Lazard Retirement Series                                  May 1, 2024
Summary Prospectus

Before you invest, you may want to review the Portfolio’s Prospectus, which contains more information about the Portfolio and its risks. The Portfolio’s Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”), both dated May 1, 2024 (as revised or supplemented), are incorporated by reference into this Summary Prospectus. You can find the Portfolio’s Prospectus, SAI and other information about the Portfolio online at https://www.lazardassetmanagement.com/us/en_us/funds/list/mutual-funds/42. You can also get this information at no cost by calling (800) 823-6300 or by sending an e-mail request to Contact.US@Lazard.com.

Lazard Retirement Emerging Markets 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.

         

 

 

Service Shares

 

Investor Shares

Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Management Fees

 

1.00%

 

1.00%

Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees

 

.25%

 

None

Other Expenses

 

.17%

 

.17%

Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses

 

1.42%

 

1.17%

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:

               

 

 

 

 

1 year

3 years

5 years

10 years

Service Shares

$ 145

$ 449

$ 776

$ 1,702

Investor Shares

$ 119

$ 372

$ 644

$ 1,420

               


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. During the most recent fiscal year, the Portfolio’s portfolio turnover rate was 25% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Portfolio invests primarily in equity securities, principally common stocks, of non-US companies whose principal activities are located in emerging market countries and that Lazard Asset Management LLC (the “Investment Manager”) believes are undervalued based on their earnings, cash flow or asset values.

Emerging market countries include all countries represented by the MSCI Emerging Markets Index, which currently includes: Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Egypt, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Korea, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey and United Arab Emirates.

Under normal circumstances, the Portfolio invests at least 80% of its assets in equity securities of companies whose principal business activities are located in emerging market countries. In addition to common stocks, such equity securities also may include American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), Global Depositary Receipts and European Depositary Receipts. In addition, 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.

Principal Investment Risks

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

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: 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.

Summary Prospectus

2


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 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: 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.

Depositary Receipts Risk: ADRs and similar depositary receipts typically will be subject to certain of the risks associated with direct investments in the securities of non-US companies, because their values depend on the performance of the underlying non-US securities. However, currency fluctuations will impact investments in depositary receipts differently than direct investments in non-US dollar-denominated non-US securities, because a depositary receipt will not appreciate in value solely as a result of appreciation in the currency in which the underlying non-US dollar security is denominated.

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.

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.

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: 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

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3


financials sector, and the Portfolio would be expected to be affected by developments in that sector. Companies in the financials sector can be significantly affected by, among other things: government regulation; changes in interest rates and/or monetary policy and general economic conditions; the availability and cost of capital; capital requirements; decreased liquidity in credit markets; and the rate of defaults on corporate, consumer and government debt.

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
Year-by-Year Total Returns for Service Shares
As of 12/31

The accompanying bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in Lazard Retirement Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio by showing the Portfolio’s year-by-year performance and its average annual performance compared to that of a broad measure of market performance. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Portfolio’s Service Shares has varied from year to year over the past 10 calendar years. Performance information does not reflect the fees or charges imposed by the Participating Insurance Companies under the Policies, and such fees will have the effect of reducing performance. Updated performance information is 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.

PerformanceBarChartData(2014:-4.64,2015:-20.05,2016:20.78,2017:27.82,2018:-18.56,2019:18.14,2020:-1.27,2021:5.47,2022:-15.12,2023:22.27)

Calendar Years ended December 31

   

Best Quarter:

2020, Q4

24.22%

 

 

Worst Quarter:

2020, Q1

-30.50%

Average Annual Total Returns
(for the periods ended December 31, 2023)

             

 

Inception
Date

1 Year

5 Years

10 Years

Life of
Portfolio

 

Service Shares

11/04/1997

22.27%

5.01%

2.04%

6.12%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Investor Shares

05/01/2006

22.61%

5.26%

2.29%

3.97%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MSCI Emerging Markets Index

 

9.83%

3.69%

2.66%

5.75%

 

(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)

 

 

 

 

(Service)

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.46%

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Investor)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Summary Prospectus

4


Management

Investment Manager

Lazard Asset Management LLC

Portfolio Managers/Analysts

James M. Donald, portfolio manager/analyst on the Investment Manager’s Emerging Markets Equity team and Head of the Emerging Markets Group, has been with the Portfolio since November 2001.

Rohit Chopra, portfolio manager/analyst on the Investment Manager’s Emerging Markets Equity team, has been with the Portfolio since May 2007.

Ganesh Ramachandran, portfolio manager/analyst on the Investment Manager’s Emerging Income and Emerging Markets Equity teams, has been with the Portfolio since July 2020.

Monika Shrestha, portfolio manager/analyst on the Investment Manager’s Emerging Markets Equity team, has been with the Portfolio since December 2014.

Purchase and Sale of Portfolio Shares

Portfolio shares are currently offered only to Participating Insurance Companies. Portfolio shares may be sold each business day by the separate accounts of the Participating Insurance Companies.

Tax Information

Owners of the Policies offered by the separate accounts of Participating Insurance Companies should consult the prospectuses or other disclosure documents of the separate accounts regarding the federal tax consequences of investing in a Portfolio through a separate account.

Financial Intermediary Compensation
Payments to Participating Insurance Companies and Financial Intermediaries

The Portfolios and the Investment Manager and its affiliates may pay Participating Insurance Companies, or their affiliates, for the sale of Portfolio shares and related services. Participating Insurance Companies, or their affiliates, may pay broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries that sell Policies for the sale of shares of a Portfolio and related services. When received by a Participating Insurance Company, such payments may be a factor that the Participating Insurance Company considers in including a Portfolio as an investment option in its Policies. The prospectus or other disclosure document for the Policies may contain additional information about these payments. When received by a financial intermediary, such payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the financial intermediary and salespersons to recommend a Portfolio over other mutual funds available as investment options under a Policy. Ask the salesperson or visit the financial intermediary’s website for more information.

   
   

Lazard Asset Management LLC • 30 Rockefeller Plaza • New York, NY 10112 • www.lazardassetmanagement.com