Skip Header
Important information: The value of investments can go down as well as up so you may get back less than you invest. Investors should note that the views expressed may no longer be current and may have already been acted upon. This is a third-party news feed and may not reflect Fidelity’s views.

Citi starts Pearson at 'buy' as it takes a look at media stocks

(Sharecast News) - Citi initiated coverage on a host of UK and European media stocks on Monday as it noted it was the worst performing sub-sector in the Stoxx 600 in 2025, underperforming by around 30%. The bank started Pearson, Publicis and Wolters Kluwer at 'buy', while Informa, Relx Group and WPP were all started at 'neutral'.

"The companies initiated on here averaged a 23% derating in 2025 while average consensus FY25E EPS growth forecasts fell 9% (-5% ex-WPP) and was largely FX driven," Citi said.

"This suggests fear, not fundamentals, were the key driver of share price performance, due to perceived risk from the AI transition. We see the de-rating as a function of the potential for long-term end-market disruption.

"With AI uncertainty likely to continue, and determining a catalyst to disprove these concerns difficult, we opt for names where the AI de-rating looks overdone and the subsequent risk/reward is attractive."

Citi set a 1,300p price target for Pearson, €109 for Publicis and €125 for Wolters Kluwer. Relx and WPP were given price targets of 3,325p and 365p.

Share this article

Related Sharecast Articles

Iforex reviving plans for £40m London float - report
(Sharecast News) - Financial trading company Iforex is reportedly reviving plans for a £40m London stock market listing.
Sky deal talks with ITV have slowed - report
(Sharecast News) - Sky's talks with London-listed broadcaster ITV about buying its broadcast channels and streaming platform have reportedly slowed in recent weeks, as the battle to buy Warner Bros Discovery disrupts the industry.
Diverse Income Trust underperforms benchmark
(Sharecast News) - The Diverse Income Trust said on Friday that it underperformed its benchmark index in the six months to 30 November 2025, as its tilt towards smaller companies proved to be a headwind.
Berenberg hikes target price on Morgan Sindall
(Sharecast News) - Analysts at Berenberg hiked their target price on construction firm Morgan Sindall from 5,400p to 5,800p on Friday in order to reflect another strong performance from the group's fit out division.

Important information: This information is not a personal recommendation for any particular investment. If you are unsure about the suitability of an investment you should speak to one of Fidelity’s advisers or an authorised financial adviser of your choice. When you are thinking about investing in shares, it’s generally a good idea to consider holding them alongside other investments in a diversified portfolio of assets. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns.

Award-winning online share dealing

Search, compare and select from thousands of shares.

Expert insights into investing your money

Our team of experts explore the world of share dealing.