customs purposes on December 31, 2020. The Group does not make any representation that the amounts of sterling have been, could have been or could be converted into dollars at the rates indicated. On February 28, 2021 the noon buying rate for sterling was £1.00 = $1.39.

The Group currently consists of its education business only. In April 2020, the Group completed the sale of the remaining 25% equity interest in the consumer publishing business Penguin Random House to Bertelsmann, the owner of the 75% interest. See "Item 4. Information on the Company - Overview of operating divisions". The Pearson plc Consolidated Financial Statements are included in this report on pages F1-F93.

3

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

You should not rely unduly on forward-looking statements in this Annual Report. This Annual Report, including the sections entitled "Item 3. Key Information - Risk Factors", "Item 4. Information on the Company" and "Item 5. Operating and Financial Review and Prospects", contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), that relate to future events or the Group's future financial performance. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as "may", "will", "should", "expect", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "predict", "potential", "continue" or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. Examples of these forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the following:

• operations and prospects,
• growth strategy,
• funding needs and financing resources,
• expected financial position,
• market risk,
• currency risk,
• US federal and state spending patterns,
• debt levels, and
• general market and economic conditions.

These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Group's or its industry's actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. In evaluating them, you should consider various factors, including the risks outlined under "Item 3. Key Information - Risk Factors", which may cause actual events or industry results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by any forward-looking statement. Although the Group believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements.

4