Lazard Funds Summary Prospectus November 29, 2013
Before you invest, you may want to review the Portfolios Prospectus, which contains more information about the Portfolio and its risks. The Portfolios Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information (SAI), both dated November 29, 2013 (as revised or supplemented), are incorporated by reference into this Summary Prospectus. You can find the Portfolios Prospectus, SAI and other information about the Portfolio online at www.LazardNet.com/lam/us/lazardfunds.shtml. You can also get this information at no cost by calling (800) 823-6300 or by sending an e-mail request to ContactUs@LazardNet.com.
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Institutional |
Open |
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LETIX |
LETOX |
Investment Objective
The Portfolio seeks total return from current income and capital appreciation.
Fees and Expenses
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Portfolio, a series of The Lazard Funds, Inc. (the Fund).
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Institutional |
Open |
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Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
1.00% |
1.00% |
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Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a |
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Management Fees |
1.00% |
1.00% |
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Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees |
None |
.25% |
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Other Expenses* |
.30% |
.35% |
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Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses |
1.30% |
1.60% |
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Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement** |
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Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement** |
1.30% |
1.60% |
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* |
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Other Expenses are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year. |
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Reflects a contractual agreement by Lazard Asset Management LLC (the Investment Manager) to waive its fee and, if necessary, reimburse the Portfolio through November 29, 2014, to the extent Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses exceed 1.30% and 1.60% of the average daily net assets of the Portfolios Institutional Shares and Open Shares, respectively, exclusive of taxes, brokerage, interest on borrowings, fees and expenses of "Acquired Funds" and extraordinary expenses, and excluding shareholder redemption fees or other transaction fees. This agreement can only be amended by agreement of the Fund, upon approval by the Funds Board of Directors, and the Investment Manager to lower the net amount shown and will terminate automatically in the event of termination of the Investment 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 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 Portfolios operating expenses remain the same, giving effect to the fee waiver and expense reimbursement arrangement 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 Institutional Shares
$132
$412 Open Shares
$163
$505 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 Portfolios performance. Because the Portfolio did not have a full calendar year of performance as of the date of this Prospectus, no portfolio turnover information is presented. Principal Investment Strategies The Portfolio utilizes a flexible total return investment strategy. It typically invests primarily in debt securities issued or guaranteed by governments, government agencies or supranational bodies, forward contracts, including non-deliverable forward contracts, credit default swap agreements (on an index or basket
of securities or a single security), interest rate swap agreements and foreign currency options, debt securities issued by companies or other private-sector entities, including fixed and/or floating rate investment grade and non-investment grade bonds; short- and medium-term obligations and other fixed-income
obligations. The Portfolio may also invest in certain other types of securities, such as convertible securities, commercial paper, and collateralized debt obligations. At certain times, based on the currently existing market environment, the Investment Manager may not believe it is able to find sufficient
opportunities to invest in these types of securities and may determine to tactically shift the Portfolio to invest substantially in money market instruments, such as short-term US Treasury securities and certificates of deposit. The securities in which the Portfolio invests may be denominated in any currency. The Portfolio typically focuses its investments in securities of that are economically tied to emerging market countries. Emerging market countries include all countries not represented by the Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI®) World Index. The allocation of the Portfolios assets among countries
and regions may vary from time to time based on the Investment Managers judgment and its analysis of market conditions. The Portfolio is not limited to securities of any particular quality or investment grade and, as a result, the Portfolio may invest significantly in securities rated below investment grade (e.g., lower than Baa by Moodys Investors Service, Inc. or lower than BBB by Standard & Poors Ratings Group) (junk bonds) or
securities that are unrated. Additionally, the Portfolio is not restricted to investments in securities of any particular maturity or duration. Duration is an estimate of the sensitivity of the price (the value of principal) of a fixed-income security to a change in interest rates. Generally, the longer the duration, the
higher the expected volatility. For example, the market price of a fixed-income security with a duration of three years would be expected to decline 3% if interest rates rose 1%. Conversely, the market price of the same security would be expected to increase 3% if interest rates fell 1%. The Investment Manager expects to actively increase and decrease the Portfolios exposures to emerging market securities and currencies, and to significantly utilize derivatives. The Portfolio expects to utilize the following types of derivatives: forward contracts (including non-deliverable forward contracts, which
settle in cash based on the difference between the agreed upon contract price or rate and the prevailing spot price or rate on an agreed notional amount), credit default swap agreements (including credit default swap agreements on an index or basket of securities or a single security), interest rate swap
agreements and foreign currency options. Derivative positions may represent a substantial investment exposure through the economic leverage embedded in these positions. Although the Portfolio does not have a history of operations, based on the portfolios of other clients of the Investment Manager managed in
a strategy similar to that to be employed for the Portfolio, the aggregate notional amount of derivative positions may typically be expected to range from 20% to 70% of the Portfolios assets. The Investment Manager may change the Portfolios investment exposures frequently, and positions may be held for
only a short period of time as the Investment Manager seeks to add value in different market environments in pursuit of the Portfolios total return objective. However, there is no guarantee that the Portfolio will achieve its investment objective, and an investment in the Portfolio involves a high degree of risk. 2Summary Prospectus
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. Fixed-Income and Debt Securities Risk. While fixed-income securities are designed to produce a stable stream of income, their prices move inversely with changes in interest rates (i.e., as interest rates go up, prices go down). Interest rate risk is usually greater for fixed-income securities with longer maturities or
durations. The Portfolios investments in lower-rated, higher-yielding securities are subject to greater credit risk than its higher rated investments. Credit risk is the risk that the issuer will not make interest or principal payments, or will not make payments on a timely basis. Non-investment grade securities tend
to be more volatile, less liquid and are considered speculative. If there is a decline, or perceived decline, in the credit quality of a debt security (or any guarantor of payment on such security), the securitys value could fall, potentially lowering the Portfolios share price. Some debt securities may give the issuer the option to call, or redeem, the securities before their maturity. If securities held by the Portfolio are called during a time of declining interest rates (which is typically the case when issuers exercise options to call outstanding securities), the Portfolio may have to
reinvest the proceeds in an investment offering a lower yield (and the Portfolio may not fully benefit from any increase in the value of its portfolio holdings as a result of declining interest rates). Market Risk. Market risks, including political, regulatory, market and economic developments, and developments that impact specific economic sectors, industries or segments of the market, can affect the value of the Portfolios investments. 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. 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 issuers goods or services, as well as the historical and prospective earnings of the issuer and the value of its assets. Non-US Securities Risk. The Portfolios 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 exposure to less developed or less efficient trading markets, political
instability, a lack of company information, differing auditing and legal standards, and, potentially, less liquidity. Emerging Market Risk. 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. The securities markets of emerging market countries have historically been extremely volatile. However, capital
markets worldwide have experienced unprecedented volatility in recent years, causing significant declines in valuation and liquidity in certain emerging markets. These market conditions may continue or worsen. 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. Currency investments could be adversely affected by delays in, or a refusal to grant, repatriation of funds or
conversion of emerging market currencies. Foward Currency Contract and Other Derivatives Risk. Forward currency contracts and other derivatives transactions, including those entered into for hedging purposes, may reduce returns or increase volatility, perhaps substantially. Forward currency contracts, swap agreements and over-the-counter options on
securities (including options on exchange-traded funds) and currencies are subject to the risk of default by the counterparty and can be illiquid. Changes in liquidity may result in significant, rapid and unpredictable changes in the prices for derivatives. These derivatives transactions, as well as the exchange-
traded options in which the Portfolio may invest, are subject to many of the risks of, Summary Prospectus3
and can be highly sensitive to changes in the value of, the related currency, security, interest rate or other reference asset. As such, a small investment could have a potentially large impact on the Portfolios performance. Successful use of derivatives is subject to the Investment Managers ability to predict
correctly movements in the direction of the relevant reference asset or market. Use of derivatives transactions may cause the Portfolio to experience significant losses. Liquidity Risk. The lack of a readily available market may limit the ability of the Portfolio to sell certain securities at the time and price it would like. The size of certain debt securities offerings of emerging markets issuers may be relatively smaller in size than debt offerings in more developed markets and, in
some cases, the Portfolio, by itself or together with other Portfolios or other accounts managed by the Investment Manager, may hold a position in a security that is large relative to the typical trading volume for that security; these factors can make it difficult for the Portfolio to dispose of the position at the
desired time or price. Non-Diversification Risk. Because the Portfolio may invest in a smaller number of issuers than other, more diversified investment portfolios, the Portfolios 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 Portfolios investments consisted of securities issued by a larger number of issuers. High Portfolio Turnover Risk. The Portfolios investment strategy may involve high portfolio turnover (such as 100% or more). A portfolio turnover rate of 100%, for example, is equivalent to the Portfolio buying and selling all of its securities once during the course of the year. A high portfolio turnover rate
could result in high brokerage costs and an increase in taxable capital gains distributions to the Portfolios shareholders, which will reduce returns to shareholders. Performance Bar Chart and Table Because the Portfolio did not have a full calendar year of performance as of the date of this Prospectus, no performance returns are presented. Annual performance returns provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio by showing changes in performance from year to year. Comparison of
Portfolio performance to an appropriate index indicates how the Portfolios average annual returns compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Updated performance information is available at www.LazardNet.com or by calling (800) 823-6300. The Portfolios past performance (before and after
taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Portfolio will perform in the future. 4Summary Prospectus
Management Investment Manager Lazard Asset Management LLC Portfolio Manager/Analysts Denise S. Simon, portfolio manager/analyst on the Investment Managers Emerging Markets Debt team, has been with the Portfolio since June 2013. Arif T. Joshi, portfolio manager/analyst on the Investment Managers Emerging Markets Debt team, has been with the Portfolio since June 2013. Purchase and Sale of Portfolio Shares The initial investment minimums are: Institutional Shares $ 100,000 Open Shares* $ 2,500
* The subsequent investment minimum is $50. Portfolio shares are redeemable through the Funds transfer agent, Boston Financial Data Services, Inc., on any business day by telephone, mail or overnight delivery. Clients of financial intermediaries may be subject to the intermediaries procedures. Tax Information All dividends and short-term capital gains distributions are generally taxable to you as ordinary income, and long-term capital gains are generally taxable as such, whether you receive the distribution in cash or reinvest it in additional shares. Financial Intermediary Compensation Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries If you purchase shares of a Portfolio through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Portfolio and/or the Investment Manager and its affiliates may pay the intermediary for the sale of Portfolio shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by
influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Portfolio over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediarys website for more information. Lazard Asset Management LLC 30 Rockefeller Plaza New York, NY 10112 www.lazardnet.com
Unless the investor is a client of a securities dealer or other institution which has made an aggregate minimum initial purchase for its clients of at least $2,500 for Open Shares.