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Lazard, Inc.: Q3 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 23 October 2025: press release. Guidance figures: 2 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Record adjusted revenue for the quarter: Adjusted net revenue was $725 million, up 12% from a year earlier and down 6% from the second quarter. U.S. GAAP net revenue was $748 million, down 5% year over year. Source
  • GAAP net income down, adjusted up: U.S. GAAP net income was $71 million, or $0.65 diluted, down 34%. Adjusted net income was $62 million, or $0.56 diluted, up 56%. Adjusted diluted EPS rose 47% from $0.38. Source
  • Financial Advisory revenue up 14%: Financial Advisory adjusted net revenue was $422 million, 14% above a year earlier and 14% below the second quarter’s $491 million. GAAP net revenue was $427 million. Source
  • Asset Management adjusted revenue up 8%: Asset Management adjusted net revenue was $294 million, up 8% year over year and up 10% from the second quarter. Management fees and other revenue, adjusted, were $285 million. Source
  • Adjusted compensation ratio at 65.5%: Adjusted compensation and benefits were $475 million, up 11%. The adjusted compensation ratio was 65.5%, compared with 66.0% a year earlier. Source
  • Nine-month non-compensation ratio higher: For the first nine months, the adjusted non-compensation ratio was 21.2%, against 20.3%, while the adjusted compensation ratio was 65.5%, against 66.0%. Source
  • AUM rose on market appreciation: Sequential AUM growth from June 30 was driven by market appreciation of $12.0 billion and net inflows of $4.6 billion, partly offset by $0.4 billion of foreign exchange depreciation. Source

“Lazard’s long-term growth strategy continues to build momentum and produce results, with record Financial Advisory revenue and record Asset Management inflows year-to-date,”

Peter R. Orszag, CEO and Chairman

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Adjusted compensation ratio SourceGoal; timing depends on market conditions60% or belowKept
Adjusted non-compensation ratio SourceGoal; timing depends on market conditions16% to 20%Kept

What changed from last quarter

  • New: Chris Hogbin is to join as CEO of Asset Management later this year. Source
  • Ended: An executive officer is departing. Adjusted results exclude $6,148 thousand of senior management transition expenses recorded in the quarter. Source
  • New: Financial Advisory hired 20 Managing Directors year to date, compared with 14 in the second-quarter release. Source

Firmwide results and earnings

  • Record adjusted revenue for the quarter: Adjusted net revenue was $725 million, up 12% from a year earlier and down 6% from the second quarter. U.S. GAAP net revenue was $748 million, down 5% year over year. Source
  • GAAP net income down, adjusted up: U.S. GAAP net income was $71 million, or $0.65 diluted, down 34%. Adjusted net income was $62 million, or $0.56 diluted, up 56%. Adjusted diluted EPS rose 47% from $0.38. Source
  • Nine-month revenue and diluted EPS: For the first nine months, U.S. GAAP net revenue was $2,192 million, down 2%, and adjusted net revenue was $2,138 million, up 3%. U.S. GAAP diluted EPS was $1.72, down 9%; adjusted diluted EPS was $1.64, up 6%. Source
  • Adjusted diluted share count rose: Adjusted diluted weighted average shares were 110,354,682 for the quarter, up 3% from the second quarter and 5% from a year earlier. Source

Financial Advisory and Asset Management

  • Financial Advisory revenue up 14%: Financial Advisory adjusted net revenue was $422 million, 14% above a year earlier and 14% below the second quarter’s $491 million. GAAP net revenue was $427 million. Source
  • Asset Management adjusted revenue up 8%: Asset Management adjusted net revenue was $294 million, up 8% year over year and up 10% from the second quarter. Management fees and other revenue, adjusted, were $285 million. Source
  • Incentive fees rose to $9 million: Adjusted incentive fees were $9 million in the quarter, against $3 million a year earlier. Nine-month adjusted incentive fees were $21 million, compared with $13 million. Source
  • Nine-month segment revenue: Nine-month adjusted net revenue was $1,283 million for Financial Advisory, up 5%, and $827 million for Asset Management, up 2%. Source

“We see an increasingly constructive environment for both of our businesses, with substantial client engagement firmwide.”

Peter R. Orszag, CEO and Chairman

Deals and client mandates

  • Keurig Dr. Pepper and JDE Peet’s deal: Lazard highlights Keurig Dr. Pepper’s $23 billion acquisition of JDE Peet’s, with a planned separation into two independent companies afterward. Source
  • Boston Celtics majority stake deal: Lazard advised Sixth Street on its investment, with a consortium led by William Chisholm, in a majority controlling interest in the Boston Celtics, valued at $6.1 billion. Source
  • Restructuring mandates in debtor roles: The restructuring practice has debtor roles including Altice France, First Brands Group, Grapevine Energy and Victoria, and creditor roles for Anthology, CityFibre and Saks Global. Source
  • Caithness Energy asset sale to Talen: Lazard advised Caithness Energy on multiple transactions, including a $3.8 billion sale of assets to Talen Energy. Source

Costs, margins and taxes

  • Adjusted compensation ratio at 65.5%: Adjusted compensation and benefits were $475 million, up 11%. The adjusted compensation ratio was 65.5%, compared with 66.0% a year earlier. Source
  • Adjusted non-compensation expenses up 8%: Adjusted non-compensation expenses were $149 million, up 8%. The adjusted non-compensation ratio was 20.5%, against 21.4% a year earlier. Source
  • Nine-month non-compensation ratio higher: For the first nine months, the adjusted non-compensation ratio was 21.2%, against 20.3%, while the adjusted compensation ratio was 65.5%, against 66.0%. Source
  • Adjusted operating margin 14.0%: Adjusted operating income was $101 million, a 14.0% margin, against 12.6% a year earlier and 14.1% in the second quarter. The nine-month adjusted operating margin was 13.3%. Source
  • GAAP includes TRA revaluation benefit: U.S. GAAP results include a $20,146 thousand benefit from revaluing the tax receivable agreement liability. Adjusted results exclude this item. Source
  • Effective tax rates on both bases: The third-quarter provision was $21 million on a U.S. GAAP basis and $17 million adjusted, equal to effective rates of 22.6% GAAP and 21.4% adjusted. Source

Assets under management and flows

  • AUM rose on market appreciation: Sequential AUM growth from June 30 was driven by market appreciation of $12.0 billion and net inflows of $4.6 billion, partly offset by $0.4 billion of foreign exchange depreciation. Source
  • Nine-month average AUM lower: Average AUM for the first nine months was $242 billion, 2% lower than a year earlier. Source
  • Net flows against prior year: Third-quarter net flows of $4.6 billion compare with outflows of $12.4 billion in the third quarter of 2024; nine-month outflows last year were $25.6 billion. Source

Capital returns and balance sheet

  • Third-quarter shareholder returns of $60 million: In the third quarter the company returned $60 million: $47 million in dividends, $1 million in repurchases, and $12 million for employee tax obligations on vested equity. Source
  • Nine-month shareholder returns of $295 million: Nine-month returns were $295 million, including $139 million in dividends, $41 million in repurchases and $115 million for employee tax obligations. Source
  • Repurchase authorization near $159 million: The remaining share repurchase authorization was approximately $159 million at September 30, 2025. Source
  • Cash and equivalents at $1,172 million: Cash and cash equivalents were $1,172 million at September 30, 2025, up from $978 million at June 30, 2025. Source

Coming up, as management said on 23 October 2025

  • Quarterly dividend payable November 14: The $0.50 per share quarterly dividend declared October 22, 2025 is payable November 14, 2025, to holders of record on November 3, 2025. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Ending AUM Source$265 billion
Average AUM, third quarter Source$257 billion
Net flows, first nine months Source$1.6 billion

Risks management discussed

  • Operational: Management cites current conditions in the market for talent as a factor in balancing the compensation ratio against long-term shareholder value. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.