Paul Cuddy
Lazard Asset Management (LAM) has announced the Australian launch of the Lazard Emerging Markets Equity Advantage Fund (“Fund”)[1], allowing retail investor access for the first time to this long running quantitative solution in emerging market equities.
The Fund will be managed by Lazard’s highly experienced Equity Advantage team, which has been with LAM since 2007 and currently oversees US$35 billion for clients worldwide[2]. The team combines proprietary quantitative insights with perspectives from Lazard’s global network of fundamental investors.
The investment strategy behind this Fund has been managed by Lazard since 2011, and it has a track record that is distinguished by its consistency of returns and history of generating alpha[3].
“Our Equity Advantage team continues to attract interest from investors around the world, including in Australia. The team has a track record of delivering consistent outperformance, particularly in inefficient markets like global small caps and emerging markets,” said Paul Cuddy, CEO, LAM Asia Pacific. “By balancing exposures to key investment styles and controlling benchmark-related risks, the strategy has a history of performing in a wide range of market conditions.”
“We believe this Fund that uses a quantitatively based investment process will be a complement to the Lazard Emerging Markets Fund, which employs an actively managed fundamental approach. The Lazard Emerging Markets Fund has been available in Australia since 1997 and has a strong track record, including being recognised as an award-winning fund4.”
LAM’s Equity Advantage Team evaluates each company’s growth potential, valuation, market sentiment and financial quality relative to each company’s global peers. The number of securities held in the Fund will generally range from 175 to 300. Portfolio risks are managed by maintaining exposures that are similar to the benchmark including region, industry, country and capitalisation.
The Equity Advantage team also manages the Lazard Global Small Cap Equity Advantage Fund and the Lazard Global Equity Advantage Fundavailable for Australian wholesale and retail investors[1].
———-