Blueprint
 
UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549
 
 
FORM 6-K
 
 
REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER

PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-16 OR 15d-16 UNDER

THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
 
 
For the month of August 2017
 
 
PEARSON plc
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 
N/A

 
(Translation of registrant's name into English)

 
80 Strand

London, England WC2R 0RL

44-20-7010-2000
(Address of principal executive office)

 
 
Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant files or will file annual reports
under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F:

 
 
 
Form 20-F X                                                Form 40-F

 
 
 
Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant by furnishing the information
contained in this Form is also thereby furnishing the information to the
Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 
 
 
Yes                                              No X
 
 
TR-1: Standard form for notification of major holdings
 
 
1a. Identity of the issuer or the underlying issuer of existing shares to which voting rights are attachedii:
Pearson PLC
1b. Please indicate if the issuer is a non-UK issuer  (please mark with an "X" if appropriate)
Non-UK issuer
 
2. Reason for the notification (please mark the appropriate box or boxes with an "X")
An acquisition or disposal of voting rights
X
An acquisition or disposal of financial instruments
 
An event changing the breakdown of voting rights
 
Other (please specify)iii:
 
3. Details of person subject to the notification obligationiv
Name
BlackRock, Inc.
City and country of registered office (if applicable)
Wilmington, DE, USA
4. Full name of shareholder(s) (if different from 3.)v
Name
 
City and country of registered office (if applicable)
 
5. Date on which the threshold was crossed or reachedvi:
16/08/2017
6. Date on which issuer notified (DD/MM/YYYY):
17/08/2017
7. Total positions of person(s) subject to the notification obligation
 
% of voting rights attached to shares (total of 8. A)
% of voting rights through financial instruments(total of 8.B 1 + 8.B 2)
Total of both in % (8.A + 8.B)
Total number of voting rights of issuervii
Resulting situation on the date on which threshold was crossed or reached
4.52%
1.40%
5.93%
823,048,609
Position of previous notification (if
applicable)
5.09%
0.82%
5.92%
 
 
8. Notified details of the resulting situation on the date on which the threshold was crossed or reachedviii
A: Voting rights attached to shares
Class/type ofshares
ISIN code (if possible)
Number of voting rightsix
% of voting rights
Direct
(Art 9 of Directive 2004/109/EC) (DTR5.1)
Indirect
(Art 10 of Directive 2004/109/EC) (DTR5.2.1)
Direct
(Art 9 of Directive 2004/109/EC) (DTR5.1)
Indirect
(Art 10 of Directive 2004/109/EC) (DTR5.2.1)
GB0006776081
 
37,269,711
 
           4.52%
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
SUBTOTAL 8. A
37,269,711
4.52%
 
B 1: Financial Instruments according to Art. 13(1)(a) of Directive 2004/109/EC (DTR5.3.1.1 (a))
Type of financial instrument
Expirationdatex
Exercise/Conversion Periodxi
Number of voting rights that may be acquired if the instrument is
exercised/converted.
% of voting rights
Securities Lending
 
 
 11,296,212
1.37%
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
SUBTOTAL 8. B 1
  11,296,212
1.37%
 
B 2: Financial Instruments with similar economic effect according to Art. 13(1)(b) of Directive 2004/109/EC (DTR5.3.1.1 (b))
Type of financial instrument
Expirationdatex
Exercise/Conversion Period xi
Physical or cash
settlementxii
Number of voting rights
% of voting rights
CFD
 
 
Cash
250,338
0.03%
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
     
SUBTOTAL 8.B.2
250,338
0.03%
 
9. Information in relation to the person subject to the notification obligation (please mark the
applicable box with an "X")
Person subject to the notification obligation is not controlled by any natural person or legal entity and does not control any other undertaking(s) holding directly or indirectly an interest in the (underlying) issuerxiii
 
Full chain of controlled undertakings through which the voting rights and/or thefinancial instruments are effectively held starting with the ultimate controlling natural person or legal entityxiv (please add additional rows as necessary)
X
Namexv
% of voting rights if it equals or is higher than the notifiable threshold
% of voting rights through financial instruments if it equals or is higher than the notifiable threshold
Total of both if it equals or is higher than the notifiable threshold
See Attachment
 
 
 
 
10. In case of proxy voting, please identify:
Name of the proxy holder
 
The number and % of voting rights held
 
The date until which the voting rights will be held
 
 
11. Additional informationxvi
 
BlackRock Regulatory Threshold Reporting Team Jana Blumenstein
020 7743 3650
 
 
Place of completion
12 Throgmorton Avenue, London, EC2N 2DL, U.K.
Date of completion
17 August, 2017
 
 
Natalie White
Deputy Company Secretary
Pearson plc
18 August 2017
Section 9 Attachment
 
Namexv
% of voting rights if it equals or is higher than the notifiable threshold
% of voting rights through financial instruments if it equals or is higher than the notifiable threshold
Total of both if it equals or is higher than the notifiable threshold
BlackRock, Inc.
 
 
 
BlackRock Holdco 2, Inc.
 
 
 
BlackRock Financial Management, Inc.
 
 
 
BlackRock Holdco 4, LLC
 
 
 
BlackRock Holdco 6, LLC
 
 
 
BlackRock Delaware Holdings Inc.
 
 
 
BlackRock Fund Advisors
 
 
 
BlackRock Institutional Trust Company, National Association
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
BlackRock, Inc.
 
 
 
BlackRock Holdco 2, Inc.
 
 
 
BlackRock Financial Management, Inc.
 
 
 
BlackRock International Holdings, Inc.
 
 
 
BR Jersey International Holdings L.P.
 
 
 
BlackRock (Singapore) Holdco Pte. Ltd.
 
 
 
BlackRock Asia-Pac Holdco, LLC
 
 
 
BlackRock HK Holdco Limited
 
 
 
BlackRock Asset Management North Asia Limited
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
BlackRock, Inc.
 
 
 
BlackRock Holdco 2, Inc.
 
 
 
BlackRock Financial Management, Inc.
 
 
 
BlackRock International Holdings, Inc.
 
 
 
BR Jersey International Holdings L.P.
 
 
 
BlackRock (Singapore) Holdco Pte. Ltd.
 
 
 
BlackRock Asia-Pac Holdco, LLC
 
 
 
BlackRock HK Holdco Limited
 
 
 
BlackRock Cayco Limited
 
 
 
BlackRock Trident Holding Company Limited
 
 
 
BlackRock Japan Holdings GK
 
 
 
BlackRock Japan Co., Ltd.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
BlackRock, Inc.
 
 
 
BlackRock Holdco 2, Inc.
 
 
 
BlackRock Financial Management, Inc.
 
 
 
BlackRock International Holdings, Inc.
 
 
 
BR Jersey International Holdings L.P.
 
 
 
BlackRock Group Limited
 
 
 
BlackRock Advisors (UK) Limited
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
BlackRock, Inc.
 
 
 
BlackRock Holdco 2, Inc.
 
 
 
BlackRock Financial Management, Inc.
 
 
 
BlackRock Holdco 4, LLC
 
 
 
BlackRock Holdco 6, LLC
 
 
 
BlackRock Delaware Holdings Inc.
 
 
 
BlackRock Fund Advisors
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
BlackRock, Inc.
 
 
 
BlackRock Holdco 2, Inc.
 
 
 
BlackRock Financial Management, Inc.
 
 
 
BlackRock International Holdings, Inc.
 
 
 
BR Jersey International Holdings L.P.
 
 
 
BlackRock Holdco 3, LLC
 
 
 
BlackRock Canada Holdings LP
 
 
 
BlackRock Canada Holdings ULC
 
 
 
BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
BlackRock, Inc.
 
 
 
Trident Merger, LLC
 
 
 
BlackRock Investment Management, LLC
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
BlackRock, Inc.
 
 
 
BlackRock Holdco 2, Inc.
 
 
 
BlackRock Financial Management, Inc.
 
 
 
BlackRock International Holdings, Inc.
 
 
 
BR Jersey International Holdings L.P.
 
 
 
BlackRock Group Limited
 
 
 
BlackRock Investment Management (UK) Limited
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
BlackRock, Inc.
 
 
 
BlackRock Holdco 2, Inc.
 
 
 
BlackRock Financial Management, Inc.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
BlackRock, Inc.
 
 
 
BlackRock Holdco 2, Inc.
 
 
 
BlackRock Financial Management, Inc.
 
 
 
BlackRock International Holdings, Inc.
 
 
 
BR Jersey International Holdings L.P.
 
 
 
BlackRock Group Limited
 
 
 
BlackRock International Limited
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
BlackRock, Inc.
 
 
 
BlackRock Holdco 2, Inc.
 
 
 
BlackRock Financial Management, Inc.
 
 
 
BlackRock International Holdings, Inc.
 
 
 
BR Jersey International Holdings L.P.
 
 
 
BlackRock (Singapore) Holdco Pte. Ltd.
 
 
 
BlackRock (Singapore) Limited
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
BlackRock, Inc.
 
 
 
BlackRock Holdco 2, Inc.
 
 
 
BlackRock Financial Management, Inc.
 
 
 
BlackRock International Holdings, Inc.
 
 
 
BR Jersey International Holdings L.P.
 
 
 
BlackRock Australia Holdco Pty. Ltd.
 
 
 
BlackRock Investment Management (Australia) Limited
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
BlackRock, Inc.
 
 
 
BlackRock Holdco 2, Inc.
 
 
 
BlackRock Financial Management, Inc.
 
 
 
BlackRock International Holdings, Inc.
 
 
 
BR Jersey International Holdings L.P.
 
 
 
BlackRock Group Limited
 
 
 
BlackRock Investment Management (UK) Limited
 
 
 
BlackRock Asset Management Deutschland AG
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
BlackRock, Inc.
 
 
 
BlackRock Holdco 2, Inc.
 
 
 
BlackRock Financial Management, Inc.
 
 
 
BlackRock Capital Holdings, Inc.
 
 
 
BlackRock Advisors, LLC
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
BlackRock, Inc.
 
 
 
BlackRock Holdco 2, Inc.
 
 
 
BlackRock Financial Management, Inc.
 
 
 
BlackRock International Holdings, Inc.
 
 
 
BR Jersey International Holdings L.P.
 
 
 
BlackRock Group Limited
 
 
 
BlackRock (Netherlands) B.V.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
SIGNATURE
 
 
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

 
 
 
PEARSON plc
 
 
Date: 18 August 2017
 
 
By: /s/ NATALIE DALE
 
 
 
------------------------------------
 
Natalie Dale
 
Deputy Company Secretary