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Lazard Retirement International Small Cap Equity Portfolio
Lazard Retirement International Small Cap Equity 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, hold and sell shares of the Portfolio, a series of Lazard Retirement Series, Inc., but does not reflect the fees or charges imposed by the separate accounts of certain insurance companies (the “Participating Insurance Companies”) under variable annuity contracts or variable life insurance policies (the “Policies” and each, a “Policy”). If such fees and charges were reflected, the figures in the table would be higher.

Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Annual Fund Operating Expenses - Lazard Retirement International Small Cap Equity Portfolio
Service
Investor
Management Fees 0.75% 0.75%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees 0.25% none
Other Expenses [1] 0.17% 0.17%
Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses 1.17% 0.92%
[1] Based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year.
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. The Example does not reflect fees and expenses imposed by the Participating Insurance Companies under the Policies; if they were reflected, the figures in the Example would be higher. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Expense Example - Lazard Retirement International Small Cap Equity Portfolio - USD ($)
Service
Investor
1 Year $ 119 $ 94
3 Years $ 372 $ 293
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. 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.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Portfolio invests primarily in equity securities, principally common stocks, of relatively small non-US companies that Lazard Asset Management LLC (the “Investment Manager”) believes are undervalued based on their earnings, cash flow or asset values. The Investment Manager considers “small non-US companies” to be those non-US companies with market capitalizations, at the time of initial purchase by the Portfolio, below $5 billion and above $300 million or in the range of companies included in the MSCI EAFE Small Cap Index (based on

market capitalization of the Index as a whole, which ranged from approximately $170.7 million to $9.2 billion as of March 31, 2024).

In choosing stocks for the Portfolio, the Investment Manager looks for smaller, well-managed non-US companies that the Investment Manager believes have the potential for growth. Under normal circumstances, the Portfolio invests at least 80% of its assets in equity securities of small cap companies.

The Portfolio may invest up to 25% of its assets in securities of companies whose principal business activities are located in emerging market countries, although the allocation of the Portfolio’s assets to emerging market countries may vary from time to time. Implementation of the Portfolio’s investment strategy may, during certain periods, result in the investment of a significant portion of the Portfolio’s assets in a particular country.

Principal Investment Risks
Risk Table - Lazard Retirement International Small Cap Equity Portfolio
Risk [Text Block]
Risk Lose Money [Member]

The value of your investment in the Portfolio will fluctuate, which means you could lose money.
Market Risk

Market Risk: The Portfolio may incur losses due to declines in one or more markets in which it invests. These declines may be the result of, among other things, political, regulatory, market, economic or social developments affecting the relevant market(s). To the extent that such developments impact specific industries, market sectors, countries or geographic regions, the Portfolio’s investments in such industries, market sectors, countries and/or geographic regions can be expected to be particularly affected, especially if such investments are a significant portion of its investment portfolio. 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. Global economies and financial markets are increasingly interconnected, and conditions and events in one country, region or financial market may adversely impact issuers worldwide. As a result, local, regional or global events such as war or military conflict, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, social unrest, supply chain disruptions, government defaults, government shutdowns, the imposition of sanctions and other similar measures, recessions or other events could have a significant negative impact on global economic and market conditions. For example, a public health or other emergency and aggressive responses taken by many governments or voluntarily imposed by private parties, including closing borders, restricting travel and imposing prolonged quarantines or similar restrictions, as well as the closure of, or operational changes to, many retail and other businesses, may have severe negative impacts on markets worldwide. Additionally, general market conditions may affect the value of a Portfolio’s securities, including changes in interest rates, currency rates or monetary policies.
Issuer Risk

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.
Small and Mid Cap Companies Risk

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.
Non-US Securities Risk

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. Non-US securities may be subject to economic sanctions or other similar governmental actions or developments, which could, among other things, effectively restrict or eliminate the Portfolio’s ability to purchase or sell certain foreign securities. To the extent the

Portfolio holds securities subject to such actions, the securities may become difficult to value and/or less liquid (or illiquid). In some cases, the securities may become worthless.

Emerging Market Risk

Emerging Market Risk: Emerging market countries 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 and less liquid than more developed markets. These market conditions may continue or worsen. Investments in these countries may be subject to political, economic, legal, market and currency risks. Significant devaluation of emerging market currencies against the US dollar may occur subsequent to acquisition of investments denominated in emerging market currencies.
Foreign Currency Risk

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 Portfolio’s investments denominated in such currencies (particularly currencies of emerging markets countries), as well as any investments in currencies themselves, could be adversely affected by delays in, or a refusal to grant, repatriation of funds or conversion of currencies. Irrespective of any foreign currency exposure hedging, the Portfolio may experience a decline in the value of its portfolio securities, 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.
Value Investing Risk

Value Investing Risk: Value investments are believed by the Investment Manager to be undervalued, but may not realize their perceived value for extended periods of time or may never realize their perceived value. These securities may respond differently to market and other developments than other types of securities.
Sector Risk

Sector Risk: Implementation of the Portfolio’s investment strategy may, during certain periods, result in the investment of a significant portion of the Portfolio’s assets in a particular market sector, such as companies in the industrials sector, and the Portfolio would be expected to be affected by developments in that sector. Companies in the industrials sector can be significantly affected by, among other things: supply and demand for products and services, product obsolescence, government regulation, changes in commodity prices, claims for environmental damage and product liability and imposition of import controls.

Country Risk

Country Risk: Implementation of the Portfolio’s investment strategy may, during certain periods, result in the investment of a significant portion of the Portfolio’s assets in a particular country, such as Japan, and the Portfolio would be expected to be affected by political, regulatory, market, economic and social developments affecting that country. Over the last few decades, Japan’s economic growth rate had remained relatively low compared to that of its Asian neighbors and other major developed economies mainly due to deflation. Japan has few natural resources and limited land area and is reliant on imports for its commodity needs. Fluctuations or shortages in relevant commodity markets could have a negative impact on Japan’s economy. The Japanese economy also can be adversely affected by trade tariffs, other protectionist measures, competition from emerging economies, and the economic conditions of its trading partners. Japan has a growing economic relationship with China and other Southeast Asian countries, and economic, political or social instability in those countries could have an adverse effect on Japan’s economy. The Japanese yen has fluctuated widely at times, and any increase in the yen’s value may cause a decline in Japan’s exports.

Securities Selection Risk

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.lazardassetmanagement.com or by calling (800) 823-6300. The Portfolio’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Portfolio will perform in the future.