$LAZ

Several Wall Street advisory firms, including Moelis, Rothschild, PJT Partners, and Evercore, are resisting Saudi Arabia's regional headquarters (RHQ) requirements due to staffing mandates. The RHQ program, effective in 2024, mandates at least 15 full-time senior staff in Saudi offices. Firms without RHQ licenses risk losing business from government entities, including the $900 billion sovereign wealth fund. Lazard has complied by making Riyadh its regional base.

Lazard, Inc. (NYSE: LAZ) reported $290.3 billion in assets under management for August 2026, including market appreciation of $3.7 billion, net outflows of $1.8 billion, and FX appreciation of $1.5 billion. The figures are preliminary and subject to adjustment.

BlackRock, Inc. acquired 1.83 million shares of Lazard Inc (LAZ) at $43.23 per share, increasing its stake to 11.20% of outstanding shares. Lazard's stock is currently trading at $41.87, with a GF Value of $46.74, suggesting modest undervaluation. The company has a market cap of $4.08 billion and operates in financial advisory and asset management.

Aaron Binsted, co-head of Lazard's Australian equities, will join Schroders in November. He managed funds with returns of 10.3% over one year, outperforming the ASX 200. Schroders manages $10.2 billion in Australian equities and sees strong client demand. Binsted will join Schroders' Australian Equities Portfolio Construction Committee.

Lazard is acquiring boutique firm Altamoda, adding star dealmaker Grégoire Heuzé to its team in a move to strengthen its presence in France.

BlackRock, Inc. filed an amended Schedule 13G/A, reporting ownership of 10,871,335 shares (11.2%) of Lazard, Inc. (LAZ). BlackRock has sole voting power over 10,626,033 shares and sole dispositive power over all reported shares. No single client holds more than 5% of Lazard's outstanding common shares.

Stocks of Morningstar, Moody's, Goldman Sachs, Lazard, and StoneX rose 2.9%-3.3% after Fed Governor Waller signaled support for steady interest rates, citing disinflation trends. Waller noted PCE inflation dropped from 4.76% to 3.05% but warned of uncertainties. Market-implied odds for a September rate hike fell to 48.4%.

Lazard (LAZ) ex-director Andrew Alper plans to sell up to 10,000 shares via Goldman Sachs, following prior sales. Shares were acquired as restricted stock awards on 07/28/2026. The sale is under Rule 144.

Lazard Inc. (LAZ) stock has fallen 14.1% in six months, underperforming peers like Virtu Financial (VIRT) and Jefferies Financial (JEF). Weak earnings, high costs, and macroeconomic uncertainty weigh on its outlook. Analysts revised 2026 earnings down 10.6%, though 2027 estimates show an 83.6% increase. The company's valuation is high, with a P/B ratio of 5.3X. Management targets long-term growth but near-term challenges persist.

Lazard (LAZ) stock is drawing attention due to high implied volatility in its Sep 2026 $20 Put options, suggesting expectations of a significant price move. Analysts have downgraded earnings estimates, with the Zacks Consensus Estimate dropping from 73 cents to 60 cents per share over the past 60 days. The company is ranked #5 (Strong Sell) in its industry.