Education group Pearson says will grow again in 2020

LONDON (Reuters) - British education company Pearson said it expected company wide sales to stabilise this year before growing again in 2020 and beyond, as it reported 2018 profits in line with forecasts.

Pearson, which is in the middle of a multi-year transformation programme designed to boost its digital services, said sales fell 1 percent on an underlying basis to 4.1 billion pounds. Adjusted operating profit rose 8 percent to 546 million pounds.

The group had already given a comprehensive trading update in January, providing a tight range for its 2018 profit and its 2019 outlook.

(Reporting by Kate Holton)