Shares of Pearson PLC (PSO) surged 5.76% in pre-market trading on Friday, following the company's reaffirmation of its 2025 guidance and the announcement of a positive medium-term outlook. The education and publishing company's optimistic projections have seemingly boosted investor confidence, driving the stock's significant uptick.

Pearson reassured investors by maintaining its 2025 guidance, projecting sales growth and adjusted operating profit in line with market expectations. The company anticipates stronger sales growth in the second half of the year, particularly in the fourth quarter. This reaffirmation comes despite the recent acquisition of eDynamic Learning, which is not expected to materially impact the 2025 guidance due to near-term integration costs and deferred revenue accounting.

Looking beyond 2025, Pearson outlined an encouraging medium-term outlook that has likely contributed to the pre-market rally. The company expects to deliver a mid-single digit underlying sales growth CAGR, along with sustained margin improvement averaging 40 basis points per annum. Additionally, Pearson projects strong free cash conversion in the range of 90% to 100% on average across the period. These forward-looking statements suggest a robust growth trajectory and improved financial performance, which appears to have resonated positively with early market traders.