Lazard Funds Prospectus

May 1, 2023

                     
 

Shares

 

Shares

 

Institutional

Open

R6

 

Institutional

Open

R6

 

Equity

               

Lazard Developing Markets Equity Portfolio

LDMIX

LDMOX

RLDMX

Lazard US Equity Focus Portfolio

LZUSX

LZUOX

RLUSX

 

Lazard Emerging Markets Core Equity Portfolio

ECEIX

ECEOX

RLEOX

Lazard US Small-Mid Cap Equity Portfolio

LZSCX

LZCOX

RLSMX

 

Lazard Emerging Markets Equity Advantage Portfolio

LEAIX

LEAOX

READX

Lazard US Sustainable Equity Portfolio

SUSTX

SUSLX

SUSRX

 

Lazard Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio

LZEMX

LZOEX

RLEMX

Lazard US Systematic Small Cap Equity Portfolio

LUSIX

LUSOX

RUSRX

 

Lazard Emerging Markets Strategic Equity Portfolio

EMBIX

EMBOX

RLEBX

         

Lazard Equity Franchise Portfolio

LZFIX

LZFOX

RLZFX

Fixed Income

       

Lazard Global Equity Select Portfolio

GESIX

GESOX

RLGEX

Lazard Global Fixed Income Portfolio

LZGIX

LZGOX

RLGFX

 

Lazard Global Listed Infrastructure Portfolio

GLIFX

GLFOX

RLGLX

Lazard US Convertibles Portfolio

CONIX

CONOX

CONRX

 

Lazard Global Strategic Equity Portfolio

LSTIX

LSTOX

RGSTX

Lazard US Corporate Income Portfolio

LZHYX

LZHOX

RLCIX

 

Lazard International Quality Growth Portfolio

ICMPX

OCMPX

RCMPX

Lazard US Short Duration Fixed Income Portfolio

UMNIX

UMNOX

RLSDX

 

Lazard International Equity Advantage Portfolio

IEAIX

IEAOX

RIADX

         

Lazard International Equity Portfolio

LZIEX

LZIOX

RLIEX

Multi-Asset

       

Lazard International Equity Select Portfolio

LZSIX

LZESX

RLIQX

Lazard Enhanced Opportunities Portfolio

LEOIX

LEOOX

RLZEX

 

Lazard International Small Cap Equity Portfolio

LZISX

LZSMX

RLICX

Lazard Global Dynamic Multi-Asset Portfolio

GDMIX

GDMOX

GDMAX

 

Lazard International Strategic Equity Portfolio

LISIX

LISOX

RLITX

Lazard Opportunistic Strategies Portfolio

LCAIX

LCAOX

RLCPX

 

Lazard Managed Equity Volatility Portfolio

MEVIX

MEVOX

RMEVX

Lazard Real Assets Portfolio

RALIX

RALOX

RALYX

 

Lazard US Equity Concentrated Portfolio

LEVIX

LEVOX

RLUEX

         
                 
 

The Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission have not approved or disapproved the shares described in this Prospectus or determined whether this Prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.



 

Lazard Funds Table of Contents

     

Summary Section 2

Lazard US Equity Concentrated Portfolio 2

Lazard US Equity Focus Portfolio 7

Lazard US Sustainable Equity Portfolio 11

Lazard US Small-Mid Cap Equity Portfolio 17

Lazard US Systematic Small Cap Equity Portfolio 21

Lazard International Equity Portfolio 26

Lazard International Equity Select Portfolio 31

Lazard International Equity Advantage Portfolio 36

Lazard International Quality Growth Portfolio 42

Lazard International Strategic Equity Portfolio 47

Lazard International Small Cap Equity Portfolio 52

Lazard Global Equity Select Portfolio 57

Lazard Managed Equity Volatility Portfolio 62

Lazard Global Strategic Equity Portfolio 68

Lazard Equity Franchise Portfolio 73

Lazard Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio 79

Lazard Emerging Markets Core Equity Portfolio 84

Lazard Emerging Markets Equity Advantage Portfolio 89

Lazard Developing Markets Equity Portfolio 95

Lazard Emerging Markets Strategic Equity Portfolio 100

Lazard US Convertibles Portfolio 106

Lazard US Corporate Income Portfolio 112

Lazard US Short Duration Fixed Income Portfolio 116

Lazard Global Fixed Income Portfolio 122

Lazard Global Listed Infrastructure Portfolio 129

Lazard Real Assets Portfolio 134

Lazard Enhanced Opportunities Portfolio 143

Lazard Opportunistic Strategies Portfolio 150

Lazard Global Dynamic Multi-Asset Portfolio 157

 

Carefully review this important section for information on the Portfolios’ investment objectives, fees and past performance and a summary of the Portfolios’ principal investment strategies and risks.

Investment Strategies and Investment Risks 165

Overview 165

Investment Strategies 165

Investment Risks 197

Glossary—Investment Risks 204

 

Review this section for additional information on the Portfolios’ investment strategies and risks.

Fund Management 221

Investment Manager 221

Portfolio Management 223

Biographical Information of Portfolio Management Team 225

Administrator and Custodian 231

Transfer Agent 231

Distributor 231

 

Review this section for details on the people and organizations who oversee the Portfolios.

Shareholder Information 232

General 232

How to Buy Shares 234

Distribution and Servicing Arrangements 237

How to Sell Shares 238

Investor Services 239

General Policies 240

Account Policies, Dividends and Taxes 241

 

Review this section for details on how shares are valued, how to purchase and sell shares and payments of dividends and distributions.

Financial Highlights 243

 

Review this section for recent financial information.

Other Performance of the Investment Manager 310

   

 Back Cover

 

Where to learn more about the Portfolios.

1


Lazard Funds Summary Section

Lazard US Equity Concentrated Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Portfolio seeks long-term capital appreciation.

Fees and Expenses

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Portfolio, a series of The Lazard Funds, Inc. (the “Fund”). You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and the Example below.

               

 

 

Institutional Shares

 

Open Shares

 

R6 Shares

 

Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

 

 

 

Management Fees

 

.70%

 

.70%

 

.70%

 

Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees

 

None

 

.25%

 

None

 

Other Expenses

 

.08%

 

.09%

 

.24%

 

Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses

 

.78%

 

1.04%

 

.94%

 

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement1

 

 

 

.16%

 

Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement

 

.78%

 

1.04%

 

.78%

 

1 To the extent the Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses of the R6 Shares of the Portfolio exceed the Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses of the Portfolio’s Institutional Shares (in each case, not including management fees, custodial fees or other expenses related to the management of the Portfolio’s assets), Lazard Asset Management LLC (the “Investment Manager”) has contractually agreed, until May 1, 2024, to bear the expenses of the R6 Shares in the amount of such excess. This expense limitation agreement will terminate automatically in the event of termination of the Management Agreement between the Investment Manager and the Fund, on behalf of the Portfolio.

Example

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then hold or redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Portfolio’s operating expenses remain the same, giving effect to the expense limitation agreement in year one only. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

               

 

 

 

 

1 year

3 years

5 years

10 years

Institutional Shares

$ 80

$ 249

$ 433

$ 966

Open Shares

$ 106

$ 331

$ 574

$ 1,271

R6 Shares

$ 80

$ 284

$ 504

$ 1,140

               

Portfolio Turnover

The Portfolio pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Portfolio shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Portfolio’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Portfolio’s portfolio turnover rate was 69% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Portfolio invests primarily in equity securities, principally common stocks, of US companies of any market capitalization. The Portfolio has a concentrated portfolio of investments, typically investing in 15 to 35 companies

2


with market capitalizations generally greater than $350 million. The Portfolio seeks to outperform broad-based securities market indices, such as the S&P 500® Index, the Russell 1000® Index and the Russell 3000® Index. The Investment Manager’s philosophy employed for the Portfolio is based on value creation through its process of bottom-up stock selection, and the Investment Manager implements a disciplined portfolio construction process. The Investment Manager’s fundamental research seeks to identify investments typically featuring robust organic cash flow, balance sheet strength and operational flexibility.

Under normal circumstances, the Portfolio invests at least 80% of its assets in equity securities of US companies. The Portfolio may invest up to 20% of its assets in securities of non-US companies.

The Portfolio is classified as “non-diversified” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, which means that it may invest a relatively high percentage of its assets in a limited number of issuers, when compared to a diversified fund. In addition, implementation of the Portfolio’s investment strategy may, during certain periods, result in the investment of a significant portion of the Portfolio’s assets in a particular market sector.

Principal Investment Risks

The value of your investment in the Portfolio will fluctuate, which means you could lose money.

Market Risk. The Portfolio may incur losses due to declines in one or more markets in which it invests. These declines may be the result of, among other things, political, regulatory, market, economic or social developments affecting the relevant market(s). To the extent that such developments impact specific industries, market sectors, countries or geographic regions, the Portfolio’s investments in such industries, market sectors, countries and/or geographic regions can be expected to be particularly affected, especially if such investments are a significant portion of its investment portfolio. In addition, turbulence in financial markets and reduced liquidity in equity, credit and/or fixed income markets may negatively affect many issuers, which could adversely affect the Portfolio. Global economies and financial markets are increasingly interconnected, and conditions and events in one country, region or financial market may adversely impact issuers worldwide. As a result, local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, recessions or other events could have a significant negative impact on global economic and market conditions. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) global pandemic and the aggressive responses taken by many governments or voluntarily imposed by private parties, including closing borders, restricting travel and imposing prolonged quarantines or similar restrictions, as well as the closure of, or operational changes to, many retail and other businesses, has had negative impacts, and in many cases severe negative impacts, on markets worldwide. It is not known how long the effects of such impacts, or any future impacts of other significant events described above, will or would last, but there could be a prolonged period of global economic slowdown, which may be expected to impact the Portfolio and its investments.

Issuer Risk. The value of a security may decline for a number of reasons which directly relate to the issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage and reduced demand for the issuer’s goods or services, as well as the historical and prospective earnings of the issuer and the value of its assets or factors unrelated to the issuer’s value, such as investor perception.

Value Investing Risk. Value investments are believed by the Investment Manager to be undervalued, but may not realize their perceived value for extended periods of time or may never realize their perceived value. These securities may respond differently to market and other developments than other types of securities.

Small and Mid Cap Companies Risk. Small and mid cap companies carry additional risks because their earnings tend to be less predictable, their share prices more volatile and their securities less liquid than larger, more established companies. The shares of small and mid cap companies tend to trade less frequently than those of larger companies, which can have an adverse effect on the pricing of these securities and on the ability to sell these securities when the Investment Manager deems it appropriate.

3


Large Cap Companies Risk. Investments in large cap companies may underperform other segments of the market when such other segments are in favor or because such companies may be less responsive to competitive challenges and opportunities and may be unable to attain high growth rates during periods of economic expansion.

Non-US Securities Risk. The Portfolio’s performance will be influenced by political, social and economic factors affecting the non-US countries and companies in which the Portfolio invests. Non-US securities carry special risks, such as less developed or less efficient trading markets, political instability, a lack of company information, differing auditing and legal standards, and, potentially, less liquidity. Non-US securities may be subject to economic sanctions or other similar governmental actions or developments, which could, among other things, effectively restrict or eliminate the Portfolio’s ability to purchase or sell certain foreign securities. To the extent the Portfolio holds securities subject to such actions, the securities may become difficult to value and/or less liquid (or illiquid). In some cases, the securities may become worthless. In addition, investments denominated in currencies other than US dollars may experience a decline in value, in US dollar terms, due solely to fluctuations in currency exchange rates. Emerging market countries can generally have economic structures that are less diverse and mature, and political systems that are less stable, than those of developed countries.

Non-Diversification Risk. The Portfolio’s net asset value may be more vulnerable to changes in the market value of a single issuer or group of issuers and may be relatively more susceptible to adverse effects from any single corporate, industry, economic, market, political or regulatory occurrence than if the Portfolio’s investments consisted of securities issued by a larger number of issuers.

Sector Risk. Implementation of the Portfolio’s investment strategy may, during certain periods, result in the investment of a significant portion of the Portfolio’s assets in a particular market sector, such as information technology companies, and the Portfolio would be expected to be affected by developments in that sector. Information technology companies generally operate in intensely competitive markets on a worldwide basis. Also, because technological development in many areas increases at a rapid rate, these companies often produce products with very short life cycles and face the risk of product obsolescence.

Securities Selection Risk. Securities and other investments selected by the Investment Manager for the Portfolio may not perform to expectations. This could result in the Portfolio’s underperformance compared to other funds with similar investment objectives or strategies.

Concentration Risk. The Portfolio’s ability to concentrate its investments may be limited by applicable requirements of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, for qualification as a regulated investment company.

Performance Bar Chart and Table
Year-by-Year Total Returns for Institutional Shares
As of 12/31

The accompanying bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in Lazard US Equity Concentrated Portfolio by showing the Portfolio’s year-by-year performance and its average annual performance compared to that of broad measures of market performance. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Portfolio’s Institutional Shares has varied from year to year over the past 10 calendar years. Updated performance information is available at www.lazardassetmanagement.com or by calling (800) 823-6300. The Portfolio’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Portfolio will perform in the future.

4


PerformanceBarChartData(2013:29.59,2014:18.88,2015:7,2016:7.37,2017:15.49,2018:-6.07,2019:31.72,2020:8.98,2021:26.02,2022:-19.89)

Calendar Years ended December 31

   

Best Quarter:

 

2020, Q2

16.33%

 

 

Worst Quarter:

 

2020, Q1

-20.37%

Average Annual Total Returns
(for the periods ended December 31, 2022)

After-tax returns are shown only for Institutional Shares. After-tax returns of the Portfolio’s other share classes will vary. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on the investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. The after-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their shares through tax-deferred arrangements such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.

The Russell 1000 Value/S&P 500 Linked Index shown in the table is an unmanaged index created by the Investment Manager, which links the performance of the Russell 1000 Value Index for all periods through May 30, 2012 (when the Portfolio’s investment strategy changed) and the S&P 500 Index for all periods thereafter.

           

 

Inception
Date

1 Year

5 Years

10 Years

Life of
Portfolio

Institutional Shares:

9/30/2005

 

 

 

 

Returns Before Taxes

 

-19.89%

6.36%

10.78%

7.80%

Returns After Taxes on Distributions

 

-21.01%

4.69%

8.72%

6.34%

Returns After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Portfolio Shares

 

-10.95%

4.95%

8.32%

6.07%

Open Shares (Returns Before Taxes)

9/30/2005

-20.07%

6.08%

10.45%

7.49%

R6 Shares (Returns Before Taxes)

11/15/2016

-19.89%

6.36%

N/A

7.70%

S&P 500 Index

 

-18.11%

9.42%

12.56%

9.00%

(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)

 

 

 

 

(Institutional
and Open)

 

 

 

 

 

11.68%

 

 

 

 

 

(R6)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Russell 1000 Value/S&P 500 Linked Index

 

-18.11%

9.43%

12.56%

8.41%

(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)

 

 

 

 

(Institutional
and Open)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(R6)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Management

Investment Manager

Lazard Asset Management LLC

Portfolio Managers/Analysts

Christopher H. Blake, portfolio manager/analyst on the Investment Manager’s US Equity Concentrated team, has been with the Portfolio since May 2012.

Martin Flood, portfolio manager/analyst on various of the Investment Manager’s US Equity and Global Equity teams, has been with the Portfolio since March 2011.

5


Jay Levy, portfolio manager/analyst on the Investment Manager’s US Equity Concentrated team, has been with the Portfolio since March 2022.

Additional Information

For important information about the purchase and sale of Portfolio shares, tax information and financial intermediary compensation, please turn to “Additional Information about the Portfolios” on page 164.

6


Lazard Funds Summary Section

Lazard US Equity Focus Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Portfolio seeks long-term capital appreciation.

Fees and Expenses

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Portfolio, a series of The Lazard Funds, Inc. (the “Fund”). You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and the Example below.

               

 

 

Institutional Shares

 

Open Shares

 

R6 Shares

 

Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

 

 

 

Management Fees

 

.55%

 

.55%

 

.55%

 

Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees

 

None

 

.25%

 

None

 

Other Expenses

 

.26%

 

.51%

 

.26%

 

Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses

 

.81%

 

1.31%

 

.81%

 

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement1

 

.11%

 

.36%

 

.11%

 

Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement

 

.70%

 

.95%

 

.70%

 

1 Reflects a contractual agreement by Lazard Asset Management LLC (the “Investment Manager”) to waive its fee and, if necessary, reimburse the Portfolio until May 1, 2024, to the extent Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses exceed .70%, .95% and .70% of the average daily net assets of the Portfolio’s Institutional Shares, Open Shares and R6 Shares, respectively, exclusive of taxes, brokerage, interest on borrowings, fees and expenses of “Acquired Funds,” fees and expenses related to filing foreign tax reclaims and extraordinary expenses. This expense limitation agreement can only be amended by agreement of the Fund, upon approval by the Fund’s Board of Directors, and the Investment Manager to lower the net amount shown and will terminate automatically in the event of termination of the Management Agreement between the Investment Manager and the Fund, on behalf of the Portfolio.

Example

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then hold or redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Portfolio’s operating expenses remain the same, giving effect to the expense limitation agreement in year one only. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

               

 

 

 

 

1 year

3 years

5 years

10 years

Institutional Shares

$ 72

$ 248

$ 439

$ 991

Open Shares

$ 97

$ 380

$ 684

$ 1,548

R6 Shares

$ 72

$ 248

$ 439

$ 991

               

Portfolio Turnover

The Portfolio pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Portfolio shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Portfolio’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Portfolio’s portfolio turnover rate was 29% of the average value of its portfolio.

7


Principal Investment Strategies

The Portfolio invests primarily in equity securities, principally common stocks, of US companies that the Investment Manager believes have strong and/or improving financial productivity and are undervalued based on their earnings, cash flow or asset values. The Portfolio typically invests in 20 to 30 companies with market capitalizations generally over $5 billion. Although the Portfolio generally focuses on large cap companies, the market capitalizations of issuers in which the Portfolio invests may vary with market conditions and the Portfolio also may invest in mid cap and small cap companies.

Under normal circumstances, the Portfolio invests at least 80% of its assets in equity securities of US companies. The Portfolio may invest up to 20% of its assets in securities of non-US companies.

The Portfolio is classified as “non-diversified” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, which means that it may invest a relatively high percentage of its assets in a limited number of issuers, when compared to a diversified fund.

Principal Investment Risks

The value of your investment in the Portfolio will fluctuate, which means you could lose money.

Market Risk. The Portfolio may incur losses due to declines in one or more markets in which it invests. These declines may be the result of, among other things, political, regulatory, market, economic or social developments affecting the relevant market(s). To the extent that such developments impact specific industries, market sectors, countries or geographic regions, the Portfolio’s investments in such industries, market sectors, countries and/or geographic regions can be expected to be particularly affected, especially if such investments are a significant portion of its investment portfolio. In addition, turbulence in financial markets and reduced liquidity in equity, credit and/or fixed income markets may negatively affect many issuers, which could adversely affect the Portfolio. Global economies and financial markets are increasingly interconnected, and conditions and events in one country, region or financial market may adversely impact issuers worldwide. As a result, local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, recessions or other events could have a significant negative impact on global economic and market conditions. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) global pandemic and the aggressive responses taken by many governments or voluntarily imposed by private parties, including closing borders, restricting travel and imposing prolonged quarantines or similar restrictions, as well as the closure of, or operational changes to, many retail and other businesses, has had negative impacts, and in many cases severe negative impacts, on markets worldwide. It is not known how long the effects of such impacts, or any future impacts of other significant events described above, will or would last, but there could be a prolonged period of global economic slowdown, which may be expected to impact the Portfolio and its investments.

Issuer Risk. The value of a security may decline for a number of reasons which directly relate to the issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage and reduced demand for the issuer’s goods or services, as well as the historical and prospective earnings of the issuer and the value of its assets or factors unrelated to the issuer’s value, such as investor perception.

Non-Diversification Risk. The Portfolio’s net asset value may be more vulnerable to changes in the market value of a single issuer or group of issuers and may be relatively more susceptible to adverse effects from any single corporate, industry, economic, market, political or regulatory occurrence than if the Portfolio’s investments consisted of securities issued by a larger number of issuers.

Value Investing Risk. Value investments are believed by the Investment Manager to be undervalued, but may not realize their perceived value for extended periods of time or may never realize their perceived value. These securities may respond differently to market and other developments than other types of securities.

8


Large Cap Companies Risk. Investments in large cap companies may underperform other segments of the market when such other segments are in favor or because such companies may be less responsive to competitive challenges and opportunities and may be unable to attain high growth rates during periods of economic expansion.

Small and Mid Cap Companies Risk. Small and mid cap companies carry additional risks because their earnings tend to be less predictable, their share prices more volatile and their securities less liquid than larger, more established companies. The shares of small and mid cap companies tend to trade less frequently than those of larger companies, which can have an adverse effect on the pricing of these securities and on the ability to sell these securities when the Investment Manager deems it appropriate.

Non-US Securities Risk. The Portfolio’s performance will be influenced by political, social and economic factors affecting the non-US countries and companies in which the Portfolio invests. Non-US securities carry special risks, such as less developed or less efficient trading markets, political instability, a lack of company information, differing auditing and legal standards, and, potentially, less liquidity. Non-US securities may be subject to economic sanctions or other similar governmental actions or developments, which could, among other things, effectively restrict or eliminate the Portfolio’s ability to purchase or sell certain foreign securities. To the extent the Portfolio holds securities subject to such actions, the securities may become difficult to value and/or less liquid (or illiquid). In some cases, the securities may become worthless. In addition, investments denominated in currencies other than US dollars may experience a decline in value, in US dollar terms, due solely to fluctuations in currency exchange rates. Emerging market countries can generally have economic structures that are less diverse and mature, and political systems that are less stable, than those of developed countries.

Securities Selection Risk. Securities and other investments selected by the Investment Manager for the Portfolio may not perform to expectations. This could result in the Portfolio’s underperformance compared to other funds with similar investment objectives or strategies.

Performance Bar Chart and Table
Year-by-Year Total Returns for Institutional Shares
As of 12/31

The accompanying bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in Lazard US Equity Focus Portfolio by showing the Portfolio’s year-by-year performance and its average annual performance compared to that of a broad measure of market performance. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Portfolio’s Institutional Shares has varied from year to year over the past 10 calendar years. Updated performance information is available at www.lazardassetmanagement.com or by calling (800) 823-6300. The Portfolio’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Portfolio will perform in the future.

PerformanceBarChartData(2013:28.38,2014:15.04,2015:-4.75,2016:9.7,2017:18.17,2018:-3.12,2019:31.67,2020:17.29,2021:27.36,2022:-16.94)

Calendar Years ended December 31

   

Best Quarter:

 

2020, Q2

19.33%

 

 

Worst Quarter:

 

2020, Q1

-20.03%

9


Average Annual Total Returns
(for the periods ended December 31, 2022)

After-tax returns are shown only for Institutional Shares. After-tax returns of the Portfolio’s other share classes will vary. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on the investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. The after-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their shares through tax-deferred arrangements such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.

           

 

Inception
Date

1 Year

5 Years

10 Years

Life of
Portfolio

Institutional Shares:

12/30/2004

 

 

 

 

Returns Before Taxes

 

-16.94%

9.62%

11.18%

7.84%

Returns After Taxes on Distributions

 

-17.47%

7.39%

8.99%

6.34%

Returns After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Portfolio Shares

 

-9.65%

7.14%

8.60%

6.11%

Open Shares (Returns Before Taxes)

12/30/2004

-17.18%

9.31%

10.87%

7.53%

R6 Shares (Returns Before Taxes)

5/19/2014

-17.00%

9.61%

N/A

9.47%

S&P 500 Index

 

-18.11%

9.42%

12.56%

8.76%

(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)

 

 

 

 

(Institutional
and Open)

 

 

 

 

 

10.68%

 

 

 

 

 

(R6)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Management

Investment Manager

Lazard Asset Management LLC

Portfolio Managers/Analysts

H. Ross Seiden, portfolio manager/analyst on various of the Investment Manager’s US Equity teams, has been with the Portfolio since May 2018.

Andrew D. Lacey, portfolio manager/analyst on various of the Investment Manager’s US Equity and Global Equity teams, has been with the Portfolio since December 2004.

Martin Flood, portfolio manager/analyst on various of the Investment Manager’s US Equity and Global Equity teams, has been with the Portfolio since March 2011.

Jessica Kittay, a member of various of the Investment Manager’s US Equity and Global Equity teams, has been with the Portfolio since September 2022.

Additional Information

For important information about the purchase and sale of Portfolio shares, tax information and financial intermediary compensation, please turn to “Additional Information about the Portfolios” on page 164.

10


Lazard Funds Summary Section

Lazard US Sustainable Equity Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Portfolio seeks long-term capital appreciation.

Fees and Expenses

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Portfolio, a series of The Lazard Funds, Inc. (the “Fund”). You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and the Example below.

           
 

Institutional Shares

 

Open Shares

 

R6 Shares

Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a
percentage of the value of your investment)

         

Management Fees

.60%

 

.60%

 

.60%

Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees

None

 

.25%

 

None

Other Expenses

1.24%

 

2.03%

 

1.24%1

Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses

1.84%

 

2.88%

 

1.84%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

1.09%

 

1.88%

 

1.14%

Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement

.75%

 

1.00%

 

.70%

1 Based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year, using amounts for Institutional Shares from the last fiscal year.

2 Reflects a contractual agreement by Lazard Asset Management LLC (the “Investment Manager”) to waive its fee and, if necessary, reimburse the Portfolio until May 1, 2024, to the extent Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses exceed .75%, 1.00% and .70% of the average daily net assets of the Portfolio’s Institutional Shares, Open Shares and R6 Shares, respectively, exclusive of taxes, brokerage, interest on borrowings, fees and expenses of “Acquired Funds,” fees and expenses related to filing foreign tax reclaims and extraordinary expenses. This expense limitation agreement can only be amended by agreement of the Fund, upon approval by the Fund’s Board of Directors, and the Investment Manager to lower the net amount shown and will terminate automatically in the event of termination of the Management Agreement between the Investment Manager and the Fund, on behalf of the Portfolio.

Example

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then hold or redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Portfolio’s operating expenses remain the same, giving effect to the expense limitation agreement described above. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

               

 

 

 

 

1 year

3 years

5 years

10 years

Institutional Shares

$ 77

$ 472

$ 894

$ 2,069

Open Shares

$ 102

$ 714

$ 1,352

$ 3,069

R6 Shares

$ 72

$ 468

$ 899

$ 2,065

               

Portfolio Turnover

The Portfolio pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Portfolio shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Portfolio’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Portfolio’s portfolio turnover rate was 23% of the average value of its portfolio.

11


Principal Investment Strategies

The Portfolio invests primarily in equity securities, principally common stocks, of US companies selected using the Investment Manager’s process employed in implementing the Portfolio’s investment strategy, described below. The market capitalization of companies in which the Portfolio invests may vary with market conditions, but typically the Portfolio invests in companies with market capitalizations over $1 billion.

The Investment Manager’s process first identifies companies within the investable universe, which are companies that the Investment Manager believes are capable of (1) generating and maintaining high financial productivity (i.e., the return a company generates) for periods in excess of market expectations, or (2) capable of improving financial productivity to a greater extent or more expeditiously than the market expects (i.e., are undervalued) and which exhibit good expectations for future cash flows and profitability. Next, the Investment Manager reduces the investable universe using fundamental analysis and research on the companies identified.

In further narrowing the investable universe to select companies for investment by the Portfolio, the Investment Manager considers both (a) the financial sustainability of the company as a business—a company whose financial productivity is likely to be supported or enhanced in the future as a result of the move toward a more sustainable world (such as by considering the nature of the products and/or services that the company provides, from the perspective of environmental and social factors that impact financial productivity)—and (b) how the company counters potential risks arising as a result of environmental and social concerns that may be material to the particular companies or the industries or sectors in which they operate (collectively, “Sustainable Companies”). The Investment Manager uses its proprietary sustainability analysis methodology to assess each company considered for investment, to the extent relevant to the company or its industry or sector, against the specific sustainability factors listed below (and other factors that may be considered relevant to the company or its industry), divided into the three categories of Human Capital, Natural Capital and Corporate Governance.

Human Capital: the extent to which the company

· follows best practices in managing its workforce in a responsible manner, such as health and safety considerations and diversity and inclusion policies;

· acts responsibly in terms of the impact its business operations, products and services have on the broader community;

· aims to ensure its suppliers act responsibly; and

· endeavors to treat its customers fairly and responsibly, for example by having appropriate product safety and data privacy and security standards.

Natural Capital: the extent to which the company, and its supply chains,

· are reliant on using resources which generate significant environmental impact; and

· actively seek to reduce the impact they have on the environment.

Corporate Governance: the extent to which the company’s board composition and policies, executive management composition and compensation, and the exercise of shareholder rights and voting powers are in line with current best practices.

Companies considered by the Investment Manager to be significantly involved in the manufacture of products or the provision of services that are broadly recognized as unsustainable by society (e.g., the production of tobacco, the generation, extraction and/or refining of certain fossil fuels or the production of unconventional weapons) generally will not fall within the investable universe for the Portfolio. However, it is possible that the Investment Manager may determine, after a combined consideration of its assessment of such a company’s financial productivity potential as described above and the results of the Investment Manager’s sustainability analysis

12


methodology, that such a company is an appropriate investment for the Portfolio. The Portfolio may, however, invest in companies that provide equipment and services to the energy and mining sectors.

Under normal circumstances, the Portfolio invests at least 80% of its assets in equity securities of US Sustainable Companies. The Portfolio may invest up to 20% of its assets in securities of non-US companies, including those in emerging markets.

Although the Portfolio is classified as “diversified” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, it may invest in a smaller number of issuers than other, more diversified, investment portfolios.

Principal Investment Risks

The value of your investment in the Portfolio will fluctuate, which means you could lose money.

Market Risk. The Portfolio may incur losses due to declines in one or more markets in which it invests. These declines may be the result of, among other things, political, regulatory, market, economic or social developments affecting the relevant market(s). To the extent that such developments impact specific industries, market sectors, countries or geographic regions, the Portfolio’s investments in such industries, market sectors, countries and/or geographic regions can be expected to be particularly affected, especially if such investments are a significant portion of its investment portfolio. In addition, turbulence in financial markets and reduced liquidity in equity, credit and/or fixed income markets may negatively affect many issuers, which could adversely affect the Portfolio. Global economies and financial markets are increasingly interconnected, and conditions and events in one country, region or financial market may adversely impact issuers worldwide. As a result, local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, recessions or other events could have a significant negative impact on global economic and market conditions. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) global pandemic and the aggressive responses taken by many governments or voluntarily imposed by private parties, including closing borders, restricting travel and imposing prolonged quarantines or similar restrictions, as well as the closure of, or operational changes to, many retail and other businesses, has had negative impacts, and in many cases severe negative impacts, on markets worldwide. It is not known how long the effects of such impacts, or any future impacts of other significant events described above, will or would last, but there could be a prolonged period of global economic slowdown, which may be expected to impact the Portfolio and its investments.

Issuer Risk. The value of a security may decline for a number of reasons which directly relate to the issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage and reduced demand for the issuer’s goods or services, as well as the historical and prospective earnings of the issuer and the value of its assets or factors unrelated to the issuer’s value, such as investor perception.

Focused Investing Risk. The Portfolio’s net asset value may be more vulnerable to changes in the market value of a single issuer or group of issuers and may be relatively more susceptible to adverse effects from any single corporate, industry, economic, market, political or regulatory occurrence than if the Portfolio’s investments consisted of securities issued by a larger number of issuers.

Large Cap Companies Risk. Investments in large cap companies may underperform other segments of the market when such other segments are in favor or because such companies may be less responsive to competitive challenges and opportunities and may be unable to attain high growth rates during periods of economic expansion.

Small and Mid Cap Companies Risk. Small and mid cap companies carry additional risks because their earnings tend to be less predictable, their share prices more volatile and their securities less liquid than larger, more established companies. The shares of small and mid cap companies tend to trade less frequently than those of larger companies, which can have an adverse effect on the pricing of these securities and on the ability to sell these securities when the Investment Manager deems it appropriate.

13


Non-US Securities Risk. The Portfolio’s performance will be influenced by political, social and economic factors affecting the non-US countries and companies in which the Portfolio invests. Non-US securities carry special risks, such as less developed or less efficient trading markets, political instability, a lack of company information, differing auditing and legal standards, and, potentially, less liquidity. Non-US securities may be subject to economic sanctions or other similar governmental actions or developments, which could, among other things, effectively restrict or eliminate the Portfolio’s ability to purchase or sell certain foreign securities. To the extent the Portfolio holds securities subject to such actions, the securities may become difficult to value and/or less liquid (or illiquid). In some cases, the securities may become worthless.

Emerging Market Risk. Emerging market countries generally have economic structures that are less diverse and mature, and political systems that are less stable, than those of developed countries. The economies of countries with emerging markets may be based predominantly on only a few industries, may be highly vulnerable to changes in local or global trade conditions, and may suffer from extreme debt burdens or volatile inflation rates. The securities markets of emerging market countries have historically been extremely volatile and less liquid than more developed markets. These market conditions may continue or worsen. Investments in these countries may be subject to political, economic, legal, market and currency risks. Significant devaluation of emerging market currencies against the US dollar may occur subsequent to acquisition of investments denominated in emerging market currencies.

Foreign Currency Risk. Investments denominated in currencies other than US dollars may experience a decline in value, in US dollar terms, due solely to fluctuations in currency exchange rates. The Portfolio’s investments denominated in such currencies (particularly currencies of emerging markets countries), as well as any investments in currencies themselves, could be adversely affected by delays in, or a refusal to grant, repatriation of funds or conversion of currencies. Irrespective of any foreign currency exposure hedging, the Portfolio may experience a decline in the value of its portfolio securities, in US dollar terms, due solely to fluctuations in currency exchange rates. The Investment Manager does not intend to actively hedge the Portfolio’s foreign currency exposure.

Sustainable Investing Risk. The Portfolio’s performance is dependent upon, among other things, the success of its investment strategy as implemented by the Investment Manager (i.e., the performance of the investments purchased pursuant to the investment strategy). The Portfolio’s investment strategy focuses on investing in companies that satisfy the criteria for being considered a Sustainable Company (as described above), which may cause the Investment Manager to forgo investments for the Portfolio that the Investment Manager otherwise believes may be attractive but that are not considered to be Sustainable Companies.

Sector Risk. Implementation of the Portfolio’s investment strategy may, during certain periods, result in the investment of a significant portion of the Portfolio’s assets in a particular market sector, such as information technology companies, and the Portfolio would be expected to be affected by developments in that sector. Information technology companies generally operate in intensely competitive markets on a worldwide basis. Also, because technological development in many areas increases at a rapid rate, these companies often produce products with very short life cycles and face the risk of product obsolescence.

Securities Selection Risk. Securities and other investments selected by the Investment Manager for the Portfolio may not perform to expectations. This could result in the Portfolio’s underperformance compared to other funds with similar investment objectives or strategies.

Performance Bar Chart and Table
Year-by-Year Total Returns for Institutional Shares
As of 12/31

The accompanying bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in Lazard US Sustainable Equity Portfolio by showing the Portfolio’s year-by-year performance and its average annual performance compared to that of a broad measure of market performance. The bar chart shows how the performance of the

14


Portfolio’s Institutional Shares has varied from year to year. Updated performance information is available at www.lazardassetmanagement.com or by calling (800) 823-6300. The Portfolio’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Portfolio will perform in the future.

PerformanceBarChartData(2021:29.01,2022:-18.07)

Calendar Years ended December 31

   

Best Quarter:

 

2020, Q4

11.94%

 

 

Worst Quarter:

 

2022, Q2

-14.00%

Average Annual Total Returns
(for the periods ended December 31, 2022)

After-tax returns are shown only for Institutional Shares. After-tax returns of the Portfolio’s other share classes will vary. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on the investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. The after-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their shares through tax-deferred arrangements such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.

       

 

Inception
Date

1 Year

Life of
Portfolio

Institutional Shares:

6/30/2020

 

 

Returns Before Taxes

 

-18.07%

10.94%

Returns After Taxes on Distributions

 

-18.48%

10.40%

Returns After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Portfolio Shares

 

-10.40%

8.47%

Open Shares (Returns Before Taxes)

6/30/2020

-18.32%

10.63%

R6 Shares (Returns Before Taxes)

6/30/2020

-18.07%

10.94%

S&P 500 Index

 

-18.11%

10.64%

(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Management

Investment Manager

Lazard Asset Management LLC

Portfolio Managers/Analysts

Andrew D. Lacey, portfolio manager/analyst on various of the Investment Manager’s US Equity and Global Equity teams, has been with the Portfolio since June 2020.

H. Ross Seiden, portfolio manager/analyst on various of the Investment Manager’s US Equity teams, has been with the Portfolio since June 2020.

Martin Flood, portfolio manager/analyst on various of the Investment Manager’s US Equity and Global Equity teams, has been with the Portfolio since June 2020.

Jessica Kittay, a member of various of the Investment Manager’s US Equity and Global Equity teams, has been with the Portfolio since June 2020.

15


Shanu Mathew, portfolio manager/analyst on the Investment Manager’s US Sustainable Equity team, has been with the Portfolio since May 2023.

Additional Information

For important information about the purchase and sale of Portfolio shares, tax information and financial intermediary compensation, please turn to “Additional Information about the Portfolios” on page 164.

16


Lazard Funds Summary Section

Lazard US Small-Mid Cap Equity Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Portfolio seeks long-term capital appreciation.

Fees and Expenses

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Portfolio, a series of The Lazard Funds, Inc. (the “Fund”). You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and the Example below.

               

 

 

Institutional Shares

 

Open Shares

 

R6 Shares

 

Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

 

 

 

Management Fees

 

.75%

 

.75%

 

.75%

 

Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees

 

None

 

.25%

 

None

 

Other Expenses

 

.30%

 

.36%

 

.76%

  

Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses

 

1.05%

 

1.36%

 

1.51%

 

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement1

 

 

.06%

 

.51%

 

Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement

 

1.05%

 

1.30%

 

1.00%

 

1 Reflects a contractual agreement by Lazard Asset Management LLC (the “Investment Manager”) to waive its fee and, if necessary, reimburse the Portfolio until May 1, 2024, to the extent Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses exceed 1.05%, 1.30% and 1.00% of the average daily net assets of the Portfolio’s Institutional Shares, Open Shares and R6 Shares, respectively, exclusive of taxes, brokerage, interest on borrowings, fees and expenses of “Acquired Funds,” fees and expenses related to filing foreign tax reclaims and extraordinary expenses. This expense limitation agreement can only be amended by agreement of the Fund, upon approval by the Fund’s Board of Directors, and the Investment Manager to lower the net amount shown and will terminate automatically in the event of termination of the Management Agreement between the Investment Manager and the Fund, on behalf of the Portfolio.

Example

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then hold or redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Portfolio’s operating expenses remain the same, giving effect to the expense limitation agreement in year one only. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

               

 

 

 

 

1 year

3 years

5 years

10 years

Institutional Shares

$ 107

$ 334

$ 579

$ 1,283

Open Shares

$ 132

$ 425

$ 739

$ 1,630

R6 Shares

$ 102

$ 427

$ 775

$ 1,758

Portfolio Turnover

The Portfolio pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Portfolio shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Portfolio’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Portfolio’s portfolio turnover rate was 35% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Portfolio invests primarily in equity securities, principally common stocks, of small to mid cap US companies. The Investment Manager considers “small-mid cap companies” to be those companies that, at the time of initial

17


purchase by the Portfolio, have market capitalizations within the range of companies included in the Russell 2500® Index (ranging from approximately $6.3 million to $24.0 billion as of March 31, 2023).

Under normal circumstances, the Portfolio invests at least 80% of its assets in equity securities of small-mid cap US companies. The Investment Manager focuses on relative value in seeking to construct a diversified portfolio of investments for the Portfolio that maintains sector and industry balance, using investment opportunities identified through bottom-up fundamental research conducted by the Investment Manager’s small cap, mid cap and global research analysts.

The Portfolio may invest up to 20% of its assets in the securities of larger or smaller US or non-US companies.

Principal Investment Risks

The value of your investment in the Portfolio will fluctuate, which means you could lose money.

Market Risk. The Portfolio may incur losses due to declines in one or more markets in which it invests. These declines may be the result of, among other things, political, regulatory, market, economic or social developments affecting the relevant market(s). To the extent that such developments impact specific industries, market sectors, countries or geographic regions, the Portfolio’s investments in such industries, market sectors, countries and/or geographic regions can be expected to be particularly affected, especially if such investments are a significant portion of its investment portfolio. In addition, turbulence in financial markets and reduced liquidity in equity, credit and/or fixed income markets may negatively affect many issuers, which could adversely affect the Portfolio. Global economies and financial markets are increasingly interconnected, and conditions and events in one country, region or financial market may adversely impact issuers worldwide. As a result, local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, recessions or other events could have a significant negative impact on global economic and market conditions. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) global pandemic and the aggressive responses taken by many governments or voluntarily imposed by private parties, including closing borders, restricting travel and imposing prolonged quarantines or similar restrictions, as well as the closure of, or operational changes to, many retail and other businesses, has had negative impacts, and in many cases severe negative impacts, on markets worldwide. It is not known how long the effects of such impacts, or any future impacts of other significant events described above, will or would last, but there could be a prolonged period of global economic slowdown, which may be expected to impact the Portfolio and its investments.

Issuer Risk. The value of a security may decline for a number of reasons which directly relate to the issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage and reduced demand for the issuer’s goods or services, as well as the historical and prospective earnings of the issuer and the value of its assets or factors unrelated to the issuer’s value, such as investor perception.

Small and Mid Cap Companies Risk. Small and mid cap companies carry additional risks because their earnings tend to be less predictable, their share prices more volatile and their securities less liquid than larger, more established companies. The shares of small and mid cap companies tend to trade less frequently than those of larger companies, which can have an adverse effect on the pricing of these securities and on the ability to sell these securities when the Investment Manager deems it appropriate.

Value Investing Risk. Value investments are believed by the Investment Manager to be undervalued, but may not realize their perceived value for extended periods of time or may never realize their perceived value. These securities may respond differently to market and other developments than other types of securities.

Non-US Securities Risk. The Portfolio’s performance will be influenced by political, social and economic factors affecting the non-US countries and companies in which the Portfolio invests. Non-US securities carry special risks, such as less developed or less efficient trading markets, political instability, a lack of company information, differing auditing and legal standards, and, potentially, less liquidity. Non-US securities may be subject to

18


economic sanctions or other similar governmental actions or developments, which could, among other things, effectively restrict or eliminate the Portfolio’s ability to purchase or sell certain foreign securities. To the extent the Portfolio holds securities subject to such actions, the securities may become difficult to value and/or less liquid (or illiquid). In some cases, the securities may become worthless. In addition, investments denominated in currencies other than US dollars may experience a decline in value, in US dollar terms, due solely to fluctuations in currency exchange rates. Emerging market countries can generally have economic structures that are less diverse and mature, and political systems that are less stable, than those of developed countries.

Securities Selection Risk. Securities and other investments selected by the Investment Manager for the Portfolio may not perform to expectations. This could result in the Portfolio’s underperformance compared to other funds with similar investment objectives or strategies.

Performance Bar Chart and Table
Year-by-Year Total Returns for Institutional Shares
As of 12/31

The accompanying bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in Lazard US Small-Mid Cap Equity Portfolio by showing the Portfolio’s year-by-year performance and its average annual performance compared to that of a broad measure of market performance. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Portfolio’s Institutional Shares has varied from year to year over the past 10 calendar years. Updated performance information is available at www.lazardassetmanagement.com or by calling (800) 823-6300. The Portfolio’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Portfolio will perform in the future.

PerformanceBarChartData(2013:35.81,2014:11.39,2015:-2.14,2016:16.2,2017:14.2,2018:-13.27,2019:30,2020:6.44,2021:19.91,2022:-15.23)

Calendar Years ended December 31

   

Best Quarter:

 

2020, Q4

23.67%

 

 

Worst Quarter:

 

2020, Q1

-31.16%

Average Annual Total Returns
(for the periods ended December 31, 2022)

After-tax returns are shown only for Institutional Shares. After-tax returns of the Portfolio’s other share classes will vary. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on the investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. The after-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their shares through tax-deferred arrangements such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.

The Russell 2000/2500 Linked Index shown in the table is an unmanaged index created by the Investment Manager, which links the performance of the Russell 2000® Index for all periods through May 31, 2009 (when the Portfolio’s investment focus was changed from small cap companies to small-mid cap companies) and the Russell 2500 Index for all periods thereafter.

19


           

 

Inception
Date

1 Year

5 Years

10 Years

Life of
Portfolio

Institutional Shares:

10/30/1991

 

 

 

 

Returns Before Taxes

 

-15.23%

4.06%

9.13%

9.94%

Returns After Taxes on Distributions

 

-15.99%

2.17%

6.44%

7.56%

Returns After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Portfolio Shares

 

-8.38%

2.97%

6.71%

7.67%

Open Shares (Returns Before Taxes)

1/30/1997

-15.49%

3.74%

8.80%

7.63%

R6 Shares (Returns Before Taxes)

1/08/2020

-15.01%

N/A

N/A

2.83%

Russell 2500 Index

 

-18.37%

5.89%

10.03%

10.27%

(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)

 

 

 

 

(Institutional)

 

 

 

 

 

8.95%

 

 

 

 

 

(Open)

 

 

 

 

 

5.06%

 

 

 

 

 

(R6)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Russell 2000/2500 Linked Index

 

-18.37%

5.89%

10.03%

9.53%

(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)

 

 

 

 

(Institutional)

 

 

 

 

 

8.25%

 

 

 

 

 

(Open)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(R6)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Management

Investment Manager

Lazard Asset Management LLC

Portfolio Managers/Analysts

Janice Davies, portfolio manager/analyst on the Investment Manager’s US Small-Mid Cap Equity team, has been with the Portfolio since April 2021.

Michael DeBernardis, portfolio manager/analyst on the Investment Manager’s US Small-Mid Cap Equity and Global Small Cap Equity teams, has been with the Portfolio since October 2010.

Martin Flood, portfolio manager/analyst on various of the Investment Manager’s US Equity and Global Equity teams, has been with the Portfolio since December 2014.

Additional Information

For important information about the purchase and sale of Portfolio shares, tax information and financial intermediary compensation, please turn to “Additional Information about the Portfolios” on page 164.

20


Lazard Funds Summary Section

Lazard US Systematic Small Cap Equity Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Portfolio seeks long-term capital appreciation.

Fees and Expenses

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Portfolio, a series of The Lazard Funds, Inc. (the “Fund”). You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and the Example below.

           
 

Institutional

Shares

 

Open

Shares

 

R6

Shares

Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a
percentage of the value of your investment)

         

Management Fees

.70%

 

.70%

 

.70%

Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees

None

 

.25%

 

None

Other Expenses

1.97%

 

4.57%

 

2.00%1

Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses

.03%

 

.03%

 

.03%

Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses

2.70%

 

5.55%

 

2.73%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

1.77%

 

4.37%

 

1.85%

Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement3

.93%

 

1.18%

 

.88%

1 Based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year, using amounts for Institutional Shares from the last fiscal year.

2 Reflects a contractual agreement by Lazard Asset Management LLC (the “Investment Manager”) to waive its fee and, if necessary, reimburse the Portfolio until May 1, 2024, to the extent Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses exceed .90%, 1.15% and .85% of the average daily net assets of the Portfolio’s Institutional Shares, Open Shares and R6 Shares, respectively, exclusive of taxes, brokerage, interest on borrowings, fees and expenses of “Acquired Funds,” fees and expenses related to filing foreign tax reclaims and extraordinary expenses. This expense limitation agreement can only be amended by agreement of the Fund, upon approval by the Fund’s Board of Directors, and the Investment Manager to lower the net amount shown and will terminate automatically in the event of termination of the Management Agreement between the Investment Manager and the Fund, on behalf of the Portfolio.

3 Excluding Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses, the Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement are .90%, 1.15% and .85% of the Portfolio’s Institutional Shares, Open Shares and R6 Shares, respectively.

Example

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then hold or redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Portfolio’s operating expenses remain the same, giving effect to the expense limitation agreement described above. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

               

 

 

 

 

1 year

3 years

5 years

10 years

Institutional Shares

$ 95

$ 670

$ 1,272

$ 2,901

Open Shares

$ 120

$ 1,266

$ 2,400

$ 5,179

R6 Shares

$ 90

$ 671

$ 1,279

$ 2,925

               

Portfolio Turnover

The Portfolio pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Portfolio shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio

21


operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Portfolio’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Portfolio’s portfolio turnover rate was 74% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Portfolio invests primarily in equity securities, principally common stocks, of small capitalization US companies. The Investment Manager considers “small cap companies” to be those companies that, at the time of initial purchase by the Portfolio, have market capitalizations within the range of companies included in the Russell 2000 Index (ranging from approximately $2.6 million to $7.9 billion as of March 31, 2023). The Portfolio typically invests in 300 to 500 companies.

Under normal circumstances, the Portfolio invests at least 80% of its assets in equity securities of small cap US companies. Equity securities also may include depositary receipts, including American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), Global Depositary Receipts and European Depositary Receipts. The Portfolio may invest up to 20% of its assets in other securities which need not be equity securities of small cap US companies, including investments in larger US companies and in non-US companies, including securities of emerging markets companies traded on a US exchange.

The Investment Manager will manage the Portfolio using its proprietary investment strategy that creates and applies what the Investment Manager refers to as “Insights” and employs its “Insight-driven” process to identify investments with fundamental traits the Investment Manager believes are undervalued by the market. The Investment Manager’s strategy combines fundamental and quantitative techniques into a fully systematic process—that is, the Investment Manager converts subjective criteria used to evaluate potential investments into quantitative formulas based on, among other things, market observations and testing of resulting hypotheses. The Investment Manager considers an “Insight” to be a fundamental opportunity that the Investment Manager believes can be quantified, validated and implemented systematically by the Investment Manager:

· a fundamental opportunity is a recurring market inefficiency where the Investment Manager believes that investors are not fully incorporating the impact of a company’s changing operating fundamentals and/or attractive valuations;

· the Investment Manager converts its market observation into quantified conditions utilizing proprietary process knowledge and techniques;

· a potential Insight is validated through extensive proprietary testing that includes historical data, minimum targeted return objectives and persistence hurdles;

· through each Insight, a number of securities are identified; and

· the securities selection process is implemented systematically into automated daily operations.

The Investment Manager selects investments for the Portfolio by applying its securities selection process to an investable universe of all publicly-traded equity securities, with a focus on small cap companies. However, Insights, which may change over time, may be related to the broad market or specific to a particular sector or industry. In addition, the selection process described above is not sequential, and certain criteria may be given more importance than others. Target position sizes are determined at the time of investment based on one or more Insights and subsequently monitored on an ongoing basis. To improve tax efficiency, the Portfolio may limit investments that have undesirable tax characteristics and may employ other tax-management techniques, such as adjusting the timing of trades, by relying in part on fundamental research and analytical judgements of the Investment Manager.

Principal Investment Risks

The value of your investment in the Portfolio will fluctuate, which means you could lose money.

Market Risk. The Portfolio may incur losses due to declines in one or more markets in which it invests. These declines may be the result of, among other things, political, regulatory, market, economic or social developments affecting the relevant market(s). To the extent that such developments impact specific industries, market sectors, countries or geographic regions, the Portfolio’s investments in such industries, market sectors, countries and/or geographic regions can be expected to be particularly affected, especially if such investments are a significant

22


portion of its investment portfolio. In addition, turbulence in financial markets and reduced liquidity in equity, credit and/or fixed income markets may negatively affect many issuers, which could adversely affect the Portfolio. Global economies and financial markets are increasingly interconnected, and conditions and events in one country, region or financial market may adversely impact issuers worldwide. As a result, local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, recessions or other events could have a significant negative impact on global economic and market conditions. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) global pandemic and the aggressive responses taken by many governments or voluntarily imposed by private parties, including closing borders, restricting travel and imposing prolonged quarantines or similar restrictions, as well as the closure of, or operational changes to, many retail and other businesses, has had negative impacts, and in many cases severe negative impacts, on markets worldwide. It is not known how long the effects of such impacts, or any future impacts of other significant events described above, will or would last, but there could be a prolonged period of global economic slowdown, which may be expected to impact the Portfolio and its investments.

Issuer Risk. The value of a security may decline for a number of reasons which directly relate to the issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage and reduced demand for the issuer’s goods or services, as well as the historical and prospective earnings of the issuer and the value of its assets or factors unrelated to the issuer’s value, such as investor perception.

Small Cap Companies Risk. Small cap companies carry additional risks because their earnings tend to be less predictable, their share prices more volatile and their securities less liquid than larger, more established companies. The shares of small cap companies tend to trade less frequently than those of larger companies, which can have an adverse effect on the pricing of these securities and on the ability to sell these securities when the Investment Manager deems it appropriate.

Quantitative Model Risk. The success of the Portfolio’s investment strategy depends largely upon the effectiveness of the Investment Manager’s quantitative model. A quantitative model, such as the risk and other models used by the Investment Manager requires adherence to a systematic, disciplined process. The Investment Manager’s ability to monitor and, if necessary, adjust its quantitative model could be adversely affected by various factors including incorrect or outdated market and other data inputs. Factors that affect a security’s value can change over time, and these changes may not be reflected in the quantitative model. In addition, factors used in quantitative analysis and the weight placed on those factors may not be predictive of a security’s value.

Depositary Receipts Risk. ADRs and similar depositary receipts typically will be subject to certain of the risks associated with direct investments in the securities of non-US companies, because their values depend on the performance of the underlying non-US securities. However, currency fluctuations will impact investments in depositary receipts differently than direct investments in non-US dollar-denominated non-US securities, because a depositary receipt will not appreciate in value solely as a result of appreciation in the currency in which the underlying non-US dollar security is denominated.

Non-US Securities Risk. The Portfolio’s performance will be influenced by political, social and economic factors affecting the non-US countries and companies in which the Portfolio invests. Non-US securities carry special risks, such as less developed or less efficient trading markets, political instability, a lack of company information, differing auditing and legal standards, and, potentially, less liquidity. Non-US securities may be subject to economic sanctions or other similar governmental actions or developments, which could, among other things, effectively restrict or eliminate the Portfolio’s ability to purchase or sell certain foreign securities. To the extent the Portfolio holds securities subject to such actions, the securities may become difficult to value and/or less liquid (or illiquid). In some cases, the securities may become worthless. In addition, investments denominated in currencies other than US dollars may experience a decline in value, in US dollar terms, due solely to fluctuations in currency exchange rates. Emerging market countries can generally have economic structures that are less diverse and mature, and political systems that are less stable, than those of developed countries.

23


Securities Selection Risk. Securities and other investments selected by the Investment Manager for the Portfolio may not perform to expectations. This could result in the Portfolio’s underperformance compared to other funds with similar investment objectives or strategies.

Performance Bar Chart and Table
Total Returns for Institutional Shares
As of 12/31

The accompanying bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in Lazard US Systematic Small Cap Equity Portfolio by showing the Portfolio’s performance for the first complete calendar year of operation compared to that of a broad measure of market performance. The bar chart shows the performance of the Portfolio’s Institutional Shares. Updated performance information is available at www.lazardassetmanagement.com or by calling (800) 823-6300. The Portfolio’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Portfolio will perform in the future.

PerformanceBarChartData(2022:-16.33)

Calendar Years ended December 31

   

Best Quarter:

 

2022, Q4

8.21%

 

 

Worst Quarter:

 

2022, Q2

-13.86%

Average Annual Total Returns
(for the periods ended December 31, 2022)

After-tax returns are shown only for Institutional Shares. After-tax returns of the Portfolio’s other share classes will vary. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on the investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. The after-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their shares through tax-deferred arrangements such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. Returns shown below for the Portfolio’s R6 Shares (which were not operational as of December 31, 2022) reflect the performance of the Portfolio’s Institutional Shares. R6 Shares would have had substantially similar returns as Institutional Shares because the share classes are invested in the same portfolio of securities, and the returns would differ only to the extent that the classes do not have the same expenses.

       

 

Inception
Date

1 Year

Life of
Portfolio

Institutional Shares:

10/29/2021

 

 

Returns Before Taxes

 

-16.33%

-12.04%

Returns After Taxes on Distributions

 

-16.48%

-12.24%

Returns After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Portfolio Shares

 

-9.56%

-9.18%

Open Shares (Returns Before Taxes)

10/29/2021

-16.51%

-12.22%

R6 Shares (Returns Before Taxes)

10/29/2021

-16.33%

-12.04%

Russell 2000 Index

 

-20.44%

-19.22%

(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Management

Investment Manager

Lazard Asset Management LLC

24


Portfolio Managers/Analysts

Oren Shiran, portfolio manager/analyst on the Investment Manager’s US Systematic Equity team, has been with the Portfolio since October 2021.

Stefan T. Tang, portfolio manager/analyst on the Investment Manager’s US Systematic Equity team, has been with the Portfolio since October 2021.

Additional Information

For important information about the purchase and sale of Portfolio shares, tax information and financial intermediary compensation, please turn to “Additional Information about the Portfolios” on page 164.

25


Lazard Funds Summary Section

Lazard International Equity Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Portfolio seeks long-term capital appreciation.

Fees and Expenses

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Portfolio, a series of The Lazard Funds, Inc. (the “Fund”). You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and the Example below.

               

 

 

Institutional Shares

 

Open Shares

 

R6 Shares

 

Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

 

 

 

Management Fees

 

.75%

 

.75%

 

.75%

 

Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees

 

None

 

.25%

 

None

 

Other Expenses

 

.08%

 

.09%

 

.08%

 

Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses

 

.83%

 

1.09%

 

.83%

 

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement1

 

 

 

.03%

 

Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement

 

.83%

 

1.09%

 

.80%

 

1 Reflects a contractual agreement by Lazard Asset Management LLC (the “Investment Manager”) to waive its fee and, if necessary, reimburse the Portfolio until May 1, 2024, to the extent Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses exceed .85%, 1.10% and .80% of the average daily net assets of the Portfolio’s Institutional Shares, Open Shares and R6 Shares, respectively, exclusive of taxes, brokerage, interest on borrowings, fees and expenses of “Acquired Funds,” fees and expenses related to filing foreign tax reclaims and extraordinary expenses. This expense limitation agreement can only be amended by agreement of the Fund, upon approval by the Fund’s Board of Directors, and the Investment Manager to lower the net amount shown and will terminate automatically in the event of termination of the Management Agreement between the Investment Manager and the Fund, on behalf of the Portfolio.

Example

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then hold or redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Portfolio’s operating expenses remain the same, giving effect to the expense limitation agreement in year one only. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

               

 

 

 

 

1 year

3 years

5 years

10 years

Institutional Shares

$ 85

$ 265

$ 460

$ 1,025

Open Shares

$ 111

$ 347

$ 601

$ 1,329

R6 Shares

$ 82

$ 262

$ 458

$ 1,023

               

Portfolio Turnover

The Portfolio pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Portfolio shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Portfolio’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Portfolio’s portfolio turnover rate was 31% of the average value of its portfolio.

26


Principal Investment Strategies

The Portfolio invests primarily in equity securities, principally common stocks, of relatively large non-US companies with market capitalizations in the range of companies included in the MSCI® Europe, Australasia and Far East (“EAFE®”) Index (ranging from approximately $1.9 billion to $460.7 billion as of March 31, 2023) that the Investment Manager believes are undervalued based on their earnings, cash flow or asset values.

In choosing stocks for the Portfolio, the Investment Manager looks for established companies in economically developed countries and may invest up to 15% of the Portfolio’s assets in securities of companies whose principal business activities are located in emerging market countries. Under normal circumstances, the Portfolio invests at least 80% of its assets in equity securities.

Principal Investment Risks

The value of your investment in the Portfolio will fluctuate, which means you could lose money.

Market Risk. The Portfolio may incur losses due to declines in one or more markets in which it invests. These declines may be the result of, among other things, political, regulatory, market, economic or social developments affecting the relevant market(s). To the extent that such developments impact specific industries, market sectors, countries or geographic regions, the Portfolio’s investments in such industries, market sectors, countries and/or geographic regions can be expected to be particularly affected, especially if such investments are a significant portion of its investment portfolio. In addition, turbulence in financial markets and reduced liquidity in equity, credit and/or fixed income markets may negatively affect many issuers, which could adversely affect the Portfolio. Global economies and financial markets are increasingly interconnected, and conditions and events in one country, region or financial market may adversely impact issuers worldwide. As a result, local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, recessions or other events could have a significant negative impact on global economic and market conditions. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) global pandemic and the aggressive responses taken by many governments or voluntarily imposed by private parties, including closing borders, restricting travel and imposing prolonged quarantines or similar restrictions, as well as the closure of, or operational changes to, many retail and other businesses, has had negative impacts, and in many cases severe negative impacts, on markets worldwide. It is not known how long the effects of such impacts, or any future impacts of other significant events described above, will or would last, but there could be a prolonged period of global economic slowdown, which may be expected to impact the Portfolio and its investments.

Issuer Risk. The value of a security may decline for a number of reasons which directly relate to the issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage and reduced demand for the issuer’s goods or services, as well as the historical and prospective earnings of the issuer and the value of its assets or factors unrelated to the issuer’s value, such as investor perception.

Non-US Securities Risk. The Portfolio’s performance will be influenced by political, social and economic factors affecting the non-US countries and companies in which the Portfolio invests. Non-US securities carry special risks, such as less developed or less efficient trading markets, political instability, a lack of company information, differing auditing and legal standards, and, potentially, less liquidity. Non-US securities may be subject to economic sanctions or other similar governmental actions or developments, which could, among other things, effectively restrict or eliminate the Portfolio’s ability to purchase or sell certain foreign securities. To the extent the Portfolio holds securities subject to such actions, the securities may become difficult to value and/or less liquid (or illiquid). In some cases, the securities may become worthless.

Emerging Market Risk. Emerging market countries generally have economic structures that are less diverse and mature, and political systems that are less stable, than those of developed countries. The economies of countries with emerging markets may be based predominantly on only a few industries, may be highly vulnerable to changes in local or global trade conditions, and may suffer from extreme debt burdens or volatile inflation rates. The securities markets of emerging market countries have historically been extremely volatile and less liquid than

27


more developed markets. These market conditions may continue or worsen. Investments in these countries may be subject to political, economic, legal, market and currency risks. Significant devaluation of emerging market currencies against the US dollar may occur subsequent to acquisition of investments denominated in emerging market currencies.

Foreign Currency Risk. Investments denominated in currencies other than US dollars may experience a decline in value, in US dollar terms, due solely to fluctuations in currency exchange rates. The Portfolio’s investments denominated in such currencies (particularly currencies of emerging markets countries), as well as any investments in currencies themselves, could be adversely affected by delays in, or a refusal to grant, repatriation of funds or conversion of currencies. Irrespective of any foreign currency exposure hedging, the Portfolio may experience a decline in the value of its portfolio securities, in US dollar terms, due solely to fluctuations in currency exchange rates. The Investment Manager does not intend to actively hedge the Portfolio’s foreign currency exposure.

Value Investing Risk. Value investments are believed by the Investment Manager to be undervalued, but may not realize their perceived value for extended periods of time or may never realize their perceived value. These securities may respond differently to market and other developments than other types of securities.

Large Cap Companies Risk. Investments in large cap companies may underperform other segments of the market when such other segments are in favor or because such companies may be less responsive to competitive challenges and opportunities and may be unable to attain high growth rates during periods of economic expansion.

Small and Mid Cap Companies Risk. Small and mid cap companies carry additional risks because their earnings tend to be less predictable, their share prices more volatile and their securities less liquid than larger, more established companies. The shares of small and mid cap companies tend to trade less frequently than those of larger companies, which can have an adverse effect on the pricing of these securities and on the ability to sell these securities when the Investment Manager deems it appropriate.

Securities Selection Risk. Securities and other investments selected by the Investment Manager for the Portfolio may not perform to expectations. This could result in the Portfolio’s underperformance compared to other funds with similar investment objectives or strategies.

Performance Bar Chart and Table
Year-by-Year Total Returns for Institutional Shares
As of 12/31

The accompanying bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in Lazard International Equity Portfolio by showing the Portfolio’s year-by-year performance and its average annual performance compared to that of a broad measure of market performance. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Portfolio’s Institutional Shares has varied from year to year over the past 10 calendar years. Updated performance information is available at www.lazardassetmanagement.com or by calling (800) 823-6300. The Portfolio’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Portfolio will perform in the future.

28


PerformanceBarChartData(2013:20.84,2014:-4.29,2015:1.62,2016:-4.18,2017:22.81,2018:-13.61,2019:21.19,2020:8.76,2021:6,2022:-14.83)

Calendar Years ended December 31

   

Best Quarter:

 

2022, Q4

15.71%

 

 

Worst Quarter:

 

2020, Q1

-23.05%

Average Annual Total Returns
(for the periods ended December 31, 2022)

After-tax returns are shown only for Institutional Shares. After-tax returns of the Portfolio’s other share classes will vary. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on the investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. The after-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their shares through tax-deferred arrangements such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.

           

 

Inception
Date

1 Year

5 Years

10 Years

Life of
Portfolio

Institutional Shares:

10/29/1991

 

 

 

 

Returns Before Taxes

 

-14.83%

0.55%

3.58%

5.29%

Returns After Taxes on Distributions

 

-15.92%

-0.81%

2.87%

4.44%

Returns After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Portfolio Shares

 

-7.79%

0.64%

3.03%

4.37%

Open Shares (Returns Before Taxes)

1/23/1997

-15.05%

0.30%

3.31%

4.15%

R6 Shares (Returns Before Taxes)

4/01/2015

-14.82%

0.56%

N/A

1.94%

MSCI EAFE Index

 

-14.45%

1.54%

4.67%

4.96%

(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)

 

 

 

 

(Institutional)

 

 

 

 

 

4.53%

 

 

 

 

 

(Open)

 

 

 

 

 

3.31%

 

 

 

 

 

(R6)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Management

Investment Manager

Lazard Asset Management LLC

Portfolio Managers/Analysts

Michael G. Fry, portfolio manager/analyst on various of the Investment Manager’s International Equity teams, has been with the Portfolio since November 2005.

Michael A. Bennett, portfolio manager/analyst on various of the Investment Manager’s International Equity teams, has been with the Portfolio since May 2003.

Michael Powers, portfolio manager/analyst on various of the Investment Manager’s International Equity teams, has been with the Portfolio since May 2003.

Giles Edwards, portfolio manager/analyst on various of the Investment Manager’s International teams, has been with the Portfolio since May 2019.

29


Paul Selvey-Clinton, portfolio manager/analyst on the Investment Manager’s European Equity, International Equity and International Equity Select teams, has been with the Portfolio since February 2022.

Additional Information

For important information about the purchase and sale of Portfolio shares, tax information and financial intermediary compensation, please turn to “Additional Information about the Portfolios” on page 164.

30


Lazard Funds Summary Section

Lazard International Equity Select Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Portfolio seeks long-term capital appreciation.

Fees and Expenses

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Portfolio, a series of The Lazard Funds, Inc. (the “Fund”). You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and the Example below.

               

 

 

Institutional Shares

 

Open Shares

 

R6 Shares

 

Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

 

 

 

Management Fees

 

.65%

 

.65%

 

.65%

 

Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees

 

None

 

.25%

 

None

 

Other Expenses

 

.31%

 

.45%

 

.31%1

 

Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses

 

.96%

 

1.35%

 

.96%

 

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

 

.06%

 

.20%

 

.11%

 

Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement

 

.90%

 

1.15%

 

.85%

 

1 Based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year, using amounts for Institutional Shares from the last fiscal year.

2 Reflects a contractual agreement by Lazard Asset Management LLC (the “Investment Manager”) to waive its fee and, if necessary, reimburse the Portfolio until May 1, 2024, to the extent Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses exceed .90%, 1.15% and .85% of the average daily net assets of the Portfolio’s

Institutional Shares, Open Shares and R6 Shares, respectively, and from May 1, 2024 until May 1, 2033, to the extent Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses exceed 1.15%, 1.40% and 1.10% of the average daily net assets of the Portfolio’s Institutional Shares, Open Shares and R6 Shares, respectively, exclusive of taxes, brokerage, interest on borrowings, fees and expenses of “Acquired Funds,” fees and expenses related to filing foreign tax reclaims and extraordinary expenses. This expense limitation agreement can only be amended by agreement of the Fund, upon approval by the Fund’s Board of Directors, and the Investment Manager to lower the net amount shown and will terminate automatically in the event of termination of the Management Agreement between the Investment Manager and the Fund, on behalf of the Portfolio.

Example

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then hold or redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Portfolio’s operating expenses remain the same, giving effect to the expense limitation agreement described above. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

               

 

 

 

 

1 year

3 years

5 years

10 years

Institutional Shares

$ 92

$ 300

$ 525

$ 1,173

Open Shares

$ 117

$ 408

$ 720

$ 1,606

R6 Shares

$ 87

$ 295

$ 520

$ 1,168

               

Portfolio Turnover

The Portfolio pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Portfolio shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Portfolio’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Portfolio’s portfolio turnover rate was 41% of the average value of its portfolio.

31


Principal Investment Strategies

The Portfolio invests primarily in equity securities, including common stocks, of relatively large non-US companies with market capitalizations in the range of companies included in the MSCI All Country World Index ex-US (ranging from approximately $14.9 million to $465.9 billion as of March 31, 2023) that the Investment Manager believes are undervalued based on their earnings, cash flow or asset values.

In choosing stocks for the Portfolio, the Investment Manager looks for established companies in economically developed countries, although the Portfolio may invest in securities of companies whose principal business activities are located in emerging market countries in an amount up to the current emerging markets component of the MSCI All Country World Index ex-US plus 15%. The allocation of the Portfolio’s assets to emerging market countries may vary from time to time.

Under normal circumstances, the Portfolio invests at least 80% of its assets in equity securities.

Although the Portfolio is classified as “diversified” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, it may invest in a smaller number of issuers than other, more diversified investment portfolios.

Principal Investment Risks

The value of your investment in the Portfolio will fluctuate, which means you could lose money.

Market Risk. The Portfolio may incur losses due to declines in one or more markets in which it invests. These declines may be the result of, among other things, political, regulatory, market, economic or social developments affecting the relevant market(s). To the extent that such developments impact specific industries, market sectors, countries or geographic regions, the Portfolio’s investments in such industries, market sectors, countries and/or geographic regions can be expected to be particularly affected, especially if such investments are a significant portion of its investment portfolio. In addition, turbulence in financial markets and reduced liquidity in equity, credit and/or fixed income markets may negatively affect many issuers, which could adversely affect the Portfolio. Global economies and financial markets are increasingly interconnected, and conditions and events in one country, region or financial market may adversely impact issuers worldwide. As a result, local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, recessions or other events could have a significant negative impact on global economic and market conditions. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) global pandemic and the aggressive responses taken by many governments or voluntarily imposed by private parties, including closing borders, restricting travel and imposing prolonged quarantines or similar restrictions, as well as the closure of, or operational changes to, many retail and other businesses, has had negative impacts, and in many cases severe negative impacts, on markets worldwide. It is not known how long the effects of such impacts, or any future impacts of other significant events described above, will or would last, but there could be a prolonged period of global economic slowdown, which may be expected to impact the Portfolio and its investments.

Issuer Risk. The value of a security may decline for a number of reasons which directly relate to the issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage and reduced demand for the issuer’s goods or services, as well as the historical and prospective earnings of the issuer and the value of its assets or factors unrelated to the issuer’s value, such as investor perception.

Non-US Securities Risk. The Portfolio’s performance will be influenced by political, social and economic factors affecting the non-US countries and companies in which the Portfolio invests. Non-US securities carry special risks, such as less developed or less efficient trading markets, political instability, a lack of company information, differing auditing and legal standards, and, potentially, less liquidity. Non-US securities may be subject to economic sanctions or other similar governmental actions or developments, which could, among other things, effectively restrict or eliminate the Portfolio’s ability to purchase or sell certain foreign securities. To the extent the Portfolio holds securities subject to such actions, the securities may become difficult to value and/or less liquid (or illiquid). In some cases, the securities may become worthless.

32


Emerging Market Risk. Emerging market countries generally have economic structures that are less diverse and mature, and political systems that are less stable, than those of developed countries. The economies of countries with emerging markets may be based predominantly on only a few industries, may be highly vulnerable to changes in local or global trade conditions, and may suffer from extreme debt burdens or volatile inflation rates. The securities markets of emerging market countries have historically been extremely volatile and less liquid than more developed markets. These market conditions may continue or worsen. Investments in these countries may be subject to political, economic, legal, market and currency risks. Significant devaluation of emerging market currencies against the US dollar may occur subsequent to acquisition of investments denominated in emerging market currencies.

Foreign Currency Risk. Investments denominated in currencies other than US dollars may experience a decline in value, in US dollar terms, due solely to fluctuations in currency exchange rates. The Portfolio’s investments denominated in such currencies (particularly currencies of emerging markets countries), as well as any investments in currencies themselves, could be adversely affected by delays in, or a refusal to grant, repatriation of funds or conversion of currencies. Irrespective of any foreign currency exposure hedging, the Portfolio may experience a decline in the value of its portfolio securities, in US dollar terms, due solely to fluctuations in currency exchange rates. The Investment Manager does not intend to actively hedge the Portfolio’s foreign currency exposure.

Focused Investing Risk. The Portfolio’s net asset value may be more vulnerable to changes in the market value of a single issuer or group of issuers and may be relatively more susceptible to adverse effects from any single corporate, industry, economic, market, political or regulatory occurrence than if the Portfolio’s investments consisted of securities issued by a larger number of issuers.

Value Investing Risk. Value investments are believed by the Investment Manager to be undervalued, but may not realize their perceived value for extended periods of time or may never realize their perceived value. These securities may respond differently to market and other developments than other types of securities.

Large Cap Companies Risk. Investments in large cap companies may underperform other segments of the market when such other segments are in favor or because such companies may be less responsive to competitive challenges and opportunities and may be unable to attain high growth rates during periods of economic expansion.

Securities Selection Risk. Securities and other investments selected by the Investment Manager for the Portfolio may not perform to expectations. This could result in the Portfolio’s underperformance compared to other funds with similar investment objectives or strategies.

Performance Bar Chart and Table
Year-by-Year Total Returns for Institutional Shares
As of 12/31

The accompanying bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in Lazard International Equity Select Portfolio by showing the Portfolio’s year-by-year performance and its average annual performance compared to that of a broad measure of market performance. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Portfolio’s Institutional Shares has varied from year to year over the past 10 calendar years. Updated performance information is available at www.lazardassetmanagement.com or by calling (800) 823-6300. The Portfolio’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Portfolio will perform in the future.

33


PerformanceBarChartData(2013:14.93,2014:-4.29,2015:-3.63,2016:-0.63,2017:28.31,2018:-14.9,2019:20.32,2020:8.33,2021:3.24,2022:-15.55)

Calendar Years ended December 31

   

Best Quarter:

 

2020, Q2

15.47%

 

 

Worst Quarter:

 

2020, Q1

-23.98%

Average Annual Total Returns
(for the periods ended December 31, 2022)

After-tax returns are shown only for Institutional Shares. After-tax returns of the Portfolio’s other share classes will vary. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on the investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. The after-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their shares through tax-deferred arrangements such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. Returns shown below for the Portfolio’s R6 Shares (which were not operational as of December 31, 2022) reflect the performance of the Portfolio’s Institutional Shares. R6 Shares would have had substantially similar returns as Institutional Shares because the share classes are invested in the same portfolio of securities, and the returns would differ only to the extent that the classes do not have the same expenses.

The MSCI Europe, Australasia and Far East (“EAFE®”)/All Country World Index ex-US Linked Index shown in the table is an unmanaged index created by the Investment Manager, which links the performance of the MSCI EAFE Index for all periods through June 30, 2010 (when the Portfolio’s primary index changed) and the MSCI All Country World Index ex-US for all periods thereafter.

           

 

Inception
Date

1 Year

5 Years

10 Years

Life of
Portfolio

Institutional Shares:

5/31/2001

 

 

 

 

Returns Before Taxes

 

-15.55%

-0.66%

2.72%

3.41%

Returns After Taxes on Distributions

 

-15.75%

-0.94%

2.57%

3.00%

Returns After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Portfolio Shares

 

-8.66%

-0.23%

2.37%

3.07%

Open Shares (Returns Before Taxes)

5/31/2001

-15.76%

-0.93%

2.39%

3.10%

R6 Shares (Returns Before Taxes)

 

-15.55%

-0.66%

2.72%

3.41%

MSCI All Country World Index ex-US

 

-16.00%

0.88%

3.80%

4.87%

(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MSCI EAFE/ACWI ex-US Linked Index

 

-16.00%

0.88%

3.80%

4.01%

(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Management

Investment Manager

Lazard Asset Management LLC

Portfolio Managers/Analysts

Michael G. Fry, portfolio manager/analyst on various of the Investment Manager’s International Equity teams, has been with the Portfolio since May 2010.

Michael A. Bennett, portfolio manager/analyst on various of the Investment Manager’s International Equity teams, has been with the Portfolio since May 2003.

34


James M. Donald, portfolio manager/analyst on the Investment Manager’s Emerging Markets Equity team and Head of the Emerging Markets Group, has been with the Portfolio since May 2010.

Michael Powers, portfolio manager/analyst on various of the Investment Manager’s International Equity teams, has been with the Portfolio since May 2003.

Giles Edwards, portfolio manager/analyst on various of the Investment Manager’s International teams, has been with the Portfolio since May 2019.

Paul Selvey-Clinton, portfolio manager/analyst on the Investment Manager’s European Equity, International Equity and International Equity Select teams, has been with the Portfolio since February 2022.

Additional Information

For important information about the purchase and sale of Portfolio shares, tax information and financial intermediary compensation, please turn to “Additional Information about the Portfolios” on page 164.

35


Lazard Funds Summary Section

Lazard International Equity Advantage Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Portfolio seeks long-term capital appreciation.

Fees and Expenses

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Portfolio, a series of The Lazard Funds, Inc. (the “Fund”). You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and the Example below.

               

 

 

Institutional Shares

 

Open Shares

 

R6 Shares

 

Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

 

 

 

Management Fees

 

.65%

 

.65%

 

.65%

 

Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees

 

None

 

.25%

 

None

 

Other Expenses

 

6.41%

 

9.87%

 

6.41%1

  

Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses

 

7.06%

 

10.77%

 

7.06%

 

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

 

6.26%

 

9.72%

 

6.31%

 

Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement

 

.80%

 

1.05%

 

.75%

 

1 Based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year, using amounts for Institutional Shares from the last fiscal year.

2 Reflects a contractual agreement by Lazard Asset Management LLC (the “Investment Manager”) to waive its fee and, if necessary, reimburse the Portfolio until May 1, 2024, to the extent Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses exceed .80%, 1.05% and .75% of the average daily net assets of the Portfolio’s Institutional Shares, Open Shares and R6 Shares, respectively, exclusive of taxes, brokerage, interest on borrowings, fees and expenses of “Acquired Funds,” fees and expenses related to filing foreign tax reclaims and extraordinary expenses. This expense limitation agreement can only be amended by agreement of the Fund, upon approval by the Fund’s Board of Directors, and the Investment Manager to lower the net amount shown and will terminate automatically in the event of termination of the Management Agreement between the Investment Manager and the Fund, on behalf of the Portfolio.

Example

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then hold or redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Portfolio’s operating expenses remain the same, giving effect to the expense limitation agreement in year one only. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

               

 

 

 

 

1 year

3 years

5 years

10 years

Institutional Shares

$ 82

$ 1,523

$ 2,905

$ 6,120

Open Shares

$ 107

$ 2,219

$ 4,094

$ 7,913

R6 Shares

$ 77

$ 1,518

$ 2,901

$ 6,117

               

Portfolio Turnover

The Portfolio pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Portfolio shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Portfolio’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Portfolio’s portfolio turnover rate was 85% of the average value of its portfolio.

36


Principal Investment Strategies

The Portfolio invests primarily in equity securities, principally common stocks, of US and non-US companies, including those in emerging markets. In managing the Portfolio, the Investment Manager utilizes a quantitatively driven, bottom up stock selection process. The Portfolio management team selects investments for the Portfolio from a broad investment universe of non-US stocks and depositary receipts, including American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), Global Depositary Receipts and European Depositary Receipts, real estate investment trusts (“REITs”), warrants and rights. The active, quantitative approach utilized by the Portfolio management team involves initial screening, risk assessment and evaluation of each company relative to its global peers. The Portfolio will typically invest the majority of its assets in securities of non-US developed market companies, using an objective, systematic investment process that blends both risk and stock ranking assessments designed to capture attractive risk-to-return characteristics. In addition to a multidimensional assessment of risk, each company is evaluated daily according to four independent measures: growth, value, sentiment and quality. The Portfolio may invest across the capitalization spectrum.

Under normal circumstances, the Portfolio invests at least 80% of its assets in equity securities. The allocation of the Portfolio’s assets among countries and regions will vary from time to time based on the Investment Manager’s judgment and its analysis of market conditions. Implementation of the Portfolio’s investment strategy may, during certain periods, result in the investment of a significant portion of the Portfolio’s assets in a particular country.

The Portfolio may invest in exchange-traded open-end management investment companies (“ETFs”), generally those that pursue a passive index-based strategy.

Principal Investment Risks

The value of your investment in the Portfolio will fluctuate, which means you could lose money.

Market Risk. The Portfolio may incur losses due to declines in one or more markets in which it invests. These declines may be the result of, among other things, political, regulatory, market, economic or social developments affecting the relevant market(s). To the extent that such developments impact specific industries, market sectors, countries or geographic regions, the Portfolio’s investments in such industries, market sectors, countries and/or geographic regions can be expected to be particularly affected, especially if such investments are a significant portion of its investment portfolio. In addition, turbulence in financial markets and reduced liquidity in equity, credit and/or fixed income markets may negatively affect many issuers, which could adversely affect the Portfolio. Global economies and financial markets are increasingly interconnected, and conditions and events in one country, region or financial market may adversely impact issuers worldwide. As a result, local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, recessions or other events could have a significant negative impact on global economic and market conditions. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) global pandemic and the aggressive responses taken by many governments or voluntarily imposed by private parties, including closing borders, restricting travel and imposing prolonged quarantines or similar restrictions, as well as the closure of, or operational changes to, many retail and other businesses, has had negative impacts, and in many cases severe negative impacts, on markets worldwide. It is not known how long the effects of such impacts, or any future impacts of other significant events described above, will or would last, but there could be a prolonged period of global economic slowdown, which may be expected to impact the Portfolio and its investments.

Issuer Risk. The value of a security may decline for a number of reasons which directly relate to the issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage and reduced demand for the issuer’s goods or services, as well as the historical and prospective earnings of the issuer and the value of its assets or factors unrelated to the issuer’s value, such as investor perception.

Non-US Securities Risk. The Portfolio’s performance will be influenced by political, social and economic factors affecting the non-US countries and companies in which the Portfolio invests. Non-US securities carry special risks,

37


such as less developed or less efficient trading markets, political instability, a lack of company information, differing auditing and legal standards, and, potentially, less liquidity. Non-US securities may be subject to economic sanctions or other similar governmental actions or developments, which could, among other things, effectively restrict or eliminate the Portfolio’s ability to purchase or sell certain foreign securities. To the extent the Portfolio holds securities subject to such actions, the securities may become difficult to value and/or less liquid (or illiquid). In some cases, the securities may become worthless.

Emerging Market Risk. Emerging market countries generally have economic structures that are less diverse and mature, and political systems that are less stable, than those of developed countries. The economies of countries with emerging markets may be based predominantly on only a few industries, may be highly vulnerable to changes in local or global trade conditions, and may suffer from extreme debt burdens or volatile inflation rates. The securities markets of emerging market countries have historically been extremely volatile and less liquid than more developed markets. These market conditions may continue or worsen. Investments in these countries may be subject to political, economic, legal, market and currency risks. Significant devaluation of emerging market currencies against the US dollar may occur subsequent to acquisition of investments denominated in emerging market currencies.

Foreign Currency Risk. Investments denominated in currencies other than US dollars may experience a decline in value, in US dollar terms, due solely to fluctuations in currency exchange rates. The Portfolio’s investments denominated in such currencies, as well as any investments in currencies themselves, could be adversely affected by delays in, or a refusal to grant, repatriation of funds or conversion of currencies. Irrespective of any foreign currency exposure hedging, the Portfolio may experience a decline in the value of its portfolio securities, in US dollar terms, due solely to fluctuations in currency exchange rates. The Investment Manager does not intend to actively hedge the Portfolio’s foreign currency exposure.

Depositary Receipts Risk. ADRs and similar depositary receipts typically will be subject to certain of the risks associated with direct investments in the securities of non-US companies, because their values depend on the performance of the underlying non-US securities. However, currency fluctuations will impact investments in depositary receipts differently than direct investments in non-US dollar-denominated non-US securities, because a depositary receipt will not appreciate in value solely as a result of appreciation in the currency in which the underlying non-US dollar security is denominated.

Quantitative Model Risk. The success of the Portfolio’s investment strategy depends largely upon the effectiveness of the Investment Manager’s quantitative model. A quantitative model, such as the risk and other models used by the Investment Manager requires adherence to a systematic, disciplined process. The Investment Manager’s ability to monitor and, if necessary, adjust its quantitative model could be adversely affected by various factors including incorrect or outdated market and other data inputs. Factors that affect a security’s value can change over time, and these changes may not be reflected in the quantitative model. In addition, factors used in quantitative analysis and the weight placed on those factors may not be predictive of a security’s value.

Small and Mid Cap Companies Risk. Small and mid cap companies carry additional risks because their earnings tend to be less predictable, their share prices more volatile and their securities less liquid than larger, more established companies. The shares of small and mid cap companies tend to trade less frequently than those of larger companies, which can have an adverse effect on the pricing of these securities and on the ability to sell these securities when the Investment Manager deems it appropriate.

Large Cap Companies Risk. Investments in large cap companies may underperform other segments of the market when such other segments are in favor or because such companies may be less responsive to competitive challenges and opportunities and may be unable to attain high growth rates during periods of economic expansion.

38


REIT Risk. REITs are subject to similar risks as an investment in a realty-related company. Consequently, investments in REITs could lead to investment results that may be significantly different from investments in the broader securities markets. The risks related to investments in realty-related companies include, but are not limited to: adverse changes in general economic and local market conditions; adverse developments in employment; changes in supply or demand for similar or competing properties; unfavorable changes in applicable taxes, governmental regulations and interest rates; operating or development expenses; and lack of available financing. Due to certain special considerations that apply to REITs, investments in REITs may carry additional risks not necessarily present in investments in other securities. REIT securities (including those trading on national exchanges) typically have trading volumes that are less than those of securities of other types of companies, which may affect the Portfolio’s ability to trade or liquidate those securities. An investment in a REIT may be adversely affected if the REIT fails to comply with applicable laws and regulations, including failing to quality as a REIT under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. Failure to qualify with any of these requirements could jeopardize a company’s status as a REIT. The Portfolio generally will have no control over the operations and policies of a REIT, including qualification as a REIT.

ETF Risk. Shares of ETFs may trade at prices that vary from their net asset values, sometimes significantly. The shares of ETFs may trade at prices at, below or above their net asset value. In addition, the performance of an ETF pursuing a passive index-based strategy may diverge from the performance of the index. The Portfolio’s investments in ETFs are subject to the risks of the ETFs’ investments, as well as to the general risks of investing in ETFs. The Portfolio will bear not only the Portfolio’s management fees and operating expenses, but also the Portfolio’s proportional share of the management fees and operating expenses of the ETFs in which the Portfolio invests. Although Section 12 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”) limits the amount of the Portfolio’s assets that may be invested in one or more ETFs, Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act allows the Portfolio to acquire the securities of another investment company, including ETFs, in excess of the limitations imposed by Section 12 of the 1940 Act, subject to certain limitations and conditions.

Other Equity Securities Risk. Investments in rights and warrants involve certain risks, including the possible lack of a liquid market for resale, price fluctuations and the failure of the price of the underlying security to reach a level at which the right or warrant can be prudently exercised, in which case the right or warrant may expire without being exercised and result in a loss of the Portfolio’s entire investment.

Securities Selection Risk. Securities and other investments selected by the Investment Manager for the Portfolio may not perform to expectations. This could result in the Portfolio’s underperformance compared to other funds with similar investment objectives or strategies.

Performance Bar Chart and Table
Year-by-Year Total Returns for Institutional Shares
As of 12/31

The accompanying bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in Lazard International Equity Advantage Portfolio by showing the Portfolio’s year-by-year performance and its average annual performance compared to that of a broad measure of market performance. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Portfolio’s Institutional Shares has varied from year to year. Updated performance information is available at www.lazardassetmanagement.com or by calling (800) 823-6300. The Portfolio’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Portfolio will perform in the future.

39


PerformanceBarChartData(2016:-1.13,2017:24.98,2018:-16.26,2019:17.37,2020:5.41,2021:13.94,2022:-13.45)

Calendar Years ended December 31

   

Best Quarter:

 

2022, Q4

18.40%

 

 

Worst Quarter:

 

2020, Q1

-22.12%

Average Annual Total Returns
(for the periods ended December 31, 2022)

After-tax returns are shown only for Institutional Shares. After-tax returns of the Portfolio’s other share classes will vary. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on the investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. The after-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their shares through tax-deferred arrangements such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. Returns shown below for the Portfolio’s R6 Shares (which were not operational as of December 31, 2022) reflect the performance of the Portfolio’s Institutional Shares. R6 Shares would have had substantially similar returns as Institutional Shares because the share classes are invested in the same portfolio of securities, and the returns would differ only to the extent that the classes do not have the same expenses.

Effective as of May 1, 2023, the MSCI ACWI ex-US Index replaced the MSCI EAFE Index as the Portfolio’s primary index. The Investment Manager believes that the new index, which includes emerging markets countries, provides a more appropriate comparison of Portfolio performance.

         

 

Inception
Date

1 Year

5 Years

Life of
Portfolio

Institutional Shares:

5/29/2015

 

 

 

Returns Before Taxes

 

-13.45%

0.43%

2.19%

Returns After Taxes on Distributions

 

-13.94%

-0.15%

1.69%

Returns After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Portfolio Shares

 

-7.19%

0.57%

1.90%

Open Shares (Returns Before Taxes)

5/29/2015

-13.75%

0.15%

1.90%

R6 Shares (Returns Before Taxes)

 

-13.45%

0.43%

2.19%

MSCI All Country World ex-US Index

 

-16.00%

0.88%

2.70%

(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MSCI EAFE Index

 

-14.45%

1.54%

2.93%

(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Management

Investment Manager

Lazard Asset Management LLC

Portfolio Managers/Analysts

Paul Moghtader, portfolio manager/analyst on various of the Investment Manager’s Global Advantage portfolio management teams, has been with the Portfolio since May 2015.

Taras Ivanenko, portfolio manager/analyst on various of the Investment Manager’s Global Advantage portfolio management teams, has been with the Portfolio since May 2015.

40


Ciprian Marin, portfolio manager/analyst on various of the Investment Manager’s Global Advantage portfolio management teams, has been with the Portfolio since May 2015.

Craig Scholl, portfolio manager/analyst on various of the Investment Manager’s Global Advantage portfolio management teams, has been with the Portfolio since May 2015.

Susanne Willumsen, portfolio manager/analyst on various of the Investment Manager’s Global Advantage portfolio management teams, has been with the Portfolio since May 2015.

Alex Lai, portfolio manager/analyst on various of the Investment Manager’s Global Advantage portfolio management teams, has been with the Portfolio since May 2019.

Additional Information

For important information about the purchase and sale of Portfolio shares, tax information and financial intermediary compensation, please turn to “Additional Information about the Portfolios” on page 164.

41


Lazard Funds Summary Section

Lazard International Quality Growth Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Portfolio seeks long-term capital appreciation.

Fees and Expenses

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Portfolio, a series of The Lazard Funds, Inc. (the “Fund”). You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and the Example below.

               
 

 

Institutional Shares

 

Open Shares

 

R6 Shares

 

Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

 

 

 

Management Fees

 

.75%

 

.75%

 

.75%

 

Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees

 

None

 

.25%

 

None

 

Other Expenses

 

.30%

 

1.81%

 

.30%

 

Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses

 

1.05%

 

2.81%

 

1.05%

 

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

 

.20%

 

1.71%

 

.25%

 

Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement

 

.85%

 

1.10%

 

.80%

 

1 Based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year, using amounts for Institutional Shares from the last fiscal year.

2 Reflects a contractual agreement by Lazard Asset Management LLC (the “Investment Manager”) to waive its fee and, if necessary, reimburse the Portfolio until May 1, 2024 for Institutional Shares and R6 Shares, and until May 1, 2033 for Open Shares, to the extent Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses exceed .85%, 1.10% and .80% of the average daily net assets of the Portfolio’s Institutional Shares, Open Shares and R6 Shares, respectively, exclusive of taxes, brokerage, interest on borrowings, fees and expenses of “Acquired Funds,” fees and expenses related to filing foreign tax reclaims and extraordinary expenses. This expense limitation agreement can only be amended by agreement of the Fund, upon approval by the Fund’s Board of Directors, and the Investment Manager to lower the net amount shown and will terminate automatically in the event of termination of the Management Agreement between the Investment Manager and the Fund, on behalf of the Portfolio.

Example

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then hold or redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Portfolio’s operating expenses remain the same, giving effect to the expense limitation agreement described above. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

               

 

 

 

 

1 year

3 years

5 years

10 years

Institutional Shares

$ 87

$ 314

$ 560

$ 1,265

Open Shares

$ 112

$ 350

$ 606

$ 1,340

R6 Shares

$ 82

$ 309

$ 555

$ 1,260

Portfolio Turnover

The Portfolio pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Portfolio shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Portfolio’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Portfolio’s portfolio turnover rate was 43% of the average value of its portfolio.

42


Principal Investment Strategies

The Portfolio invests primarily in equity securities of non-US companies, including those whose principal business activities are located in emerging market countries.

The Investment Manager seeks to realize the Portfolio’s investment objective primarily by investing in companies that the Investment Manager considers to be quality growth businesses. By “quality” the Investment Manager means businesses that it believes can generate, and sustain, high levels of financial productivity (i.e., return on equity, return on capital and cash flow return on investment). The Investment Manager considers, among other factors deemed appropriate and relevant to a particular company, whether the company has a competitive advantage in its industry and if the Investment Manager believes the company can sustain its competitive advantage. The Investment Manager also looks for “growth” businesses that it believes can grow profits and cash flows by investing back into their business at similarly high rates of financial productivity.

The Portfolio may invest in securities of companies across the capitalization spectrum, but generally focuses on companies with a market capitalization of $3 billion or more.

Although the Portfolio is classified as “diversified” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, it may invest in a smaller number of issuers than other, more diversified investment portfolios.

Principal Investment Risks

The value of your investment in the Portfolio will fluctuate, which means you could lose money.

Market Risk. The Portfolio may incur losses due to declines in one or more markets in which it invests. These declines may be the result of, among other things, political, regulatory, market, economic or social developments affecting the relevant market(s). To the extent that such developments impact specific industries, market sectors, countries or geographic regions, the Portfolio’s investments in such industries, market sectors, countries and/or geographic regions can be expected to be particularly affected, especially if such investments are a significant portion of its investment portfolio. In addition, turbulence in financial markets and reduced liquidity in equity, credit and/or fixed income markets may negatively affect many issuers, which could adversely affect the Portfolio. Global economies and financial markets are increasingly interconnected, and conditions and events in one country, region or financial market may adversely impact issuers worldwide. As a result, local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, recessions or other events could have a significant negative impact on global economic and market conditions. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) global pandemic and the aggressive responses taken by many governments or voluntarily imposed by private parties, including closing borders, restricting travel and imposing prolonged quarantines or similar restrictions, as well as the closure of, or operational changes to, many retail and other businesses, has had negative impacts, and in many cases severe negative impacts, on markets worldwide. It is not known how long the effects of such impacts, or any future impacts of other significant events described above, will or would last, but there could be a prolonged period of global economic slowdown, which may be expected to impact the Portfolio and its investments.

Issuer Risk. The value of a security may decline for a number of reasons which directly relate to the issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage and reduced demand for the issuer’s goods or services, as well as the historical and prospective earnings of the issuer and the value of its assets or factors unrelated to the issuer’s value, such as investor perception.

Non-US Securities Risk. The Portfolio’s performance will be influenced by political, social and economic factors affecting the non-US countries and companies in which the Portfolio invests. Non-US securities carry special risks, such as less developed or less efficient trading markets, political instability, a lack of company information, differing auditing and legal standards, and, potentially, less liquidity. Non-US securities may be subject to economic sanctions or other similar governmental actions or developments, which could, among other things, effectively restrict or eliminate the Portfolio’s ability to purchase or sell certain foreign securities. To the extent the

43


Portfolio holds securities subject to such actions, the securities may become difficult to value and/or less liquid (or illiquid). In some cases, the securities may become worthless.

Emerging Market Risk. Emerging market countries generally have economic structures that are less diverse and mature, and political systems that are less stable, than those of developed countries. The economies of countries with emerging markets may be based predominantly on only a few industries, may be highly vulnerable to changes in local or global trade conditions, and may suffer from extreme debt burdens or volatile inflation rates. The securities markets of emerging market countries have historically been extremely volatile and less liquid than more developed markets. These market conditions may continue or worsen. Investments in these countries may be subject to political, economic, legal, market and currency risks. Significant devaluation of emerging market currencies against the US dollar may occur subsequent to acquisition of investments denominated in emerging market currencies.

Foreign Currency Risk. Investments denominated in currencies other than US dollars may experience a decline in value, in US dollar terms, due solely to fluctuations in currency exchange rates. The Portfolio’s investments denominated in such currencies (particularly currencies of emerging markets countries), as well as any investments in currencies themselves, could be adversely affected by delays in, or a refusal to grant, repatriation of funds or conversion of currencies. Irrespective of any foreign currency exposure hedging, the Portfolio may experience a decline in the value of its portfolio securities, in US dollar terms, due solely to fluctuations in currency exchange rates. The Investment Manager does not intend to actively hedge the Portfolio’s foreign currency exposure.

Growth Investing Risk. Growth investments are believed by the Investment Manager to have the potential for growth, but may not realize such perceived potential for extended periods of time or may never realize such perceived growth potential. Such securities may be more volatile than other securities because they can be more sensitive to investor perceptions of the issuing company’s growth potential. These securities may respond differently to market and other developments than other types of securities.

Small and Mid Cap Companies Risk. Small and mid cap companies carry additional risks because their earnings tend to be less predictable, their share prices more volatile and their securities less liquid than larger, more established companies. The shares of small and mid cap companies tend to trade less frequently than those of larger companies, which can have an adverse effect on the pricing of these securities and on the ability to sell these securities when the Investment Manager deems it appropriate.

Large Cap Companies Risk. Investments in large cap companies may underperform other segments of the market when such other segments are in favor or because such companies may be less responsive to competitive challenges and opportunities and may be unable to attain high growth rates during periods of economic expansion.

Focused Investing Risk. The Portfolio’s net asset value may be more vulnerable to changes in the market value of a single issuer or group of issuers and may be relatively more susceptible to adverse effects from any single corporate, industry, economic, market, political or regulatory occurrence than if the Portfolio’s investments consisted of securities issued by a larger number of issuers.

Securities Selection Risk. Securities and other investments selected by the Investment Manager for the Portfolio may not perform to expectations. This could result in the Portfolio’s underperformance compared to other funds with similar investment objectives or strategies.

44


Performance Bar Chart and Table
Year-by-Year Total Returns for Institutional Shares
As of 12/31

The accompanying bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in Lazard International Quality Growth Portfolio by showing the Portfolio’s year-by-year performance and its average annual performance compared to that of a broad measure of market performance. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Portfolio’s Institutional Shares has varied from year to year. Updated performance information is available at www.lazardassetmanagement.com or by calling (800) 823-6300. The Portfolio’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Portfolio will perform in the future.

PerformanceBarChartData(2019:30.06,2020:23.95,2021:9.99,2022:-20.1)

Calendar Years ended December 31

   

Best Quarter:

 

2020, Q2

18.32%

 

 

Worst Quarter:

 

2020, Q1

-18.28%

Average Annual Total Returns
(for the periods ended December 31, 2022)

After-tax returns are shown only for Institutional Shares. After-tax returns of the Portfolio’s other share classes will vary. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on the investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. The after-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their shares through tax-deferred arrangements such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. Returns shown below for the Portfolio’s R6 Shares (which were not operational as of December 31, 2022) reflect the performance of the Portfolio’s Institutional Shares. R6 Shares would have had substantially similar returns as Institutional Shares because the share classes are invested in the same portfolio of securities, and the returns would differ only to the extent that the classes do not have the same expenses.

The Portfolio’s primary benchmark index is the MSCI ACWI ex-US Index. Effective as of May 1, 2023, the MSCI ACWI ex-US Growth Index was added as the Portfolio’s secondary index. The Investment Manager believes the additional comparison to a growth index will provide helpful context for performance evaluation.

       

 

Inception
Date

1 Year

Life of
Portfolio

Institutional Shares:

12/31/2018

 

 

Returns Before Taxes

 

-20.10%

9.10%

Returns After Taxes on Distributions

 

-20.20%

8.73%

Returns After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Portfolio Shares

 

-11.65%

7.20%

Open Shares (Returns Before Taxes)

12/31/2018

-20.31%

8.80%

R6 Shares (Returns Before Taxes)

 

-20.10%

9.10%

MSCI All Country World ex-US Index

 

-16.00%

5.05%

(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MSCI All Country World ex-US Growth Index

 

-23.05%

5.91%

(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

45


Management

Investment Manager

Lazard Asset Management LLC

Portfolio Managers/Analysts

Louis Florentin-Lee, portfolio manager/analyst on various of the Investment Manager’s Global and International teams, has been with the Portfolio since December 2018.

Barnaby Wilson, portfolio manager/analyst on various of the Investment Manager’s Global and International teams, has been with the Portfolio since December 2018.

Robert Failla, portfolio manager/analyst on the Investment Manager’s International Quality Growth team, has been with the Portfolio since May 2020.

Additional Information

For important information about the purchase and sale of Portfolio shares, tax information and financial intermediary compensation, please turn to “Additional Information about the Portfolios” on page 164.

46


Lazard Funds Summary Section

Lazard International Strategic Equity Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Portfolio seeks long-term capital appreciation.

Fees and Expenses

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Portfolio, a series of The Lazard Funds, Inc. (the “Fund”). You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and the Example below.

               

 

 

Institutional Shares

 

Open Shares

 

R6 Shares

 

Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

 

 

 

Management Fees

 

.75%

 

.75%

 

.75%

 

Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees

 

None

 

.25%

 

None

 

Other Expenses