Could General Kurilla’s Appointment Shape Lazard’s (LAZ) Edge in Geopolitical Advisory?

• Lazard, Inc. recently appointed retired four-star U.S. Army General Michael “Erik” Kurilla as Senior Advisor in its Geopolitical Advisory group to deepen the firm’s expertise in global strategy and political risk.
• This move strengthens Lazard’s ability to counsel clients on complex geopolitical issues, leveraging General Kurilla’s experience across the Middle East, Central Asia, and beyond.
• We’ll explore how the addition of General Kurilla to Lazard’s advisory roster may influence its long-term global expansion narrative.

Outshine the giants: these 24 early-stage AI stocks could fund your retirement.

Lazard Investment Narrative Recap

To own shares of Lazard, an investor needs to believe in the firm’s ability to drive long-term value from global advisory and asset management operations, despite periodic short-term headwinds. The recent appointment of General Kurilla strengthens Lazard’s geopolitical expertise, which may support the firm’s push for deeper client engagement in growth regions, but it does not materially alter the most pressing near-term risk: elevated costs from expansion outpacing immediate revenue gains.

Relevant to this, Lazard’s ongoing expansion, such as opening a new advisory office in Abu Dhabi, continues to increase short-term operating expenses, highlighting management’s willingness to invest in strategic markets. While these moves may contribute to future growth, investors should watch for any signs that higher costs begin to pressure profit margins, especially before benefits from these initiatives fully materialize.

However, investors should also be aware that, in contrast to the global expansion ambitions, Lazard’s rising cost base…

Read the full narrative on Lazard (it’s free!)

Lazard’s narrative projects $4.2 billion revenue and $620.0 million earnings by 2028. This requires 11.3% yearly revenue growth and a $317.5 million earnings increase from $302.5 million today.

Uncover how Lazard’s forecasts yield a $60.17 fair value, a 24% upside to its current price.

Exploring Other Perspectives

Four members of the Simply Wall St Community estimate Lazard’s fair value to be between US$47 and US$70 per share. Meanwhile, ongoing investments in teams and new markets could limit near-term profitability, so it’s worth weighing several viewpoints on how expansion impacts future performance.

Explore 4 other fair value estimates on Lazard – why the stock might be worth just $47.00!

Build Your Own Lazard Narrative

Disagree with existing narratives? Create your own in under 3 minutes – extraordinary investment returns rarely come from following the herd.

• A great starting point for your Lazard research is our analysis highlighting 4 key rewards and 3 important warning signs that could impact your investment decision.
• Our free Lazard research report provides a comprehensive fundamental analysis summarized in a single visual – the Snowflake – making it easy to evaluate Lazard’s overall financial health at a glance.

Ready To Venture Into Other Investment Styles?

Markets shift fast. These stocks won’t stay hidden for long. Get the list while it matters:

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

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com