Pearson has long been said to have been considering a sale of the title, which is edited by Lionel Barber.
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LONDON (AP) Pearson PLC, the owner of the Financial Times, has confirmed it is in “advanced discussions” about the potential sale of the newspaper.
Britain’s Pearson said it was in advanced talks about selling the Financial Times newspaper, confirming earlier reports.
Pearson last broke out the FT Group’s financials in 2013, when it reported an adjusted operating profit of GBP55 million, and sales of GBP449 million.
Thomson Reuters, Bloomberg’s main rival as a financial newswire, has also been speculated as a potential buyer. “A further announcement will be made if and when appropriate”, it added.
A sale of the global business newspaper has always been the subject of speculation as Pearson moved increasingly into the provision of education services in North America and in emerging markets.
Pearson, which owns a large stake in the book publisher Penguin Random House, has always been thought ready to sell the newspaper. The group had however said it maintained committed tothe paper due to its strong brand.
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In just minutes after the news, the publisher’s share price jumped by 1.75%.
