Lazard, Inc.LAZ
Lazard, Inc. Revenue Disclosure
REVENUE RECOGNITION
The Company disaggregates revenue based on its business segment results and believes that the following information provides a reasonable representation of how performance obligations relate to the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows:
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||||||||||||||
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |||||||||||||||
| Net Revenue: | |||||||||||||||||
Financial Advisory (a) | $ | 1,834,303 | $ | 1,756,183 | $ | 1,385,357 | |||||||||||
| Asset Management: | |||||||||||||||||
| Management fees and other (b) | $ | 1,203,182 | $ | 1,135,447 | $ | 1,121,950 | |||||||||||
| Incentive fees (c) | 71,544 | 51,530 | 29,546 | ||||||||||||||
| Total Asset Management | $ | 1,274,726 | $ | 1,186,977 | $ | 1,151,496 | |||||||||||
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(a)Financial Advisory is comprised of a wide array of financial advisory services regarding M&A advisory, strategic capital solutions, shareholder advisory, sovereign advisory, geopolitical advisory, restructuring and liability management, capital raising and placement, and other strategic advisory work for clients. The benefits of these advisory services are generally transferred to the Company’s clients over time, and consideration for these advisory services typically includes transaction completion, transaction announcement and retainer fees. Retainer fees are generally fixed and recognized over the period in which the advisory services are performed. However, transaction announcement and transaction completion fees are variable and subject to constraints, and they are typically not recognized until there is an announcement date or a completion date, respectively, due to the uncertainty associated with those events. Therefore, in any given period, advisory fees recognized for certain transactions may relate to services performed in prior periods. The advisory fees that may be unrecognized as of the end of a reporting period, primarily comprised of fees associated with transaction announcements and transaction completions, generally remain unrecognized due to the uncertainty associated with those events.
(b)Management fees and other is primarily comprised of management services. The benefits of these management services are transferred to the Company’s clients over time. Consideration for these management services generally includes management fees, which are based on assets under management and recognized over the period in which the management services are performed. The selling or distribution of fund interests is a separate performance obligation within management fees and other, and the benefits of such services are transferred to the Company’s clients at the point in time that such fund interests are sold or distributed.
(c)Incentive fees is primarily comprised of management services. The benefits of these management services are transferred to the Company’s clients over time. Consideration for these management services is generally variable and includes performance or incentive fees. The fees allocated to these management services that are unrecognized as of
the end of the reporting period are generally amounts that are subject to constraints due to the uncertainty associated with performance targets and clawbacks.
In addition to the above, contracts with clients include trade-based commission income, which is recognized at the point in time of execution and presented within other revenue. Such income may be earned by providing trade facilitation, execution, clearance and settlement, custody, and trade administration services to clients.
With regard to the disclosure requirement for remaining performance obligations, the Company elected the practical expedients permitted in the guidance to (i) exclude contracts with a duration of one year or less; and (ii) exclude variable consideration, such as transaction completion and transaction announcement fees, that is allocated entirely to unsatisfied performance obligations. Excluded variable consideration typically relates to contracts with a duration of one year or less, and is generally constrained due to uncertainties.
At December 31, 2025, the Company had deferred revenue of $139,022 included in “other liabilities” on the consolidated statements of financial condition. During the year ended December 31, 2025, the Company recognized $32,558 in revenue that was included in the deferred revenue balance as of December 31, 2024 of $136,536.
Historical Timeline
| Fiscal Year | Filed | |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Feb 23, 2026 | Showing above |
| 2024 | Feb 24, 2025 | |
| 2023 | Feb 23, 2024 | |
| 2022 | Feb 23, 2023 | |
| 2021 | Feb 28, 2022 | |
| 2020 | Feb 26, 2021 | |
| 2019 | Feb 25, 2020 | |
| 2018 | Feb 26, 2019 | |
About Revenue Disclosures
Revenue disclosures under ASC 606 explain how a company identifies performance obligations, allocates transaction prices, and determines when revenue is recognized. This section is essential for understanding whether reported revenue reflects genuine economic activity or aggressive accounting choices. Analysts examine the mix of point-in-time versus over-time recognition, which directly affects revenue timing and comparability.
Key signals: rising contract liabilities (deferred revenue) suggest strong future revenue visibility, while declining contract assets may indicate slowing project milestones. Watch for variable consideration estimates — rebates, returns, and performance bonuses that require management judgment. Significant changes in disaggregated revenue by geography or product line can reveal shifting business mix before it appears in headline numbers. Compare revenue growth against contract liability growth to assess sustainability, and scrutinize any changes in the timing of recognition that coincide with earnings pressure.