pson201603146k.htm
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 March 2016
 
 
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

 
 
NOTIFICATION OF MAJOR INTEREST IN SHARES
   
1. Identity of the issuer or the underlying issuer
of existing shares to which voting rights are
attached:
Pearson plc
2. Reason for the notification (please tick the appropriate box or boxes):
An acquisition or disposal of voting rights
X
 
An acquisition or disposal of qualifying financial instruments which may result in the acquisition of shares already issued to which voting rights are attached.
 
  
 
An acquisition or disposal of instruments with similar economic effect to qualifying financial instruments
 
  
An event changing the breakdown of voting rights
  
 
Other (please specify):
 
    
3. Full name of person(s) subject to the
notification obligation:
BlackRock, Inc.
4. Full name of shareholder(s)
 (if different from 3.):
  
 
5. Date of the transaction and date on
which the threshold is crossed or
reached:
 
10 March 2016
6. Date on which issuer notified:
11 March 2016
7. Threshold(s) that is/are crossed or
reached:
 
Voting rights attached to shares holding for BlackRock, Inc. has gone below 5%
         
 
 
8. Notified details:
 
A: Voting rights attached to shares
Class/type of
shares
 
if possible using
the ISIN CODE
Situation previous
to the triggering
transaction
Resulting situation after the triggering transaction
Number
of
Shares
Number
of
Voting
Rights
 
Number
of shares
Number of voting
rights
% of  voting rights
Direct
Indirect
Direct
Indirect
Ordinary shares
GB0006776081
41,222,434
41,222,434
N/A
N/A
39,998,971
N/A
4.86%
 
B: Qualifying Financial Instruments
Resulting situation after the triggering transaction
 
Type of financial
instrument
 
Expiration
date
 
Exercise/
Conversion Period
Number of voting
rights that may be
acquired if the
instrument is
exercised/ converted.
 
% of voting
rights
Securities Lending
    
4,234,559 
0.51%
 
C: Financial Instruments with similar economic effect to Qualifying Financial Instruments
Resulting situation after the triggering transaction
 
Type of financial
instrument
 
 
Exercise price
 
Expiration date
 
Exercise/
Conversion period
 
Number of voting rights instrument refers to
 
 
% of voting rights
 
CFD
      
677,789
Nominal
Delta
0.08%
0.08%
 
Total (A+B+C)
Number of voting rights
Percentage of voting rights
44,911,319
5.46%
9. Chain of controlled undertakings through which the voting rights and/or the
financial instruments are effectively held, if applicable:
See Annex
 
Proxy Voting:
10. Name of the proxy holder:
N/A
11. Number of voting rights proxy holder will cease
to hold:
N/A
12. Date on which proxy holder will cease to hold
voting rights:
N/A
 
                               
 
 
 
13. Additional information:
BlackRock Regulatory Threshold Reporting Team
14. Contact name:
Gareth Slade
15. Contact telephone number:
020 7743 3650
 
 
Natalie Dale
Deputy Company Secretary
Pearson plc
 
14 March 2016
 
 
 
 
 
 
Annex
 
Name
% 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.
      
Trident Merger, LLC
      
BlackRock Investment Management, LLC
      
       
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 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 Capital Holdings, Inc.
      
BlackRock Advisors, LLC
      
       
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 Group Limited
      
BlackRock Investment Management (UK) 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 Advisors (UK) 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 International Limited
      
       
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.
      
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 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 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 (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 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:  14 MARCH 2016
 
 
 
By: /s/ STEPHEN JONES

 
-----------------------
Stephen Jones
Deputy Secretary