The
Portfolio invests primarily in equity securities, principally common stocks, of infrastructure companies
and concentrates its investments in industries represented by infrastructure companies. Lazard Asset
Management LLC
(the “Investment Manager”) focuses on companies with a minimum market capitalization of $250
million that own physical infrastructure and which the Investment Manager believes are undervalued. Under
normal circumstances, the Portfolio invests at least 80% of its assets in equity securities of infrastructure
companies, which consist of utilities, pipelines, toll roads, airports, railroads, ports, telecommunications
and other infrastructure companies, with securities listed on a national or other recognized securities
exchange. Under normal market conditions, the Portfolio invests significantly (at least
40%—unless market conditions are not deemed favorable by the Investment Manager, in which case
the Portfolio would invest at least 30%) in infrastructure companies organized or located outside the
US or doing a substantial amount of business outside the US. The Investment Manager allocates the Portfolio’s
assets among various regions and countries, including the United States (but in no less than three different
countries). The Portfolio may invest in equity securities of companies with some business activities
located in emerging market countries. The Investment Manager generally seeks to substantially hedge
foreign currency exposure in the Portfolio against movements relative to the US dollar by entering into
foreign currency forward contracts, although the Portfolio’s total foreign currency exposure may
not be fully hedged at all times. As part of its investment strategy, the Portfolio may use
repurchase agreements or money market mutual funds to maximize the value of its assets held in cash. Although
the Portfolio is classified as “diversified” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended, it may invest in a smaller number of issuers than other, more diversified investment portfolios.
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Risk Table - Lazard Retirement Global Listed Infrastructure Portfolio
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Risk [Text Block] |
| Risk Lose Money [Member] |
The value of your investment in the Portfolio will fluctuate, which means you
could lose money.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| Infrastructure Companies Risk |
Infrastructure
Companies Risk: Securities and instruments of infrastructure companies, which consist of utilities,
pipelines, toll roads, airports, railroads, ports, telecommunications and other infrastructure companies,
are more susceptible to adverse economic or regulatory occurrences affecting their industries. Infrastructure
companies may be subject to a variety of factors that may adversely affect their business or operations,
including high interest costs in connection with capital construction programs, high leverage, costs
associated with environmental and other regulations, the effects of economic slowdown, surplus capacity,
increased competition from other providers of services, uncertainties concerning the availability of
fuel at reasonable prices, the effects of energy conservation policies and other factors. Infrastructure
companies also may be affected by or subject to, among other factors, regulation by various government
authorities, including rate regulation, and service interruption due to environmental, operational or
other mishaps.
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| Repurchase Agreements Risk |
Repurchase Agreements Risk: The Portfolio may enter into certain types
of repurchase agreements or purchase and sale contracts. Under a repurchase agreement, the seller agrees
to repurchase a security (typically a security issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government) at a mutually
agreed upon time and price. This insulates the Portfolio from changes in the market value of the security
during the period. A purchase and sale contract is similar to a repurchase agreement, but purchase and
sale contracts provide that the purchaser receives any interest on the security paid during the period.
If the seller fails to repurchase the security in either situation and the market value declines, the
Portfolio may lose money.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| Forward Currency Contracts and Currency Hedging Risk |
Forward Currency
Contracts and Currency Hedging Risk: Forward currency contracts, including those entered into
for hedging purposes (i.e., seeking to protect Portfolio investments),
may increase volatility, reduce returns, limit gains or magnify losses, perhaps substantially, particularly
since forward currency contracts, like most derivative instruments, have a leverage component that provides
investment exposure in excess of the amount invested. Forward currency contracts are subject to the risks
of the creditworthiness of and default by the counterparty and consequently may lose all or a portion
of their value due solely to the creditworthiness of or default by the counterparty.
Forward currency contracts also may be illiquid. Changes in liquidity may result in significant, rapid
and unpredictable changes in the value of such contracts. Forward currency contracts are subject to many
of the risks of, and can be highly sensitive to changes in the value of, the related currencies. As such,
a small investment could have a potentially large impact on the Portfolio’s performance. Forward
currency contracts incur costs, which reduce returns, and costs of engaging in such transactions may
outweigh any gains or any losses averted from hedging activities. Successful use of forward currency
contracts, whether for hedging or for other investment purposes, is subject to the Investment Manager’s
ability to accurately predict movements in currency exchange rates and, for hedging transactions, there
may be imperfect correlations between movements in exchange rates that could cause the Portfolio to incur
significant losses. Use of forward currency contracts, even if entered into for hedging purposes, may
cause the Portfolio to experience losses greater than if the Portfolio had not engaged in such transactions.
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| 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.
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| Large Cap Companies Risk |
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.
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| Focused Investing Risk |
Focused Investing Risk: The Portfolio’s
net asset value may be more vulnerable to changes in the market value of a single issuer or group of
issuers and may be relatively more susceptible to adverse effects from any single corporate, industry,
economic, market, political or regulatory occurrence than if the Portfolio’s investments consisted
of securities issued by a larger number of issuers.
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| 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.
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