Lazard (NYSE:LAZ) Cut to Strong Sell at Zacks Research

Zacks Research lowered shares of Lazard (NYSE:LAZ) from a hold rating to a strong sell rating in a research report sent to investors on Monday morning,Zacks.com reports. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Lazard’s Q4 2025 earnings at $0.66 EPS, Q3 2026 earnings at $0.92 EPS, Q4 2026 earnings at $1.12 EPS and Q4 2027 earnings at $1.06 EPS.

LAZ has been the topic of a number of other reports. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Lazard in a report on Monday, December 29th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods decreased their price target on Lazard from $60.00 to $59.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. Morgan Stanley lowered their price target on Lazard from $61.00 to $59.00 and set an “underweight” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, January 6th. The Goldman Sachs Group set a $46.00 price objective on Lazard and gave the stock a “sell” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 23rd. Finally, UBS Group started coverage on shares of Lazard in a research report on Thursday, December 11th. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $54.00 target price on the stock. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have given a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $54.86.

Lazard Stock Up 1.0%

NYSE LAZ opened at $51.82 on Monday. The business’s fifty day simple moving average is $50.29 and its 200-day simple moving average is $51.81. The company has a quick ratio of 2.58, a current ratio of 2.58 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.92. The firm has a market cap of $5.84 billion, a PE ratio of 20.48 and a beta of 1.38. Lazard has a 52 week low of $31.97 and a 52 week high of $58.07.

Lazard (NYSE:LAZ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 23rd. The asset manager reported $0.56 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.39 by $0.17. The firm had revenue of $770.76 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $739.91 million. Lazard had a net margin of 8.89% and a return on equity of 35.02%. Lazard’s revenue was down 4.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business earned $0.38 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Lazard will post 4.24 earnings per share for the current year.

Lazard Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, November 14th. Investors of record on Monday, November 3rd were issued a dividend of $0.50 per share. This represents a $2.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.9%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, November 3rd. Lazard’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 79.05%.

Institutional Trading of Lazard

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. IFP Advisors Inc boosted its stake in shares of Lazard by 53.5% in the third quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 643 shares of the asset manager’s stock valued at $34,000 after purchasing an additional 224 shares during the period. Costello Asset Management INC acquired a new stake in Lazard during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $37,000. State of Wyoming purchased a new position in Lazard in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $38,000. Triumph Capital Management acquired a new position in shares of Lazard in the third quarter worth $42,000. Finally, GAMMA Investing LLC grew its stake in shares of Lazard by 57.2% in the second quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 918 shares of the asset manager’s stock worth $44,000 after acquiring an additional 334 shares in the last quarter. 54.80% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Lazard News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Lazard this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Preliminary assets under management (AUM) for December 2025 came in at ~$254.3 billion, driven by ~$2.2B market appreciation and ~$1.5B FX gains with only modest net outflows (~$0.3B). That supports fee revenue stability and reduces near‑term earnings downside risk. Lazard Reports December 2025 Assets Under Management
• Neutral Sentiment: Lazard will release fourth quarter and full‑year 2025 results on Jan. 29, 2026 — an upcoming catalyst that could move the stock depending on beats/misses to revenue, EPS and AUM trends. Investors should watch fees, deal pipeline commentary and guidance. Lazard to Announce Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2025 Financial Results
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks Research downgraded LAZ to a “Strong Sell” and trimmed several near‑term quarterly EPS estimates (notably Q4 2025 from $0.83 to $0.66 and modest cuts to other 2026 quarters). Although one quarterly estimate (Q4 2026) was nudged higher, the overall analyst stance increases selling pressure and raises investor caution on earnings momentum. Zacks Research downgrade and estimate changes
• Negative Sentiment: An ex‑Lazard banker has been charged in a U.S. insider‑trading case tied to health‑care deals, with reports citing a multi‑million dollar benefit from tips. The legal/reputational issue may prompt investor concern about controls and could attract regulatory scrutiny. Ex‑Lazard Banker Charged in Insider Trading Case

Lazard Company Profile

Lazard Ltd. (NYSE: LAZ) is a leading global financial advisory and asset management firm, offering a comprehensive suite of services to corporations, governments and individuals. Founded in 1848, Lazard has built a reputation for providing independent advice and innovative solutions in complex financial transactions. The firm is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol LAZ and maintains its headquarters in Hamilton, Bermuda.

In its Financial Advisory segment, Lazard assists clients with mergers and acquisitions, restructurings, capital structure optimization and strategic planning.