497 1 c80614_497.htm 3B2 EDGAR HTML -- c80614_preflight.htm

Lazard Funds Prospectus
May 29, 2015, as revised June 10, 2015

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

Shares

 

Institutional

 

Open

 

R6

Equity

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lazard International Equity Advantage Portfolio

 

IEAIX

 

IEAOX

 

RIADX

Lazard Managed Equity Volatility Portfolio

 

MEVIX

 

MEVOX

 

RMEVX

Emerging Markets

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lazard Emerging Markets Equity Advantage Portfolio

 

LEAIX

 

LEAOX

 

READX

The Securities and Exchange Commission has 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

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

 

Summary Section

 

Carefully review this important section for

2

 

Lazard International Equity Advantage Portfolio

 

information on the Portfolios’ investment

6

 

Lazard Managed Equity Volatility Portfolio

 

objectives, fees and past performance and a

10

 

Lazard Emerging Markets Equity Advantage Portfolio

 

summary of the Portfolios’ principal investment

14

 

Additional Information about the Portfolios

 

strategies and risks.

 

 

 

 

 

15

 

Investment Strategies and

 

Review this section for additional information

 

 

Investment Risks

 

on the Portfolios’ investment

15

 

Overview

 

strategies and risks.

15

 

Investment Strategies

 

 

17

 

Investment Risks

 

 

18

 

Glossary—Investment Risks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

21

 

Fund Management

 

Review this section for details on the people and

21

 

Investment Manager

 

organizations who oversee the Portfolios.

21

 

Portfolio Management

 

 

22

 

Biographical Information of Principal Portfolio Managers

 

 

22

 

Administrator

 

 

22

 

Distributor

 

 

22

 

Custodian

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

23

 

Shareholder Information

 

Review this section for details on how shares

23

 

General

 

are valued, how to purchase, sell and exchange

24

 

How to Buy Shares

 

shares, related charges and payments of

27

 

Distribution and Servicing Arrangements

 

dividends and distributions.

27

 

How to Sell Shares

 

 

29

 

Investor Services

 

 

29

 

General Policies

 

 

30

 

Account Policies, Dividends and Taxes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

31

 

Financial Highlights

 

Review this section for recent financial information.

 

 

 

 

 

32

 

Other Performance of the Investment Manager

 

 

 

 

Back Cover

 

Where to learn more about the Portfolios.

Prospectus1


 

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 and hold shares of the Portfolio, a series of The Lazard Funds, Inc. (the “Fund”).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Institutional
Shares

 

Open
Shares

 

R6
Shares

 

 

Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
Redemption Fee (as a % of amount redeemed,
on shares owned for 30 days or less)

 

1.00%

 

1.00%

 

 

 

1.00%

 

 

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%

 

.36%

 

 

 

.31%

 

 

Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses

 

.96%

 

1.26%

 

 

 

.96%

 

 

Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement**

 

.06%

 

.06%

 

 

 

.11%

 

 

Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement**

 

.90%

 

1.20%

 

 

 

.85%

 

 

 

*

 

“Other Expenses” are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year.

 

**

 

Reflects a contractual agreement by Lazard Asset Management LLC (the “Investment Manager”) to waive its fee and, if necessary, reimburse the Portfolio through May 29, 2017 to the extent Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses exceed .90%, 1.20% 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” 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 Fund’s Board of Directors (the “Board”), 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 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 fee waiver and expense reimbursement arrangement described above. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 Year

   

3 Years

 

 

Institutional Shares

 

$  92

 

 

$294

 

 

Open Shares

 

$122

 

 

$388

 

 

R6 Shares

 

$  87

 

 

$283

 

 

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. Because the Portfolio had not commenced investment operations prior to the date of this Prospectus, no portfolio turnover information is presented.

2Prospectus


 

 

 

Principal Investment Strategies

The Portfolio invests primarily in equity securities, principally common stocks, of US and non-US companies. 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 (“GDRs”) and European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”), 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 focus on 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.

The Portfolio may invest in exchange-traded open-end management investment companies (“ETFs”) and similar products, which generally 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. 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 Portfolio’s 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 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.

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

Prospectus3


 

 

 

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.

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 Investment Manager does not intend to actively hedge the Portfolio’s foreign currency exposure. Currency investments could be adversely affected by delays in, or a refusal to grant, repatriation of funds or conversion of emerging market currencies.

ETF Risk. Shares of ETFs may trade at prices that vary from their net asset values (“NAVs”), sometimes significantly. The shares of ETFs may trade at prices at, below or above their most recent NAV. 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 such ETF’s investments, as well as to the general risks of investing in ETFs. Portfolio shares will bear not only the Portfolio’s management fees and operating expenses, but also their proportional share of the management fees and operating expenses of the ETFs in which the Portfolio invests. The Portfolio may be limited by the investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”) in the amount of its assets that may be invested in ETFs and unless an ETF has received an exemptive order from the Securities and Exchange Commission on which the Portfolio may rely or an exemption is available.

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 a 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

Because the Portfolio had not commenced investment operations prior to 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 Portfolio’s average annual returns compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. After the Portfolio commences investment operations, performance information will be available at www.LazardNet.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.

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.

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

4Prospectus


 

 

 

Advantage portfolio management teams, has been with the Portfolio since May 2015.

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 14.

Prospectus5


 

Lazard Funds Summary Section

 

Lazard Managed Equity Volatility 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 and hold shares of the Portfolio.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Institutional
Shares

 

Open
Shares

 

R6
Shares

 

 

Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
Redemption Fee (as a % of amount redeemed,
on shares owned for 30 days or less)

 

1.00%

 

1.00%

 

 

 

1.00%

 

 

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*

 

.32%

 

.37%

 

 

 

.32%

 

 

Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses

 

.92%

 

1.22%

 

 

 

.92%

 

 

Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement**

 

.17%

 

.17%

 

 

 

.22%

 

 

Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement**

 

.75%

 

1.05%

 

 

 

.70%

 

 

 

*

 

“Other Expenses” are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year.

 

**

 

Reflects a contractual agreement by the Investment Manager to waive its fee and, if necessary, reimburse the Portfolio through May 29, 2017 to the extent Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses exceed .75%, 1.05% 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” 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 Board, 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 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 fee waiver and expense reimbursement arrangement described above. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 Year

   

3 Years

 

 

Institutional Shares

 

$  77

 

 

$258

 

 

Open Shares

 

$107

 

 

$353

 

 

R6 Shares

 

$  72

 

 

$248

 

 

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. Because the Portfolio had not commenced investment operations prior to the date of this Prospectus, no portfolio turnover information is presented.

6Prospectus


 

 

 

Principal Investment Strategies

The Portfolio invests primarily in equity securities, principally common stocks, of US and non-US companies. In managing the Portfolio, the Investment Manager utilizes a quantitatively driven, bottom up stock selection process. A principal component of the Investment Manager’s investment process for the Portfolio is volatility management. Volatility, a risk measurement, measures the magnitude of fluctuations in the value of a financial instrument or index over time. The Investment Manager seeks to generate attractive risk-adjusted returns while lowering portfolio volatility by using a benchmark-unaware stock selection strategy driven by fundamental inputs that is intended to identify high quality companies with sustainable operating performance. The Investment Manager performs an independent assessment of stock risk and also seeks to manage risk through diversification.

The Portfolio management team selects investments for the Portfolio from a broad investment universe of stocks and depositary receipts, including ADRs, GDRs and EDRs, 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 focus on securities of 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 and create a low volatility portfolio. 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 Portfolio may invest in ETFs and similar products, which generally 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. 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 Portfolio’s 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 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.

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.

Volatility Management Risk. While the Investment Manager generally will seek to achieve, over a full market cycle, the level of volatility in the Portfolio’s performance as described above, there can be no

Prospectus7


 

 

 

guarantee that this will be achieved; actual or realized volatility for any particular period may be materially higher or lower depending on market conditions. In addition, the Investment Manager’s efforts to manage the Portfolio’s volatility can be expected, in a period of generally positive equity market returns, to reduce the Portfolio’s performance below what could be achieved without seeking to manage volatility and, thus, the Portfolio would generally be expected to underperform market indices that do not seek to achieve a specified level of volatility.

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.

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 Investment Manager does not intend to actively hedge the Portfolio’s foreign currency exposure. Currency investments could be adversely affected by delays in, or a refusal to grant, repatriation of funds or conversion of emerging market currencies.

ETF Risk. Shares of ETFs may trade at prices that vary from their NAVs, sometimes significantly. The shares of ETFs may trade at prices at, below or above their most recent NAV. 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 such ETF’s investments, as well as to the general risks of investing in ETFs. Portfolio shares will bear not only the Portfolio’s management fees and operating expenses, but also their proportional share of the management fees and operating expenses of the ETFs in which the Portfolio invests. The Portfolio may be limited by the 1940 Act in the amount of its assets that may be invested in ETFs and unless an ETF has received an exemptive order from the Securities and Exchange Commission on which the Portfolio may rely or an exemption is available.

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 a 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

Because the Portfolio had not commenced investment operations prior to 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 Portfolio’s average annual returns compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. After the Portfolio commences investment operations performance information will be available at www.LazardNet.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.

8Prospectus


 

 

 

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.

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.

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 14.

Prospectus9


 

Lazard Funds Summary Section

 

Lazard Emerging Markets 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 and hold shares of the Portfolio.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Institutional
Shares

 

Open
Shares

 

R6
Shares

 

 

Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
Redemption Fee (as a % of amount redeemed,
on shares owned for 30 days or less)

 

1.00%

 

1.00%

 

 

 

1.00%

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Management Fees

 

.85%

 

.85%

 

 

 

.85%

 

 

Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees

 

None

 

.25%

 

 

 

None

 

 

Other Expenses*

 

.38%

 

.43%

 

 

 

.38%

 

 

Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses

 

1.23%

 

1.53%

 

 

 

1.23%

 

 

Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement**

 

.13%

 

.13%

 

 

 

.18%

 

 

Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement**

 

1.10%

 

1.40%

 

 

 

1.05%

 

 

 

*

 

“Other Expenses” are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year.

 

**

 

Reflects a contractual agreement by the Investment Manager to waive its fee and, if necessary, reimburse the Portfolio through May 29, 2017 to the extent Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses exceed 1.10%, 1.40% and 1.05% 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” 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 Board, 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 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 fee waiver and expense reimbursement arrangement described above. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 Year

   

3 Years

 

 

Institutional Shares

 

$112

 

 

$364

 

 

Open Shares

 

$143

 

 

$457

 

 

R6 Shares

 

$107

 

 

$354

 

 

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. Because the Portfolio had not commenced investment operations prior to the date of this Prospectus, no portfolio turnover information is presented.

10Prospectus


 

 

 

Principal Investment Strategies

The Portfolio invests primarily in equity securities, principally common stocks, of emerging markets companies. 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 emerging market stocks and depositary receipts, including ADRs, GDRs and EDRs, 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 Investment Manager uses 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 of companies that are economically tied to emerging market countries. 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.

The Portfolio may invest in ETFs and similar products, which generally 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. 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 Portfolio’s 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 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.

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. 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.

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

Prospectus11


 

 

 

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.

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 Investment Manager does not intend to actively hedge the Portfolio’s foreign currency exposure. Currency investments could be adversely affected by delays in, or a refusal to grant, repatriation of funds or conversion of emerging market currencies.

ETF Risk. Shares of ETFs may trade at prices that vary from their NAVs, sometimes significantly. The shares of ETFs may trade at prices at, below or above their most recent NAV. 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 such ETF’s investments, as well as to the general risks of investing in ETFs. Portfolio shares will bear not only the Portfolio’s management fees and operating expenses, but also their proportional share of the management fees and operating expenses of the ETFs in which the Portfolio invests. The Portfolio may be limited by the 1940 Act in the amount of its assets that may be invested in ETFs and unless an ETF has received an exemptive order from the Securities and Exchange Commission on which the Portfolio may rely or an exemption is available.

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 a 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

Because the Portfolio had not commenced investment operations prior to 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 Portfolio’s average annual returns compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. After the Portfolio commences investment operations, performance information will be available at www.LazardNet.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.

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.

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

12Prospectus


 

 

 

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.

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 14.

Prospectus13


 

Lazard Funds Additional Information about the Portfolios

 

Purchase and Sale of Portfolio Shares

The initial investment minimums are:

 

 

 

Institutional Shares*

 

 

$

 

100,000

 

 

Open Shares*

 

 

$

 

2,500

 

 

R6 Shares**

 

 

$

 

1,000,000

 

 

 

*

 

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 $100,000 for Institutional Shares or $2,500 for Open Shares.

 

**

 

There is no minimum investment amount for R6 Shares purchased by certain types of employee benefit plans and individuals considered to be affiliates of the Fund or the Investment Manager, discretionary accounts with the Investment Manager and affiliated and non-affiliated registered investment companies.

The subsequent investment minimum for Institutional Shares and Open Shares is $50.

Portfolio shares are redeemable through the Fund’s transfer agent, Boston Financial Data Services, Inc. (the “Transfer Agent”), 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 (Open and Institutional Shares only)
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 intermediary’s website for more information.

14Prospectus


 

Lazard Funds Investment Strategies and Investment Risks

 

Overview

The Fund consists of thirty-five separate Portfolios, three of which are described in this prospectus. Each Portfolio has its own investment objective, strategies, and risk/return and expense profile. There is no guarantee that any Portfolio will achieve its investment objective. Because you could lose money by investing in a Portfolio, be sure to read all risk disclosures carefully before investing.

Each Portfolio has adopted a policy to invest at least 80% of its assets in specified securities appropriate to its name and to provide its shareholders with at least 60 days’ prior notice of any change with respect to this policy.

Each Portfolio’s investment objective may be changed without the approval of the Portfolio’s shareholders upon 60 days’ notice to shareholders.

Investment Strategies

Lazard International Equity Advantage Portfolio

The Portfolio invests primarily in equity securities, including common stocks, preferred stocks and convertible securities, 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 stocks for the Portfolio from a broad investment universe of non-US stocks and depositary receipts, including ADRs, GDRs and EDRs, 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 focus on 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.

The Portfolio may invest in ETFs and similar products, which generally pursue a passive index-based strategy.

The Portfolio considers a company to be a non-US company if: (i) the company is organized under the laws of or domiciled in a country other than the US or maintains its principal place of business in a country other than the US; (ii) the securities of such company are traded principally on a non-US market; or (iii) during the most recent fiscal year of the company, the company derived at least 50% of its revenues or profits from goods produced or sold, investments made, or services performed in countries other than the US or the company has at least 50% of its assets in countries other than the US.

The Portfolio may, but is not required to, enter into futures contracts and/or swap agreements in an effort to protect the Portfolio’s investments against a decline in the value of Portfolio investments that could occur following the effective date of a shareholder’s redemption order and while the Portfolio is selling securities to meet the redemption request. Since, in this event, the redemption order is priced at the (higher) value of the Portfolio’s investments at the effective date of redemption, these transactions would seek to protect the value of other shareholders’ Portfolio shares from dilution or magnified losses resulting from the Portfolio selling securities to meet the redemption request while the value of such securities is declining. For the most part, this approach is anticipated to be utilized, if at all, in the case of a redemption by a large shareholder or otherwise if a significant percentage of Portfolio shares is redeemed on a single day, or other similar circumstances.

When the Investment Manager determines that adverse market conditions exist, the Portfolio may adopt a temporary defensive position and invest some or all of its assets in money market instruments. In pursuing a temporary defensive

Prospectus15


 

 

 

strategy, the Portfolio may forgo potentially more profitable investment strategies and, as a result, may not achieve its stated investment objective.

Lazard Managed Equity Volatility Portfolio

The Portfolio invests primarily in equity securities, including common stocks, preferred stocks and convertible securities, 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. A principal component of the Investment Manager’s investment process for the Portfolio is volatility management. Volatility, a risk measurement, measures the magnitude of up and down fluctuations in the value of a financial instrument or index over time. The Investment Manager seeks to generate attractive risk-adjusted returns while lowering portfolio volatility by using a benchmark-unaware stock selection strategy driven by fundamental inputs that is intended to identify high quality companies with sustainable operating performance. The Investment Manager performs an independent assessment of stock risk and also seeks to manage risk through diversification.

The Portfolio management team selects stocks for the Portfolio from a broad investment universe of stocks and depositary receipts, including ADRs, GDRs and EDRs, 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 focus on securities of 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 and create a low volatility portfolio. 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 Portfolio may invest in ETFs and similar products, which generally pursue a passive index-based strategy.

The Portfolio may, but is not required to, enter into futures contracts and/or swap agreements in an effort to protect the Portfolio’s investments against a decline in the value of Portfolio investments that could occur following the effective date of a shareholder’s redemption order and while the Portfolio is selling securities to meet the redemption request. Since, in this event, the redemption order is priced at the (higher) value of the Portfolio’s investments at the effective date of redemption, these transactions would seek to protect the value of other shareholders’ Portfolio shares from dilution or magnified losses resulting from the Portfolio selling securities to meet the redemption request while the value of such securities is declining. For the most part, this approach is anticipated to be utilized, if at all, in the case of a redemption by a large shareholder or otherwise if a significant percentage of Portfolio shares is redeemed on a single day, or other similar circumstances.

When the Investment Manager determines that adverse market conditions exist, the Portfolio may adopt a temporary defensive position and invest some or all of its assets in money market instruments. In pursuing a temporary defensive strategy, the Portfolio may forgo potentially more profitable investment strategies and, as a result, may not achieve its stated investment objective.

Lazard Emerging Markets Equity Advantage Portfolio

The Portfolio invests primarily in equity securities, including common stocks, preferred stocks and convertible securities, of emerging markets companies. In managing the Portfolio, the Investment Manager utilizes a quantitatively driven, bottom up stock selection process. The Portfolio management team selects stocks for the Portfolio from a broad investment universe of emerging market stocks and depositary receipts, including ADRs, GDRs and EDRs, REITs, warrants and rights. The active, quantitative approach utilized by the Portfolio management team involves initial screening, risk assessment and evaluation of each

16Prospectus


 

 

 

company relative to its global peers. The Investment Manager uses 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 invest at least 80% of its assets in equity securities of companies that are economically tied to emerging market countries. 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.

The Portfolio considers a company to be “economically tied to emerging markets countries” if: (i) the company is organized under the laws of or domiciled in an emerging markets country or maintains its principal place of business in an emerging markets country; (ii) the securities of such company are traded principally in emerging markets countries; or (iii) during the most recent fiscal year of the company, the company derived at least 50% of its revenues or profits from goods produced or sold, investments made, or services performed in emerging markets countries or that has at least 50% of its assets in emerging markets countries. The Portfolio considers emerging markets countries to be all countries: (i) included in the MSCI Emerging Markets Index; or (ii) not included in the MSCI World Index.

The Portfolio may invest in ETFs and similar products, which generally pursue a passive index-based strategy.

The Portfolio may, but is not required to, enter into futures contracts and/or swap agreements in an effort to protect the Portfolio’s investments against a decline in the value of Portfolio investments that could occur following the effective date of a shareholder’s redemption order and while the Portfolio is selling securities to meet the redemption request. Since, in this event, the redemption order is priced at the (higher) value of the Portfolio’s investments at the effective date of redemption, these transactions would seek to protect the value of other shareholders’ Portfolio shares from dilution or magnified losses resulting from the Portfolio selling securities to meet the redemption request while the value of such securities is declining. For the most part, this approach is anticipated to be utilized, if at all, in the case of a redemption by a large shareholder or otherwise if a significant percentage of Portfolio shares is redeemed on a single day, or other similar circumstances.

When the Investment Manager determines that adverse market conditions exist, the Portfolio may adopt a temporary defensive position and invest some or all of its assets in money market instruments. In pursuing a temporary defensive strategy, the Portfolio may forgo potentially more profitable investment strategies and, as a result, may not achieve its stated investment objective.

Investment Risks

You should be aware that the Portfolios:

 

 

are not bank deposits

 

 

are not guaranteed, endorsed or insured by any bank, financial institution or government entity, such as the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

 

 

are not guaranteed to achieve their stated goals

The Portfolios also are subject to the investment risks listed in the tables below. For a description of the risks listed in the tables, please see "Glossary—Investment Risks" immediately following the tables. See also the Portfolios’ Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) for information on certain other investments in which the Portfolios may invest and other investment techniques in which the Portfolios may engage from time to time and related risks.

Prospectus17


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

International
Equity
Advantage
Portfolio

 

Managed
Equity
Volatility
Portfolio

 

Emerging
Markets
Equity
Advantage
Portfolio

 

Emerging Market Risk

 

P

 

P

 

P

 

ETF Risk

 

P

 

P

 

P

 

Foreign Currency Risk

 

P

 

P

 

P

 

Hedging Risk

 

P

 

P

 

P

 

Issuer Risk

 

P

 

P

 

P

 

Large Cap Companies Risk

 

P

 

P

 

P

 

Market Risk

 

P

 

P

 

P

 

Non-US Securities Risk

 

P

 

P

 

P

 

Other Equity Securities Risk

 

P

 

P

 

P

 

Quantitative Model Risk

 

P

 

P

 

P

 

REIT Risk

 

P

 

P

 

P

 

Securities Selection Risk

 

P

 

P

 

P

 

Small and Mid Cap Companies Risk

 

P

 

P

 

P

 

Volatility Management Risk

 

 

 

P

 

 

 

Glossary—Investment Risks

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 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. These market conditions may continue or worsen. Investments in these countries may be subject to political, economic, legal, market and currency risks. The risks may include less protection of property rights and uncertain political and economic policies, the imposition of capital controls and/or foreign investment limitations by a country, nationalization of businesses and the imposition of sanctions by other countries, such as the US. Significant devaluation of emerging market currencies against the US dollar may occur subsequent to acquisition of investments denominated in emerging market currencies.

ETF Risk. Shares of ETFs may trade at prices that vary from their NAVs, sometimes significantly. The shares of ETFs may trade at prices at, below or above their most recent NAV. 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 such ETF’s investments, as well as to the general risks of investing in ETFs. Portfolio shares will bear not only the Portfolio’s management fees and operating expenses, but also their proportional share of the management fees and operating expenses of the ETFs in which the Portfolio invests. The Portfolio may be limited by the 1940 Act in the amount of its assets that may be invested in ETFs and unless an ETF has received an exemptive order from the Securities and Exchange Commission on which the Portfolio may rely or an exemption is available.

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 Investment Manager does not intend to actively hedge the Portfolio’s foreign currency exposure. Currency investments could be adversely affected by delays in, or a refusal to grant, repatriation of funds or conversion of emerging market currencies.

Hedging Risk. Derivative instruments, such as futures contracts or swap agreements, even when entered into for the purpose of protecting the value of Portfolio investments (hedging), may reduce returns, such as when such instruments are not well correlated with the investments seeking to be hedged. In addition, while such instruments may protect the value of Portfolio investments from a decline in value, the entry into such instruments for hedging purposes would limit any gains associated with the investments being hedged. The Portfolio’s ability to fully hedge its risk may be further limited by regulatory and other constraints.

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.

18Prospectus


 

 

 

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.

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 Portfolio’s 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.

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.

Other Equity Securities Risk. Preferred stock is subject to credit and interest rate risk and the risk that the dividend on the stock may be changed or omitted by the issuer and, unlike common stock, participation in the growth of an issuer may be limited. The market value of a convertible security tends to perform like that of a regular debt security so that if market interest rates rise, the value of the convertible security falls. 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 a Portfolio’s entire investment.

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.

REIT Risk. REITS are subject to similar risks as an Realty Companies. The risks related to investments in Realty 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 common stocks of non-Realty Companies traded on national exchanges, which may affect a Portfolio’s ability to trade or liquidate those securities. An investment in REITs may be adversely affected if the REIT fails to comply with applicable laws and regulations. Failure to qualify with any of these requirements could jeopardize a company’s status as a REIT. A Portfolio generally will have no control over the operations and policies of a REIT, and the generally will have no ability to cause a REIT to take the actions necessary to qualify as a REIT.

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.

Prospectus19


 

 

 

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.

Volatility Management Risk. While the Investment Manager generally will seek to achieve, over a full market cycle, the level of volatility in the Portfolio’s performance as described in the strategy section, there can be no guarantee that this will be achieved; actual or realized volatility for any particular period may be materially higher or lower depending on market conditions. In addition, the Investment Manager’s efforts to manage the Portfolio’s volatility can be expected, in a period of generally positive equity market returns, to reduce the Portfolio’s performance below what could be achieved without seeking to manage volatility and, thus, the Portfolio would generally be expected to underperform market indices that do not seek to achieve a specified level of volatility.

20Prospectus


 

Lazard Funds Fund Management

 

Investment Manager

Lazard Asset Management LLC, 30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, New York 10112-6300, serves as the Investment Manager of each Portfolio. The Investment Manager provides day-to-day management of each Portfolio’s investments and assists in the overall management of the Fund’s affairs. The Investment Manager and its global affiliates provide investment management services to client discretionary accounts with assets totaling approximately $180 billion as of March 31, 2015. Its clients are both individuals and institutions, some of whose accounts have investment policies similar to those of several of the Portfolios.

The Fund has agreed to pay the Investment Manager an investment management fee at the annual rate set forth below as a percentage of the relevant Portfolio’s average daily net assets. The investment management fees are accrued daily and paid monthly.

 

 

 

 

 

Name of Portfolio

 

Investment
Management
Fee Payable

 

 

 

Lazard International Equity Advantage Portfolio

 

.65%

 

 

 

Lazard Managed Equity Volatility Portfolio

 

.60%

 

 

 

Lazard Emerging Markets Equity Advantage Portfolio

 

.85%

 

 

 

A discussion regarding the basis for the approval of the investment management agreement between the Fund, on behalf of the Portfolios, and the Investment Manager will be available in the Portfolios’ semi-annual reports to shareholders for the period ended June 30, 2015.

The Investment Manager has a contractual agreement to waive its fee and, if necessary, reimburse each Portfolio through May 29, 2017, to the extent Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses exceed the amounts shown below (expressed as a percentage of the average daily net assets of the Portfolio’s Institutional Shares, Open Shares and R6 Shares), 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 Board, 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 Portfolios.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name of Portfolio

 

Institutional
Shares

 

Open
Shares

 

R6
Shares

 

Lazard International Equity Advantage Portfolio

 

.90%

 

1.20%

 

.85%

 

Lazard Managed Equity Volatility Portfolio

 

.75%

 

1.05%

 

.70%

 

Lazard Emerging Markets Equity Advantage Portfolio

 

1.10%

 

1.40%

 

1.05%

 

Portfolio Management

The Investment Manager manages the Portfolios on a team basis. The team is involved in all levels of the investment process. This team approach allows for every portfolio manager to benefit from the views of his or her peers. Each portfolio management team is comprised of multiple team members. Although their roles and the contributions they make may differ, each member of the team participates in the management of the respective Portfolio. Members of each portfolio management team discuss the portfolio, including making investment recommendations, overall portfolio composition, and the like. Research analysts perform fundamental research on issuers (based on, for example, sectors or geographic regions) in which the Portfolio may invest.

The names of the persons who are primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the assets of the Portfolios are as follows (along with the date they became a portfolio manager of the Portfolio):

International Equity Advantage Portfolio—Paul Moghtader, Taras Ivanenko, Ciprian Marin, Craig Scholl and Susanne Willumsen (each since May 2015)

Managed Equity Volatility Portfolio—Paul Moghtader, Taras Ivanenko, Ciprian Marin, Craig Scholl and Susanne Willumsen (each since May 2015)

Emerging Markets Equity Advantage Portfolio—Paul Moghtader, Taras Ivanenko, Ciprian Marin, Craig

Prospectus21


 

 

 

Scholl and Susanne Willumsen (each since May 2015)

Biographical Information of Principal Portfolio Managers

Taras Ivanenko, a Director of the Investment Manager, is a portfolio manager/analyst on various of the Investment Manager’s Global Advantage portfolio management teams. Prior to joining the Investment Manager in 2007, he was a Senior Portfolio Manager in the Global Active Equity group at State Street Global Advisors (“SSGA”). He began working in the investment field in 1995. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst Charterholder.

Ciprian Marin, a Director of the Investment Manager, is a portfolio manager/analyst on various of the Investment Manager’s Global Advantage portfolio management teams. Prior to joining the Investment Manager in 2008, Mr. Marin was a Senior Portfolio Manager at SSgA, managing European, UK and Global funds. He began working in the investment field in 1997.

Paul Moghtader, a Managing Director of the Investment Manager, is a portfolio manager/analyst on various of the Investment Manager’s Global Advantage portfolio management teams. Prior to joining the Investment Manager in 2007, he was Head of the Global Active Equity Group and a Senior Portfolio Manager at SSgA. Mr. Moghtader began his career at Dain Bosworth as a research assistant when he began working in the investment field in 1992. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst Charterholder.

Craig Scholl, a Director of the Investment Manager, is a portfolio manager/analyst on various of the Investment Manager’s Global Advantage portfolio management teams. Prior to joining the Investment Manager in 2007, he was a Principal and a Senior Portfolio Manager in the Global Active Equity group of SSgA. Mr. Scholl began working in the investment field in 1984 and is a Chartered Financial Analyst Charterholder.

Susanne Willumsen, a Director of the Investment Manager, is a portfolio manager/analyst on various of the Investment Manager’s Global Advantage portfolio management teams. Prior to joining the Investment Manager in 2008, she was Managing Director, Head of Active Equities Europe with SSgA. Ms. Willumsen began working in the investment field in 1993.

Additional information about the portfolio managers’ compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers and the portfolio managers’ ownership of shares of the Portfolios is contained in the Fund’s SAI.

Administrator

State Street Bank and Trust Company (“State Street”), located at One Iron Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02210, serves as each Portfolio’s administrator.

Distributor

Lazard Asset Management Securities LLC (the “Distributor”) acts as distributor for the Fund’s shares.

Custodian

State Street acts as custodian of the Portfolios’ investments. State Street may enter into subcustodial arrangements on behalf of the Portfolios for the holding of non-US securities.

22Prospectus


 

Lazard Funds Shareholder Information

 

General

Portfolio shares are sold and redeemed, without a sales charge, on a continuous basis at the NAV next determined after an order in proper form is received by the Transfer Agent or another authorized entity.

The Fund determines the NAV of each Portfolio’s share Classes as of the close of regular session trading on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) (normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on each day the NYSE is open for trading. The Fund values securities for which market quotations are readily available at market value. Securities and other assets for which current market quotations are not readily available are valued at fair value as determined in good faith in accordance with procedures approved by the Board.

Calculation of NAV may not take place contemporaneously with the determination of the prices of portfolio assets used in such calculation. If a significant event materially affecting the value of securities occurs between the close of the exchange or market on which the security is principally traded and the time when NAV is calculated, or when current market quotations otherwise are determined not to be readily available or reliable, such securities will be valued at their fair value as determined by, or in accordance with procedures approved by, the Board. The fair value of non-US securities may be determined with the assistance of an independent pricing service using correlations between the movement of prices of such securities and indices of US securities and other appropriate indicators, such as closing market prices of relevant ADRs or futures contracts. The effect of using fair value pricing is that the NAV will reflect the affected securities’ values as determined in the judgment of the Board or its designee instead of being determined by the market. Using a fair value pricing methodology to price securities may result in a value that is different from the most recent closing price of a security and from the prices used by other investment companies to calculate their portfolios’ NAVs. Non-US securities may trade on days when a Portfolio is not open for business, thus affecting the value of the Portfolio’s assets on days when Portfolio shareholders may not be able to buy or sell Portfolio shares.

Eligibility to Purchase R6 Shares

The Portfolios do not currently offer R6 Shares.

R6 Shares are not subject to any service or distribution fees. Neither the Fund nor the Investment Manager or its affiliates will provide any distribution, shareholder or participant servicing, account maintenance, sub-accounting, sub-transfer agency, administrative, recordkeeping or reporting, transaction processing, support or similar payments, or “revenue sharing” payments, in connection with investments in, or conversions into, R6 Shares (collectively, “Service Payments”).

R6 Shares may be purchased by:

“Employee Benefit Plans,” which shall include:

 

 

retirement plan level, retirement plan administrator level or omnibus accounts;

 

 

retirement plans—employer-sponsored 401(k) and 403(b), 457, Keogh, profit sharing, money purchase, defined benefit/defined contribution, target benefit and Taft-Hartley plans;

 

 

non-qualified deferred compensation plans; and

 

 

post-employment benefit plans, including retiree health benefit plans.

Employee Benefit Plans, Board members and other individuals considered to be affiliates of the Fund or the Investment Manager, and discretionary accounts with the Investment Manager, as well as affiliated and non-affiliated registered investment companies may purchase R6 Shares with no investment minimum.

Certain other types of plans, and institutional or other investors, may be eligible to purchase R6 Shares, subject to the minimum investment amount set forth below, including, but not limited to:

 

 

529 plans;

 

 

endowments and foundations;

 

 

states, counties or cities or their instrumentalities;

 

 

insurance companies, trust companies and bank trust departments; and

 

 

certain other institutional investors.

Except as specifically provided above, R6 Shares may not be purchased by:

Prospectus23


 

 

 

 

 

individual investors and/or retail accounts including accounts purchasing through wrap programs;

 

 

IRAs and Coverdells;

 

 

SEPs, SIMPLEs and SARSEPs; and

 

 

individual 401(k) and 403(b) plans.

Through November 29, 2015, holders of Institutional Shares of a Portfolio who have held such shares since November 29, 2013 who meet the eligibility requirements for the purchase of R6 Shares of the Portfolio may have all of their Institutional Shares of the Portfolio converted into R6 Shares of the Portfolio automatically through a financial intermediary. After November 29, 2015, the Fund and the Distributor will consider requests to convert such shares to R6 Shares on a case by case basis, provided eligibility requirements and relevant minimums are met.

Minimum Investment

All purchases made by check should be in US Dollars and made payable to “The Lazard Funds, Inc.” Third party checks will not be accepted. The Fund will not accept cash or cash equivalents (such as currency, money orders or travelers checks) for the purchase of Fund shares. Please note the following minimums in effect for initial investments:

 

 

 

Institutional Shares*

 

 

$

 

100,000

 

 

Open Shares*

 

 

$

 

2,500

 

 

R6 Shares**

 

 

$

 

1,000,000

 

 

 

*

 

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 $100,000 for Institutional Shares or $2,500 for Open Shares.

 

**

 

There is no minimum investment amount for R6 Shares purchased by Employee Benefit Plans and certain other eligible investors as described above.

The subsequent investment minimum for Institutional Shares and Open Shares is $50.

The minimum investment requirements may be waived or lowered for investments effected through banks and other institutions that have entered into arrangements with the Fund or the Distributor; for investments effected on a group basis by certain other entities and their employees, such as pursuant to a payroll deduction plan and asset-based or wrap programs; and for employees of the Investment Manager and their families. Please consult your financial intermediary for information about minimum investment requirements. The Fund reserves the right to change or waive the minimum initial, and subsequent, investment requirements at any time.

How to Buy Shares

Through the Transfer Agent:

Shareholders who do not execute trades through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary should submit their purchase requests to the Transfer Agent by telephone or mail, as follows:

Initial Purchase

By Mail

 

1.

 

Complete a Purchase Application. Indicate the services to be used.

 

2.

 

Send the Purchase Application and a check for at least the minimum investment amount (if applicable) payable to “The Lazard Funds, Inc.” to:

regular mail
The Lazard Funds, Inc.
P.O. Box 8514
Boston, Massachusetts 02266-8514
Attention: (Name of Portfolio and Class of Shares)

overnight delivery
The Lazard Funds, Inc.
30 Dan Road
Canton, Massachusetts 02021-2809

By Wire

Your bank may charge you a fee for this service.

 

1.

 

Call (800) 986-3455 toll-free from any state and provide the following:

 

 

the Portfolio(s) and Class of shares to be invested in

 

 

name(s) in which shares are to be registered

 

 

address

 

 

social security or tax identification number

 

 

dividend payment election

 

 

amount to be wired

24Prospectus


 

 

 

 

 

name of the wiring bank, and

 

 

name and telephone number of the person to be contacted in connection with the order.

An account number will then be assigned.

 

2.

  Instruct the wiring bank to transmit the specified amount in federal funds, giving the wiring bank the account name(s) and assigned account number, to State Street:

ABA #: 011000028
State Street Bank and Trust Company
Boston, Massachusetts
Custody and Shareholder Services Division
DDA 9905-2375
Attention: (Name of Portfolio and Class of Shares)
The Lazard Funds, Inc.
Shareholder’s Name and Account Number

 

3.

 

Complete a Purchase Application. Indicate the services to be used. Mail the Purchase Application to the address set forth in Item 2 under “Initial Purchase–By Mail” above.

Additional Purchases

By Mail

 

1.

 

Make a check payable to “The Lazard Funds, Inc.” Write the shareholder’s account number on the check.

 

2.

 

Mail the check and the detachable stub from the Statement of Account (or a letter providing the account number) to the address set forth in Item 2 under “Initial Purchase–By Mail” above.

By Wire

Instruct the wiring bank to transmit the specified amount in federal funds to State Street, as instructed in Item 2 under “Initial Purchase–By Wire” above.

By ACH

Shareholders may purchase additional shares of a Portfolio by automated clearing house (“ACH”). To set up the ACH purchases option, call (800) 986-3455. ACH is similar to making Automatic Investments (described below under “Shareholder Information—Investor Services—Automatic Investments”), except that shareholders may choose the date on which to make the purchase. The Fund will need a voided check or deposit slip before shareholders may purchase by ACH.

By Exchange

Shareholders may purchase additional shares of a Portfolio by exchange from another Portfolio, as described below under “Shareholder Information—Investor Services—Exchange Privilege.”

Purchases through the Automatic Investment Plan (Open Shares only)
(Minimum $50)

Investors may participate in the Automatic Investment Plan by making subsequent investments in a Portfolio through automatic deductions from a designated bank account at regular intervals selected by the investor. The Automatic Investment Plan enables an investor to make regularly scheduled investments and may provide investors with a convenient way to invest for long-term financial goals. To enroll in the Automatic Investment Plan, call (800) 986-3455.

Individual Retirement Accounts
(Open Shares and Institutional Shares only)

The Fund may be used as an investment for IRAs. Completion of a Lazard Funds IRA application is required. For a Direct IRA Account (an account other than an IRA rollover) a $5 establishment fee and a $15 annual maintenance and custody fee is payable to State Street for each IRA Fund account; in addition, a $10 termination fee will be charged and paid to State Street when the account is closed. For more information on IRAs, call (800) 986-3455.

Market Timing/Excessive Trading

Each Portfolio is intended to be a long-term investment vehicle and is not designed to provide investors with a means of speculating on short-term market movements. Excessive trading, market timing or other abusive trading practices may disrupt investment management strategies and harm performance and may create increased transaction and administrative costs that must be borne by the Portfolios and their shareholders, including those not engaged in such activity. In addition, such activity may dilute the value of Portfolio shares held by long- term investors. The Fund’s Board has approved policies and procedures with respect to

Prospectus25


 

 

 

frequent purchases and redemptions of Portfolio shares that are intended to discourage and prevent these practices, including regular monitoring of trading activity in Portfolio shares. The Fund will not knowingly accommodate excessive trading, market timing or other abusive trading practices.

The Fund routinely reviews Portfolio share transactions and seeks to identify and deter abusive trading practices. The Fund monitors for transactions that may be harmful to a Portfolio, either on an individual basis or as part of a pattern of abusive trading practices. Each Portfolio reserves the right to refuse, with or without notice, any purchase or exchange request that could adversely affect the Portfolio, its operations or its shareholders, including those requests from any individual or group who, in the Fund’s view, is likely to engage in excessive trading, market timing or other abusive trading practices, and where a particular account appears to be engaged in abusive trading practices, the Fund will seek to restrict future purchases of Portfolio shares by that account or may temporarily or permanently terminate the availability of the exchange privilege, or reject in whole or part any exchange request, with respect to such investor’s account. When an exchange request in respect of Portfolio shares is rejected, such shares may be redeemed from the Portfolio on request of the investor. The Fund may deem a shareholder to be engaged in abusive trading practices without advance notice and based on information unrelated to the specific trades in the shareholder’s account. For instance, the Fund may determine that the shareholder’s account is linked to another account that was previously restricted or a third party intermediary may provide information to the Fund with respect to a particular account that is of concern to the Fund. Accounts under common ownership, control or perceived affiliation may be considered together for purposes of determining a pattern of excessive trading practices. An investor who makes more than six exchanges per Portfolio during any twelve-month period, or who makes exchanges that appear to coincide with a market timing strategy, may be deemed to be engaged in excessive trading. In certain cases, the Fund may deem a single “roundtrip” trade or exchange (redeeming or exchanging a Portfolio’s shares followed by purchasing or exchanging into shares of that Portfolio) as a violation of the Fund’s policy against abusive trading practices. The Fund’s actions may not be subject to appeal.

Each Portfolio deducts a 1.00% redemption fee on sales of shares owned for 30 days or less (not charged on shares acquired through reinvestment of dividends or distributions), except that no redemption fee will be charged with respect to shares purchased through certain omnibus account and other service arrangements established by certain brokers and other financial intermediaries and approved by the Distributor and under certain other circumstances. See “Shareholder Information—How to Sell Shares—Redemption Fee” below.

Redemption fees are only one way for the Fund to deter abusive trading practices. To discourage attempts to arbitrage pricing of international securities (among other reasons), the Board has adopted policies and procedures providing that if events materially affecting the value of securities occur between the close of the exchange or market on which the security is principally traded and the time when a Portfolio’s NAV is calculated, such securities will be valued at their fair value as determined by, or in accordance with procedures approved by, the Board. See “Shareholder Information—General.” The codes of ethics of the Fund, the Investment Manager and the Distributor in respect of personal trading contain limitations on trading in Portfolio shares.

As described below, the Fund may take up to seven days to pay redemption proceeds. This may occur when, among other circumstances, the investor redeeming shares is engaged in excessive trading or if the redemption request otherwise would be disruptive to efficient portfolio management or would otherwise adversely affect the Portfolio.

Except as otherwise noted, all of the policies described in this section apply uniformly to all Portfolio accounts. However, while the Fund and the Investment Manager will take reasonable steps to prevent trading practices deemed to be harmful to a Portfolio by monitoring Portfolio share trading

26Prospectus


 

 

 

activity, they may not be able to prevent or identify such trading. If the Fund is not able to prevent abusive trading practices, such trading may disrupt investment strategies, harm performance and increase costs to all Portfolio investors, including those not engaged in such activity. The Fund’s policy on abusive trading practices does not apply to automatic investment or automatic exchange privileges.

Securities trading in non-US markets are particularly susceptible to time zone arbitrage. As a result, Portfolios investing in securities trading in non-US markets may be at greater risk for market timing than funds that invest in securities trading in US markets.

Distribution and Servicing Arrangements

Each Portfolio offers Institutional Shares and Open Shares, and certain Portfolios offer R6 Shares. Each share class has different investment minimums and different expense ratios. The Fund has adopted a plan under rule 12b-1 (the “12b-1 plan”) that allows each Portfolio to pay the Distributor a fee, at the annual rate of .25% of the value of the average daily net assets of each Portfolio’s Open Shares, for distribution and services provided to holders of Open Shares. Because these fees are paid out of each Portfolio’s assets on an on-going basis, over time these recurring fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges. Institutional Shares and R6 shares do not pay a rule 12b-1 fee. Third parties may receive payments pursuant to the 12b-1 plan.

The Investment Manager or the Distributor may provide additional cash payments out of its own resources to financial intermediaries that sell shares and/or provide marketing, shareholder servicing, account administration or other services with respect to Open Shares and Institutional Shares. Such payments are in addition to any fees paid by the Fund under rule 12b-1. The receipt of such payments pursuant to the 12b-1 plan or from the Investment Manager or Distributor could create an incentive for the third parties to offer a Portfolio instead of other mutual funds where such payments are not received. Further information is contained in the SAI, and you should consult your financial intermediary for further details.

How to Sell Shares

General

Checks for sale proceeds ordinarily will be mailed within seven days. Where the shares to be sold have been purchased by check or through the Automatic Investment Plan, the sale proceeds, net of any applicable redemption fee, will be transmitted to you promptly upon bank clearance of your purchase check, which may take up to 10 calendar days. Redemption requests also may be satisfied, in whole or in part, through a redemption-in-kind (a payment in portfolio securities instead of cash, although the Portfolios, due to the nature of their investment portfolios, may not be able to effect a redemption-in-kind).

Redemption Fee

Each Portfolio will impose a redemption fee equal to 1.00% of the NAV of Portfolio shares acquired by purchase or exchange and redeemed or exchanged within 30 days after such shares were acquired. This fee will be calculated based on the shares’ NAV at redemption and deducted from the redemption proceeds. The fee will be retained by each Portfolio and used primarily to offset the transaction costs that short-term trading imposes on each Portfolio and its remaining shareholders. The redemption fee will not apply to shares acquired through the reinvestment of dividends or distributions. For purposes of calculating the 30-day holding period, the Fund will first redeem shares acquired through the reinvestment of dividends or distributions and then will employ the “first in, first out” method, which assumes that the shares redeemed or exchanged are the ones held the longest.

The Fund, in its discretion, may waive or reverse the redemption fee for Portfolio shares redeemed or exchanged: (1) through systematic, rebalancing or asset allocation programs, in which beneficial owners of Portfolio shares or participants in Employee Benefit Plans owning Portfolio shares do not exercise investment discretion, that have been approved by the Distributor; (2) in connection with the Fund’s Systematic Withdrawal Plan, described below; (3) by a fund-of-funds; (4) involuntarily, such

Prospectus27


 

 

 

as a redemption resulting from failure to maintain a minimum investment or due to a Portfolio merger or liquidation; (5) in connection with a conversion from one share class to another share class of the same Portfolio; (6) in the event of shareholder death or post-purchase disability; (7) to return an excess contribution in an IRA or qualified plan account; (8) in connection with required minimum distributions from an IRA or qualified plan account; (9) in programs with financial intermediaries that include on their platforms qualified default investment alternatives for participant-directed individual account plans (with respect to which Department of Labor regulations restrict the imposition of redemption fees and similar fees) and where adequate systems designed to deter abusive trading practices are in place; (10) by certain accounts under situations deemed appropriate by the Fund, including where the capability to charge a fee does not exist or is not practical and where adequate systems designed to deter abusive trading practices are in place; or (11) in the event of transactions documented as inadvertent or prompted by bona fide emergencies or other exigent circumstances. In certain situations, a financial intermediary, wrap sponsor or other omnibus account holder may apply the Portfolios’ redemption fees to the accounts of their underlying shareholders. If this is the case, the Portfolios will rely in part on the account holder to monitor and assess the redemption fee on the underlying shareholder accounts in accordance with this Prospectus. The redemption fee may be waived, modified or terminated at any time, or from time to time, without advance notice.

Selling Shares

Through the Transfer Agent:

Shareholders who do not execute trades through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary should submit their sale requests to the Transfer Agent by telephone or mail, as follows:

By Telephone

A shareholder may redeem shares by calling the Transfer Agent. To redeem shares by telephone, the shareholder must have properly completed and submitted to the Transfer Agent either a Purchase Application authorizing such redemption or a signed letter requesting that the telephone redemption privilege be added to the account. To place a redemption request, or to have the telephone redemption privilege added to your account, please call the Transfer Agent’s toll-free number, (800) 986-3455. In order to confirm that telephone instructions for redemptions are genuine, the Fund has established reasonable procedures to be employed by the Fund and the Transfer Agent, including the requirement that a form of personal identification be provided.

By Mail

 

1.

 

Write a letter of instruction to the Fund. Indicate the dollar amount or number of shares to be sold, the Portfolio and Class, the shareholder’s account number, and social security or taxpayer identification number.

 

2.

 

Sign the letter in exactly the same way the account is registered. If there is more than one owner of the account, all must sign.

 

3.

 

If shares to be sold have a value of $50,000 or more, the signature(s) must be guaranteed by a domestic bank, savings and loan institution, domestic credit union, member bank of the Federal Reserve System, broker-dealer, registered securities association or clearing agency, or other participant in a signature guarantee program. Signature guarantees by a notary public are not acceptable. Further documentation may be requested to evidence the authority of the person or entity making the redemption request. In addition, all redemption requests that include instructions for redemption proceeds to be sent somewhere other than the address on file must be signature guaranteed.

 

4.

 

Send the letter to the Transfer Agent at the following address:

regular mail
The Lazard Funds, Inc.
P.O. Box 8514
Boston, Massachusetts 02266-8514
Attention: (Name of Portfolio and Class of Shares)

overnight delivery
The Lazard Funds, Inc.
30 Dan Road
Canton, Massachusetts 02021-2809

28Prospectus


 

 

 

Investor Services

Automatic Reinvestment Plan allows your dividends and capital gain distributions to be reinvested in additional shares of your Portfolio or another Portfolio.

Automatic Investment Plan allows you to purchase Open Shares through automatic deductions from a designated bank account.

Systematic Withdrawal Plan allows you to receive payments at regularly scheduled intervals if your account holds at least $10,000 in Portfolio shares at the time plan participation begins. The maximum regular withdrawal amount for monthly withdrawals is 1% of the value of your Portfolio shares at the time plan participation begins.

Exchange Privilege allows you to exchange shares of one Portfolio that have been held for seven days or more for shares of the same Class of another Portfolio in an identically registered account. Shares will be exchanged at the next determined NAV, subject to any applicable redemption fee. There is no other cost associated with this service. All exchanges are subject to the minimum initial investment requirements.

A shareholder may exchange shares by writing or calling the Transfer Agent. To exchange shares by telephone, the shareholder must have properly completed and submitted to the Transfer Agent either a Purchase Application authorizing such exchanges or a signed letter requesting that the exchange privilege be added to the account. The Transfer Agent’s toll-free number for exchanges is (800) 986-3455. In order to confirm that telephone instructions for exchanges are genuine, the Fund has established reasonable procedures to be employed by the Fund and the Transfer Agent, including the requirement that a form of personal identification be provided.

The Fund reserves the right to limit the number of times shares may be exchanged between Portfolios, to reject any telephone exchange order, or to otherwise modify or discontinue the exchange privilege at any time. If an exchange request is refused, the Fund will take no other action with respect to the shares until it receives further instructions from the investor. See “Shareholder Information—How to Buy Shares—Market Timing/ Excessive Trading” for more information about restrictions on exchanges.

Conversion Feature may allow you or one or more brokers or other financial intermediaries authorized by the Fund (“Service Agents”), in the Fund’s discretion, to convert holdings of one class of Portfolio shares that have been held for seven days or more for a different class of shares of the same Portfolio. Conversion requests from one class of Portfolio shares for a different class of the same Portfolio may include situations when a shareholder becomes a client of a Service Agent that is not authorized to accept on the Fund’s behalf purchase and redemption orders in the class of shares held by the shareholder. For federal income tax purposes, a same-Portfolio share class conversion is not expected to result in the realization by the investor of a capital gain or loss; however, shareholders are advised to consult with their own tax advisers with respect to the particular tax consequences to shareholders of an investment in a Portfolio.

General Policies

In addition to the policies described above, the Fund reserves the right to:

 

 

redeem an account, with notice, if the value of the account falls below $1,000

 

 

convert Institutional Shares or R6 Shares held by a shareholder whose account is less than $100,000 to Open Shares, upon written notice to the shareholder

 

 

suspend redemptions or postpone payments when the NYSE is closed for any reason other than its usual weekend or holiday closings or when trading is restricted by the SEC

 

 

change or waive the required minimum investment amounts

 

 

delay sending out redemption proceeds for up to seven days (this usually applies to very large redemptions received without notice, excessive trading, or during unusual market conditions)

 

 

make a redemption-in-kind (a payment in portfolio securities instead of in cash) if it is determined that a redemption is too large and/or may cause

Prospectus29


 

 

 

 

 

 

harm to a Portfolio and its shareholders (subject to the Portfolio’s ability to effect a redemption-in-kind)

Also in addition to the policies described above, the Fund may refuse or restrict purchase or exchange requests for Portfolio shares by any person or group if, in the judgment of the Fund’s management:

 

 

a Portfolio would be unable to invest the money effectively in accordance with its investment objective and policies or could otherwise be adversely affected

 

 

a Portfolio receives or anticipates receiving simultaneous orders that may significantly affect the Portfolio (e.g., amounts equal to 1% or more of the Portfolio’s total assets)

The Fund also reserves the right to close a Portfolio to investors at any time.

Account Policies, Dividends and Taxes

Account Statements

You will receive quarterly statements detailing your account activity. All investors will also receive an annual statement detailing the tax characteristics of any dividends and distributions that you have received in your account. You will also receive confirmations of each trade executed in your account.

To reduce expenses, only one copy of the most recent annual and semi-annual reports of the Fund may be mailed to your household, even if you have more than one account with the Fund. Call (800) 542-1061 if you need additional copies of annual or semi-annual reports. Call the Transfer Agent at the telephone number listed on the back cover if you need account information.

Dividends and Distributions

Income dividends are anticipated to be paid annually. Net capital gains, if any, are normally distributed annually but may be distributed more frequently.

Dividends and distributions of a Portfolio will be reinvested in additional shares of the same Class of the Portfolio at the NAV on the ex-dividend date, and credited to the shareholder’s account on the payment date or, at the shareholder’s election, paid in cash. Each share Class of the Portfolio will generate a different dividend because each has different expenses. Dividend checks and account statements will be mailed approximately two business days after the payment date.

Tax Information

Please be aware that the following tax information is general and refers to the provisions of the Code, which are in effect as of the date of this Prospectus. You should consult a tax adviser about the status of your distributions from your Portfolio.

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. An exchange of a Portfolio’s shares for shares of another Portfolio will be treated as a sale of the Portfolio’s shares, and any gain on the transaction may be subject to income taxes.

Keep in mind that distributions may be taxable to you at different rates which depend on the length of time a Portfolio held the applicable investment, not the length of time that you held your Portfolio shares. The tax status of any distribution is the same regardless of how long you have been in a Portfolio and whether you reinvest your distributions or take them in cash. High portfolio turnover and more volatile markets can result in taxable distributions to shareholders, regardless of whether their shares increased in value. When you do sell your Portfolio shares, you will have a taxable capital gain or loss, unless such shares were held in an IRA or other tax-deferred account.

Federal law requires a Portfolio to withhold taxes on distributions paid to shareholders who:

 

 

fail to provide a social security number or taxpayer identification number

 

 

fail to certify that their social security number or taxpayer identification number is correct

 

 

fail to certify, or otherwise establish in accordance with applicable law, that they are exempt from withholding

30Prospectus


 

Lazard Funds Financial Highlights

 

Financial Highlights

No financial highlights are presented for the Portfolios because they had not commenced investment operations prior to the date of this Prospectus.

Prospectus31


 

Lazard Funds Other Performance of the Investment Manager

 

This is not the Portfolios’ Performance

The Portfolios’ investment objectives, policies and strategies are substantially similar to those used by the Investment Manager in advising certain discretionary accounts (“Other Accounts”). For each of the International Equity Advantage Portfolio and the Emerging Markets Equity Advantage Portfolio, there is currently only one Other Account that corresponds to the strategy employed for such Portfolio (the “International Equity Advantage Other Account” and the “Emerging Markets Equity Advantage Other Account,” respectively). The International Equity Advantage Other Account and the Emerging Markets Equity Advantage Other Account were funded by the Investment Manager and currently have $302 million and $371 million in assets under management, respectively. Each other chart below shows the historical investment performance for a composite (each, a “Composite”) of Other Accounts that correspond to the referenced Portfolio. The International Equity Other Account, Emerging Markets Equity Advantage Other Account and each Composite’s performance is compared to an appropriate securities market index (each of which is unmanaged, has no fees or costs and is not available for investment).

The Other Accounts are portfolios separate and distinct from the corresponding Portfolio. Therefore, the performance information of the Other Accounts should not be considered a substitute for a Portfolio’s own performance information, nor indicative of the future performance of the Portfolio.

Certain Other Accounts are not subject to certain investment limitations, diversification requirements and other restrictions imposed on registered investment companies, such as the Portfolios, by the 1940 Act and the Code which, if applicable, may have adversely affected the performance of the Other Accounts.

The performance results are presented net of all fees and expenses (other than custody fees except for any mutual funds, for which results include all fees). With respect to the Other Accounts that do not pay management fees, a hypothetical management fee has been deducted equal to the highest rate that would have been charged by the Investment Manager to a comparable fee-paying account. The Portfolios bear fees and operational expenses not typically borne by managed accounts such as the Other Accounts (including distribution and servicing fees of Open Shares). Performance shown below would have been lower if the Other Accounts had been subject to the fees and expenses of the corresponding Portfolio.

Additionally, although it is anticipated that each Portfolio and its corresponding Other Account(s) will hold similar securities, the investment results of a Portfolio and its corresponding Other Account(s) are expected to differ. In particular, differences in asset size and cash flows may result in different securities selections, differences in the relative weightings of securities or differences in the prices paid for particular portfolio holdings. However, such differences do not alter the conclusion that each Portfolio and its corresponding Other Account(s) have substantially similar investment objectives, policies and strategies.

Performance figures are dollar-weighted based upon beginning period market values. This calculation methodology differs from guidelines of the SEC for calculating performance of mutual funds.

32Prospectus


 

 

 

INTERNATIONAL EQUITY ADVANTAGE OTHER ACCOUNT PERFORMANCE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Average Annual Total Returns
(for the periods ended December 31, 2014)

 

Inception
Date

 

One Year

 

Three Years

 

Five Years

 

Since
Inception

 

International Equity Advantage Other Account

 

1/1/08

 

-2.37%

 

13.03%

 

7.76%

 

0.42%

 

MSCI EAFE Index*

 

N/A

 

-4.90%

 

11.06%

 

5.33%

 

-0.47%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Annual Total Returns
for the Year Ended December 31,

 

2008

 

2009

 

2010

 

2011

 

2012

 

2013

 

2014

 

International Equity Advantage Other Account

 

-46.25%

 

31.84%

 

10.81%

 

-9.18%

 

20.10%

 

23.15%

 

-2.37%

 

MSCI EAFE Index*

 

-43.38%

 

31.78%

 

7.75%

 

-12.14%

 

17.32%

 

22.78%

 

-4.90%

 

 

*

 

The MSCI EAFE Index is a broadly diversified international index comprised of equity securities of approximately 1,000 companies located in developed countries outside the United States.

MANAGED EQUITY VOLATILITY COMPOSITE PERFORMANCE OF OTHER ACCOUNTS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Average Annual Total Returns
(for the periods ended December 31, 2014)

 

Inception
Date

 

One Year

 

Three Years

 

Five Years

 

Since
Inception

 

Managed Equity Volatility Composite

 

1/1/10**

 

13.58%

 

15.49%

 

12.56%

 

12.56%

 

MSCI World Index*

 

N/A    

 

4.94%

 

15.47%

 

10.20%

 

10.20%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Annual Total Returns
for the Year Ended December 31,

 

2010

 

2011

 

2012

 

2013

 

2014

 

Managed Equity Volatility Composite

 

12.41%

 

4.34%

 

12.15%

 

20.93%

 

13.58%

 

MSCI World Index*

 

11.76%

 

-5.54%

 

15.83%

 

26.68%

 

4.94%

 

 

*

 

The MSCI World Index is a market capitalization-weighted index of companies representative of the market structure of 23 developed market countries in North America, Europe and the Asia/Pacific region.

 

**

 

Inception date of the oldest Other Account in the Managed Equity Volatility Composite.

EMERGING MARKETS EQUITY ADVANTAGE OTHER ACCOUNT PERFORMANCE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Average Annual Total Returns
(for the periods ended December 31, 2014)

 

Inception
Date

 

One Year

 

Three Years

 

Since
Inception

 

Emerging Markets Equity Advantage Other Account

 

1/1/11

 

1.92%

 

6.93%

 

1.42%

 

MSCI Emerging Markets Index*

 

N/A

 

-2.19%

 

4.04%

 

-2.10%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Annual Total Returns
for the Year Ended December 31,

 

2011

 

2012

 

2013

 

2014

 

Emerging Markets Equity Advantage Other Account

 

-13.46%

 

22.30%

 

-1.90%

 

1.92%

 

MSCI Emerging Markets Index*

 

-18.42%

 

18.22%

 

-2.60%

 

-2.19%

 

 

*

 

The MSCI Emerging Markets Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization index that is designed to measure equity market performance of emerging markets.

Prospectus33


 

For more information about the Portfolios, the following documents are available, free of charge, upon request:

Annual and Semi-Annual Reports (Reports):

The Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders contain additional information on each Portfolio’s investments. In the annual report, you will find a broad discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected each Portfolio’s performance during its last fiscal year.

Statement of Additional Information (SAI):

The SAI provides more detailed information about the Portfolios, including their operations and investment policies. It is incorporated by reference and is legally considered a part of this Prospectus.

Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings:

Each Portfolio will publicly disclose its portfolio holdings on a calendar quarter-end basis on its website accessible from http://www.lazardnet.com/lam/us/lazardfunds.shtml, approximately 14 days after such quarter end. The information will remain accessible at least until the Fund files a report on Form N-Q or Form N-CSR for the period that includes the date as of which the information was current.

A description of the Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Portfolios’ portfolio holdings is available in the Fund’s SAI.

You can get a free copy of the Reports and the SAI at http://www.LazardNet.com, or request the Reports and the SAI and other information and discuss your questions about the Portfolios, by contacting the Fund at:

The Lazard Funds, Inc.
30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, New York 10112-6300
Telephone: (800) 823-6300
http://www.LazardNet.com

You also can review the Reports and the SAI at the Public Reference Room of the SEC in Washington, D.C. For information, call (202) 551-8090. You can get text-only copies:

 

 

 

 

After paying a duplicating fee, by writing the Public Reference Branch of the SEC, 100 F Street NE, Room 1580, Washington, D.C. 20549-1520, or by e-mail request to publicinfo@sec.gov.

 

Free from the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

Investment Company Act file no. 811-06312

 

 

 

Investment Manager
Lazard Asset Management LLC
30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, New York 10112-6300
Telephone: (800) 823-6300

 

Transfer Agent and Dividend Disbursing Agent
Boston Financial Data Services, Inc.
P.O. Box 8514
Boston, Massachusetts 02266-8514
Telephone: (800) 986-3455

     

 

 

Distributor
Lazard Asset Management Securities LLC
30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, New York 10112-6300

 

Legal Counsel
Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP
180 Maiden Lane
New York, New York 10038-4982
http://www.stroock.com

     

 

 

Custodian
State Street Bank and Trust Company
One Iron Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02210

 

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
Deloitte & Touche LLP
30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York New York 10112

No person has been authorized to give any information or to make any representations not contained in this Prospectus, and information or representations not contained herein must not be relied upon as having been authorized by the Fund or the Distributor. This Prospectus does not constitute an offer of any security other than the registered securities to which it relates or an offer to any person in any jurisdiction where such offer would be unlawful.

Lazard Asset Management LLC 30 Rockefeller Plaza New York, NY 10112 www.lazardnet.com