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Lazard, Inc.: Q2 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 23 July 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 raised, 3 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net revenue rose on Asset Management: Net revenue was $808 million, up 1% year on year, and adjusted net revenue was $786 million, up 2%, as Asset Management growth offset lower Financial Advisory revenue. Source
  • GAAP net income fell to $5 million: Net income on a U.S. GAAP basis was $5 million, or $0.03 diluted, compared with $55 million, or $0.52, a year earlier. Adjusted net income was $13 million, or $0.12 diluted. Source
  • Asset Management adjusted revenue up 23%: Adjusted Asset Management net revenue was $331 million, up 23%, and GAAP net revenue was $351 million, up 20%, for the second quarter. Source
  • Average AUM reached $279 billion: Average AUM was $279 billion, up 17% year on year and 5% on the first quarter. Source
  • Adjusted compensation ratio rose to 69.9%: Adjusted compensation and benefits were $550 million, up 9% from $504 million a year earlier, giving an adjusted compensation ratio of 69.9%. Source
  • Adjusted operating margin fell to 8.3%: Adjusted operating income was $65 million, down 40% from $108 million a year earlier, giving an adjusted operating margin of 8.3% against 14.1%. Source
  • Quarter tax rate elevated: The adjusted effective tax rate was 69.7% for the quarter and 19.2% for the first half. GAAP effective tax rates were 63.5% and 10.1%. Source

“In Asset Management, we delivered our best first-half net inflows in nearly 20 years and reached record reported AUM, providing clear evidence of the inflection we anticipated.”

Peter R. Orszag, CEO and Chairman

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Adjusted compensation ratio (Lazard 2030 objective) SourceLazard 2030 objective; timing depends on market conditions60% or belowKept
Adjusted non-compensation ratio (Lazard 2030 objective) SourceLazard 2030 objective; timing depends on market conditions16% to 20%Kept
Quarterly dividend per share SourcePayable August 14, 2026$0.50 per shareKept
Share repurchase authorization SourceThrough December 31, 2028$200 million of additional repurchases; total outstanding authorization about $257 millionRaised from About $107 million total outstanding authorization

What changed from last quarter

  • New: Lazard acquired a controlling interest in Elaia Partners, adding about $1.0 billion to AUM in the quarter. Source

Second quarter headline results

  • Net revenue rose on Asset Management: Net revenue was $808 million, up 1% year on year, and adjusted net revenue was $786 million, up 2%, as Asset Management growth offset lower Financial Advisory revenue. Source
  • GAAP net income fell to $5 million: Net income on a U.S. GAAP basis was $5 million, or $0.03 diluted, compared with $55 million, or $0.52, a year earlier. Adjusted net income was $13 million, or $0.12 diluted. Source
  • First-half revenue and adjusted earnings: First-half net revenue was $1,564 million, up 8%, and adjusted net revenue was $1,459 million, up 3%. First-half adjusted diluted EPS was $0.54. Source
  • Edgewater gain in GAAP revenue: GAAP net revenue for the first half included a non-cash gain on the sale and deconsolidation of Edgewater management vehicles. The company excluded the gain from adjusted results. Source

Financial Advisory revenue and mandates

  • Advisory revenue fell 9% year on year: Financial Advisory net revenue was $450 million on a U.S. GAAP basis and $445 million adjusted, both 9% lower than the second quarter of 2025. Source
  • Advisory revenue rose from first quarter: Adjusted Financial Advisory net revenue was $356 million in the first quarter and $445 million in the second. First-half adjusted revenue was $801 million, 7% lower. Source
  • NextEra and Dominion combination: Management said Lazard advised NextEra Energy on its combination with Dominion Energy, during and since the quarter, with a combined enterprise value of $420 billion. Source
  • Eight biopharma deals over $1 billion: Management said Lazard advised on eight announced biopharma transactions over $1 billion, including Vertex's $10 billion acquisition of Crinetics Pharmaceuticals. Source
  • Restructuring and debtor mandates: The restructuring and liability management practice took debtor roles including Deutsche Glasfaser, Republic National Distributing Company, Searles Valley Minerals and Xerox Holdings. Source

“In Financial Advisory, we achieved our strongest announced half-year league table position since 2014”

Peter R. Orszag, CEO and Chairman

Asset Management fees and AUM

  • Asset Management adjusted revenue up 23%: Adjusted Asset Management net revenue was $331 million, up 23%, and GAAP net revenue was $351 million, up 20%, for the second quarter. Source
  • Management fees rose on AUM growth: Adjusted management fees were $310 million, up 5% on the first quarter. Adjusted incentive fees were $5 million and other revenue was $16 million. Source
  • Average AUM reached $279 billion: Average AUM was $279 billion, up 17% year on year and 5% on the first quarter. Source
  • Ending AUM up 15% year on year: Ending AUM was $285 billion, 15% higher than a year earlier and 10% above March 31, 2026, with market appreciation of $27.1 billion in the quarter. Source
  • Quarter flows negative, market gains: The sequential AUM change combined market appreciation with net outflows of $1.6 billion in the second quarter. Source
  • First-half net inflows of $7.4 billion: First-half average AUM was $271 billion, up 16% year on year, with positive net flows of $7.4 billion. Source

Asset class mix

  • Emerging markets AUM up 54.6%: Emerging Markets AUM was $51.2 billion, up 54.6% year on year, and Global / International AUM was $136.7 billion, up 28.0%. Source
  • Alternatives and multi asset growth: Alternative Investments AUM was $10.8 billion, up 25.8% on March 31, 2026, and up 15.7% year on year. Source
  • Equity and fixed income balances: Total Equity AUM was $214.4 billion, up 19.3% year on year, and Fixed Income AUM was $35.0 billion. Source

“This quarter's earnings were impacted by an elevated tax rate, which is not indicative of the full-year rate.”

Tracy Farr, CFO

Compensation and benefits costs

  • Adjusted compensation ratio rose to 69.9%: Adjusted compensation and benefits were $550 million, up 9% from $504 million a year earlier, giving an adjusted compensation ratio of 69.9%. Source
  • Ratio used to manage costs: Management said the adjusted compensation ratio is the measure it uses to manage costs. Source
  • GAAP compensation rose to $562 million: U.S. GAAP compensation and benefits were $562 million for the quarter, up 14% on the first quarter and 8% on a year earlier. Source
  • First-half compensation ratio held at 69.9%: The first-half adjusted compensation ratio was 69.9%, compared with 65.5% in the first half of 2025. Source

Non-compensation expenses

  • Adjusted non-compensation expenses up 9%: Adjusted non-compensation expenses were $172 million, up 9%, and the adjusted non-compensation ratio was 21.8%, against 20.4% a year earlier. Source
  • GAAP non-compensation expenses up 13%: U.S. GAAP non-compensation expenses were $208 million for the quarter, with professional services and fund administration among the lines that rose. Source
  • First-half non-compensation ratio at 22.0%: The first-half adjusted non-compensation ratio was 22.0%, compared with 21.6% in the first half of 2025. Source
  • Sequential rise in adjusted costs: Adjusted non-compensation expenses rose from $149 million in the first quarter to $172 million in the second. Source

Operating margin and tax rate

  • Adjusted operating margin fell to 8.3%: Adjusted operating income was $65 million, down 40% from $108 million a year earlier, giving an adjusted operating margin of 8.3% against 14.1%. Source
  • First-half margin at 8.1%: First-half adjusted operating income was $119 million, down 35%, and the adjusted operating margin was 8.1%, compared with 12.9%. Source
  • Quarter tax rate elevated: The adjusted effective tax rate was 69.7% for the quarter and 19.2% for the first half. GAAP effective tax rates were 63.5% and 10.1%. Source
  • Equity award catch-up in tax rate: Management said the quarter's rate includes anomalous factors, and that it is not the expected full-year rate. Source

Capital returns and balance sheet

  • Quarter returns of $103 million: Returns in the quarter were $49 million in dividends, $50 million in repurchases and $4 million in employee tax obligations on vesting grants. Source
  • First-half returns of $277 million: First-half returns included $96 million of dividends, $52 million of repurchases and $129 million of tax obligations on vesting equity. Source
  • Shares repurchased at $43.79 average: Lazard repurchased 1.2 million shares in the first half at an average price of $43.79. Source
  • Cash and equivalents of $1.1 billion: Cash and cash equivalents were $1,100 million at June 30, 2026. Source
  • Senior debt and other liabilities: Senior debt was $1,690 million at June 30, 2026, against $1,688 million at December 31, 2025. Source

Strategy, talent and acquisition

  • Progress toward Lazard 2030 objectives: Management said Lazard continues to progress toward its 2030 objectives, with underlying trends reinforcing confidence in its long-term growth strategy. Source
  • Campbell Lutyens acquisition costs: Expenses tied to the pending Campbell Lutyens acquisition were $8.8 million in the quarter and $11.2 million for the first half, excluded from adjusted results. Source
  • Private capital advisory assignments: Private Capital Advisory assignments included continuation funds for Corsair Capital, G Square and Verdane Capital. The practice gives access to a broad universe of capital providers. Source
  • Repositioning of advisory talent: Management said it is exiting the most substantial period of repositioning its advisory talent. Source
  • Executive departure costs: Expenses tied to the departure of certain executive officers were $2.8 million in the second quarter and $16.7 million in the first quarter. Source

Coming up, as management said on 23 July 2026

  • Dividend payment on August 14: The $0.50 dividend declared July 22 is payable August 14, 2026, to holders of record on August 3, 2026. Source
  • Growth investments to mature into earnings: The CFO said the benefits of the company's growth investments are expected to increasingly mature into earnings. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Total AUM at period end Source$284,650 million at June 30, 2026
Average AUM Source$279,116 million for the second quarter; $271,166 million for the first half
Net flows SourceNet outflows of $1,614 million in the second quarter; net inflows of $7,391 million in the first half

Risks management discussed

  • External: Foreign exchange depreciation reduced AUM by $1.1 billion in the quarter. Source
  • Operational: Management cited current conditions in the talent market as a factor it balances when managing compensation costs. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management said earlier investments to strengthen MD talent are moving from a headwind to a tailwind for productivity and revenue growth. Source
  • Not stated: Management tied its focus on operational efficiency to its path toward long-term profitability and 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.