But what happens if the Bancrofts continue to deny Murdoch's advances? Think back to high school, when the jock gets turned down by the pretty girl when he asks her to go to the prom. He certainly doesn't cry over his losses -- instead, he seeks revenge by asking the girl's rival. Rumor is swirling among inside circles that Murdoch might go after the FT. And this might be simply terrific for Pearson.

Of course, much of this is speculative and there are other issues at stake. Murdoch owns other media enterprises in the UK that could make a purchase somewhat complicated and cumbersome. But I've always liked Pearson as a company. It is a solid company, I respect the CEO, and it is dipping right now due to concerns about market competition. Need more? PSO offers a solid yearly dividend, and the No Child Left Behind act has bolstered its education division.

If you want a bit of speculative fun, I'd buy Pearson. If Murdoch gets spurned by the Journal, we might just see him try to a takeover bid of the Financial Times, just to stick it to the Bancrofts. And then, you could see Pearson's shares spike.

Type of stock: A big, UK-based publishing company, Pearson could get a jolt should Murdoch get tired of pursuing The Wall Street Journal and turn his eye to a takeover of the Financial Times.

Price Target: Currently trading at $17.90, many analysts would erroneously rate PSO a hold. But if you want to take a little gamble, I'd pick it up right now and see what happens. Even if Murdoch doesn't try to buy the FT, Pearson is a strong company -- stand-alone -- and, who knows, another suitor could come along anyway.

Hilary Kramer is a financial editor and money coach for AOL and an authority on investing. Visit her at www.hilarykramer.com.