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Stock Comparison · Structural lead, mixed market

Illumina vs Pearson: Which Stock Looks Stronger in 2026?

Illumina holds the cleaner structural position, with the lead spread across stability and profitability. Pearson still has the edge on stability, which keeps the comparison from looking entirely one-sided. On the market side, Illumina is in better shape — its trend is intact while Pearson's trend has broken down. That puts structure and market broadly in agreement — Illumina's lead looks more confirmed than conflicted.

The comparison is based on similar long-term financial trajectories, not sector labels.

Updated 2026-04-05

Stability points more clearly toward Pearson plc, even if the broader score still leans toward Illumina, Inc..

Trajectory Similarity
0.62
Moderately similar
Peer-set rank: #12
within Illumina, Inc.'s functional peer set

This comparison is anchored in long-term financial trajectory similarity within the selected peer universe.

A moderate similarity means the pair is structurally comparable, but not a near-twin trajectory match.

The clearest structural overlap shows up in capital structure and revenue growth trajectory.

Similarity drivers
capital structurerevenue growth trajectory
How to read the score
0.85–1.00 · Very similar0.70–0.84 · Similar0.55–0.69 · Moderately similarbelow 0.55 · Loose match
Peer-Relative Score
ILMN
Illumina, Inc.
59
Peer-Score
Signal qualityHigh
vs
PSON.L
Pearson plc
52
Peer-Score
Signal qualityMedium

Scores reflect position relative to comparable companies with similar long-term financial trajectories.

The largest gaps do not all point in the same direction.

Dimension spread: ILMN vs PSON.L Profitability 65 45 Stability 18 58 Valuation 85 65 Growth 54 35 ILMN PSON.L
Gap Ranking
#1 Stability +40
#2 Profitability +20
#3 Valuation +20
#4 Growth +19
Price Setup

Left means cheaper relative valuation. Higher means stronger structure.

Price setup map for ILMN and PSON.L Stronger + cheaper Stronger + richer Weaker + cheaper Weaker + richer ILMNPSON.L Relative valuation Structural strength

The two profiles are relatively close, but the price setup still leans toward Illumina, Inc..

Valuation position uses peer-relative PE percentile (idx_pct_pe) where available.

Relative Position vs Comparable Companies
Stability
On stability, Pearson plc is positioned higher in the group, while Illumina, Inc. is closer to the middle.
Profitability
Both rank well on profitability, but Illumina, Inc. still holds a clear edge.
Stability — Dominant Gap
ILMN
18
PSON.L
58
Gap+40in favour of PSON.L

The stability gap is very wide, with the stronger side looking materially steadier through time.

What keeps the gap from being one-sided

Pearson plc still looks less cycle-sensitive — that keeps the result from looking completely one-sided.

What this means for the comparison

The lead is built on both stability and profitability — though stability still provides a counterweight.

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Break down the ILMN vs PSON.L comparison across all dimensions with the full interactive tool.

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Other comparisons with conflicting dimension signals

Explore how ILMN and PSON.L each compare against other companies in their peer groups.

Rule-based, descriptive analysis only. Derived from peer percentile dimensions. Not investment advice. Peer groups are determined algorithmically based on structural similarity — not by sector classification alone.

How AssetNext Peer Scores Work

AssetNext scores reflect each company's structural position within its functional peer group — not a ranking against all stocks simultaneously. Peers are identified by similarity across eight financial dimensions, including revenue growth trajectory, margin structure, capital intensity, and earnings stability. A score of 75 means the company ranks in the top quartile within its own peer group, not the entire market.

Four dimension scores drive the overall peer score: Growth (revenue trajectory and expansion dynamics), Quality (margin structure and capital efficiency), Valuation (peer-relative pricing on standard multiples), and Stability (earnings consistency and financial predictability). Each dimension is scored 0–100 relative to the peer group, then combined into an overall peer score using equal weighting.

Scores are recalculated periodically as underlying financial data is updated. All analysis is descriptive and rule-based — AssetNext describes structural realities and never issues buy, sell or hold recommendations.