Assessing Lazard (LAZ) Valuation Following Leadership Hires and Growth in Assets Under Management

Lazard (NYSE:LAZ) shares climbed following a blend of positive signals, including a pickup in assets under management and several strategic leadership hires. These moves appear to be sparking renewed attention among investors interested in the stock’s longer-term potential.

See our latest analysis for Lazard.

Lazard’s latest string of strategic hires and a healthy uptick in assets under management have helped lift sentiment, even though the one-year total shareholder return is still slightly in the red at -1.9%. The momentum for LAZ has yet to fully shift; recent share price weakness suggests that while the company’s underlying business shows promise, investors are waiting for clearer signs of sustained growth and profitability before pushing the price above its recent $49.20 close.

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With Lazard trading at a considerable discount to analyst price targets and showing early signs of operational momentum, could investors be overlooking a potential bargain, or is the market already factoring in the company’s growth prospects?

Most Popular Narrative: 18.2% Undervalued

With the most widely tracked narrative seeing Lazard’s fair value around $60.17, substantially above the last close of $49.20, market watchers are eyeing what’s behind this gap in expectations.

Efforts in advisory services and ETF offerings could elevate expenses, impacting net margins and short-term earnings before yielding growth. Lazard's diversification and global strategic expansions position the firm for stable revenue growth despite economic uncertainties and specific market challenges.

Read the complete narrative.

Curious what numbers drive such a confident upside? This narrative banks on future profit expansion, stronger margins, and ambitious global diversification. Ready to discover which financial forecasts and strategic moves set this target? Find out what’s fueling the analysts’ optimism inside the full narrative.

Result: Fair Value of $60.17 (UNDERVALUED)

Have a read of the narrative in full and understand what's behind the forecasts.

However, if Lazard's global expansion or strategic alliances fail to deliver expected revenues, today's bullish outlook could quickly lose traction.

Find out about the key risks to this Lazard narrative.

Build Your Own Lazard Narrative

If you'd rather chart your own course or question the consensus, it only takes a few minutes to craft your perspective. Do it your way

A great starting point for your Lazard research is our analysis highlighting 4 key rewards and 3 important warning signs that could impact your investment decision.

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

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