Marjorie Scardino, Chief Executive of Financial Times publisher Pearson, has marked her fifteenth anniversary in the role with the purchase of 374 American Depository Receipts (ADRs).

ADRs represent the ownership of shares in a non-US company. The purchase was made as part the firm's employee stock purchase plan, which gives employees the opportunity to purchase ordinary shares in Pearson at a discount.

According to the stock exchange statement, Scardino paid $16.04 per share.

Earlier this week analysts at broker Credit Suisse raised their price target on Pearson by 9% to 1,175p, saying the publisher remains their, "preferred long-term Professional Publisher for quality."

The positive comments are partly the result of the fact Pearson shares, which are up 20% in the past year, are now trading at a 5% premium to the sector average, and at 14.2 times the estimated price-to-earnings multiple for 2012.

Last month the group proposed the sale of its 50% stake in FTSE International for £450m, and proposed to acquire Global Education in China for $155m. Soon after Scardino, 64, sold a total of £572,752-worth of shares in the firm.


Top Director Buys

Conygar Investment Company (CIC)
Director name: Mr Robert T E Ware
Amount purchased: 500,000 @ 96.00p
Value: £480,000

Conygar Investment Company (CIC)
Director name: Mr Peter A Batchelor
Amount purchased: 240,000 @ 96.00p
Value: £230,400

Conygar Investment Company (CIC)
Director name: Mr Preston Rabl
Amount purchased: 140,000 @ 96.00p
Value: £134,400

Conygar Investment Company (CIC)
Director name: Mr Steven Mark Vaughan
Amount purchased: 120,000 @ 96.00p
Value: £115,200

Renew Holdings (RNWH)
Director name: Mr Brian May
Amount purchased: 100,000 @ 72.00p
Value: £72,000

Swallowfield (SWL)
Director name: Mr Martin Hagen
Amount purchased: 18,500 @ 76.83p
Value: £14,214

Standard Life (SL.)
Director name: Mr John Paynter
Amount purchased: 7,985 @ 203.50p
Value: £16,249

Wessex Exploration (WSX)
Director name: Mr David Bramhill
Amount purchased: 300,000 @ 5.15p
Value: £15,450

Anglo American (AAL)
Director name: Dr Dr Mamphela Ramphele
Amount purchased: 598 @ 2,319.45p
Value: £13,870

Anglo American (AAL)
Director name: Mr Phuthuma F. Nhleko
Amount purchased: 597 @ 2,319.45p
Value: £13,847


Top Director Sells

Imagination Technologies Group (IMG)
Director name: Mr Geoff S Shingles
Amount sold: 25,000 @ 565.73p
Value: £141,432

Betfair Group (BET)
Director name: Mr Martin J. Cruddace
Amount sold: 16,000 @ 813.00p
Value: £130,080

Imagination Technologies Group (IMG)
Director name: Mr David Hurst-Brown
Amount sold: 20,000 @ 572.75p
Value: £114,550

Betfair Group (BET)
Director name: Mr Martin J. Cruddace
Amount sold: 6,000 @ 812.50p
Value: £48,750

Betfair Group (BET)
Director name: Mr Martin J. Cruddace
Amount sold: 4,463 @ 812.50p
Value: £36,262

News Corp. 'A' Shares (NCRA)
Director name: Mr Jose Maria Aznar
Amount sold: 1,164 @ $18.35
Value: $21,359

News Corp. 'A' Shares (NCRA)
Director name: Mr Sir Rod Eddington
Amount sold: 1,164 @ $18.35
Value: $21,359

News Corp. 'A' Shares (NCRA)
Director name: Mr Viet Dinh
Amount sold: 1,164 @ $18.35
Value: $21,359

News Corp. 'A' Shares (NCRA)
Director name: Mr Peter Barnes
Amount sold: 1,164 @ $18.35
Value: $21,359

News Corp. 'A' Shares (NCRA)
Director name: Mr John L Thornton
Amount sold: 1,164 @ $18.35
Value: $21,359

Related share prices
Anglo American (AAL) share price
Pearson (PSON) share price
Swallowfield (SWL) share price
Imagination Technologies Group (IMG) share price
Renew Holdings (RNWH) share price
Conygar Investment Company (CIC) share price
News Corp. 'A' Shares (NCRA) share price
Standard Life (SL.) share price
Betfair Group (BET) share price
Wessex Exploration (WSX) share price