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

Lazard (NYSE:LAZ) was downgraded by Zacks Research from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a report released on Monday,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.

A number of other analysts have also commented on the company. Morgan Stanley decreased their target price on Lazard from $61.00 to $59.00 and set an “underweight” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, January 6th. The Goldman Sachs Group set a $46.00 price objective on Lazard and gave the company a “sell” rating in a report on Thursday, October 23rd. BMO Capital Markets started coverage on Lazard in a research report on Friday, October 3rd. They set a “market perform” rating and a $56.00 target price on the stock. Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Lazard in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Finally, UBS Group began coverage on shares of Lazard in a research note on Thursday, December 11th. They set a “neutral” rating and a $54.00 price target for the company. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have issued a Hold rating and three have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $54.86.

Lazard Stock Performance

NYSE:LAZ opened at $51.26 on Monday. The company has a quick ratio of 2.58, a current ratio of 2.58 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.92. Lazard has a twelve month low of $31.97 and a twelve month high of $58.07. The company has a fifty day moving average of $50.24 and a 200-day moving average of $51.81. The firm has a market capitalization of $5.78 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.26 and a beta of 1.38.

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

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Lazard

Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Amica Retiree Medical Trust raised its stake in shares of Lazard by 44.4% in the second quarter. Amica Retiree Medical Trust now owns 10,922 shares of the asset manager’s stock valued at $524,000 after buying an additional 3,356 shares during the period. Amica Mutual Insurance Co. increased its holdings in Lazard by 48.2% in the 2nd quarter. Amica Mutual Insurance Co. now owns 120,707 shares of the asset manager’s stock worth $5,791,000 after acquiring an additional 39,263 shares during the last quarter. TD Asset Management Inc raised its stake in Lazard by 0.6% in the 2nd quarter. TD Asset Management Inc now owns 182,132 shares of the asset manager’s stock valued at $8,739,000 after acquiring an additional 1,006 shares during the period. Park Avenue Securities LLC bought a new stake in Lazard in the 2nd quarter valued at about $307,000. Finally, Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in Lazard by 4,698.3% during the second quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 5,758 shares of the asset manager’s stock valued at $276,000 after purchasing an additional 5,638 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 54.80% of the company’s stock.

More Lazard News

Here are the key news stories impacting Lazard this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Preliminary December AUM of roughly $254.3 billion — market appreciation (+$2.2B) and FX (+$1.5B) offset modest net outflows (-$0.3B); quarterly average AUM ~$261.1B, which supports fee revenue potential and shows underlying asset growth. Lazard Reports December 2025 Assets Under Management
• Neutral Sentiment: Lazard scheduled its fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 results release for Jan. 29 — a near-term catalyst that could move the stock depending on revenue, fees, and guidance. Lazard to Announce Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2025 Financial Results
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks Research reiterated a “Strong Sell” stance while trimming several near-term EPS forecasts (notably cutting Q4 2025 to $0.66 from $0.83 and lowering some 2026 quarter estimates), although it raised one quarter’s estimate; the analyst downward revisions and negative rating increase downside risk to the stock. Zacks Research Updates Estimates
• Negative Sentiment: An ex-Lazard banker has been charged in an alleged insider-trading scheme tied to health-care deals (U.S. prosecutors say tips generated roughly $41M), creating reputational and legal risk that can pressure investor sentiment and invite regulatory scrutiny. Ex-Lazard Banker Charged in Insider Trading Case Tied to Health-Care Deals

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.