BUZZ-Pearson: worst day since April after trading update

** Pearson (Xetra: 858266 - news) down 6.5 pct & set for biggest one-day drop since April in volume after trading update

** Move catches some investors off-guard; stock was called up 2 pct by 3 brokers in the pre-market

** FY adjusted operating profit expected at c£600-605 mln, at the upper end of its £576-£606 mln guidance (Liberum says this is not too surprising given the one-off inventory benefits and new edition impacts in 2017)

** Sales in US higher education courseware were down 3% on an underlying basis, in line with lower end of its revised guidance range, due to continuation of trends seen in first nine months combined with cautious buying behaviour from its channel partners in Q4

** Liberum keeps "sell" rating on stock, in a note entitled 'No change in trends'

** Pearson among most borrowed UK blue-chip stocks by short-sellers, with 8 pct of shares outstanding on loan, per Markit (NasdaqGS: MRKT - news)

** Among top losers on Stoxx 600 & FTSE 100 (RM (LSE: RM.L - news) :tricia.wright1@thomsonreuters.com)