Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Lazard Ltd (LAZ) vs Evercore Inc. (EVR) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
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Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | EVR | 22.7% revenue growth vs LAZ's 21.0% |
| Value | LAZ | Lower P/E (13.9x vs 16.7x) |
| Quality / Margins | EVR | 12.6% net margin vs LAZ's 9.1% |
| Stability / Safety | LAZ | Beta 1.72 vs EVR's 1.82 |
| Dividends | LAZ | 3.5% yield, vs EVR's 1.1% |
| Momentum (1Y) | EVR | +29.4% vs LAZ's +4.9% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | EVR | 11.9% ROA vs LAZ's 5.9%, ROIC 14.6% vs 10.2% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Valuation efficiency (growth/$)
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
Lazard is a global financial advisory and asset management firm that provides strategic advice on mergers, restructurings, and capital markets while managing investment portfolios for institutional and private clients. It generates revenue primarily through advisory fees from its Financial Advisory segment (roughly 60% of revenue) and management fees from its Asset Management business (roughly 40%). The company's key advantage lies in its century-old brand reputation, deep client relationships across governments and corporations worldwide, and its elite advisory teams that command premium fees for complex transactions.
Evercore is an independent investment banking advisory firm providing strategic advice on mergers, acquisitions, and capital markets transactions. It generates revenue primarily from investment banking advisory fees — roughly 85% of total revenue — with the remainder coming from investment management services for high-net-worth clients and institutions. The firm's key advantage is its reputation as a premium independent advisor, free from conflicts inherent in large universal banks, which attracts top-tier clients seeking unbiased strategic counsel.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
EVR leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). LAZ leads in 2 (Valuation Metrics, Risk & Volatility). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
LAZ and EVR operate at a comparable scale, with $3.1B and $3.0B in trailing revenue. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from 12.6% (EVR) to 9.1% (LAZ).
| Metric | LAZLazard Ltd | EVREvercore Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $3.1B | $3.0B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $384M | $697M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $273M | $528M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $468M | $1.1B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +35.1% | +99.4% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +12.5% | +17.8% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +9.1% | +12.6% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +22.6% | +32.0% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | — |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -34.3% | +83.9% |
Valuation Metrics
At 18.9x trailing earnings, LAZ trades at a 44% valuation discount to EVR's 34.0x P/E. Adjusting for growth (PEG ratio), EVR offers better value at 5.99x vs LAZ's 9.97x — a lower PEG means you pay less per unit of expected earnings growth.
| Metric | LAZLazard Ltd | EVREvercore Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $4.8B | $26.9B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $5.6B | $26.9B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 18.88x | 34.01x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 13.85x | 16.67x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 9.97x | 5.99x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 13.32x | 50.47x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.54x | 8.98x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 6.77x | 6.62x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 6.81x | 28.09x |
Profitability & Efficiency
LAZ delivers a 28.6% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $29 in annual profit, vs $25 for EVR. EVR carries lower financial leverage with a 0.48x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to LAZ's 2.87x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), LAZ scores 8/9 vs EVR's 7/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | LAZLazard Ltd | EVREvercore Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +28.6% | +25.3% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +5.9% | +11.9% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +10.2% | +14.6% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +10.3% | +13.9% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 8 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 2.87x | 0.48x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $884M | -$16M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $1.3B | $940M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $2.2B | $923M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 5.01x | 35.22x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in EVR five years ago would be worth $25,940 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $14,919 for LAZ. Over the past 12 months, EVR leads with a +29.4% total return vs LAZ's +4.9%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors EVR at 34.4% vs LAZ's 14.9% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | LAZLazard Ltd | EVREvercore Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +2.7% | -11.8% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +4.9% | +29.4% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +51.5% | +142.8% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +49.2% | +159.4% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +103.8% | +614.6% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +14.9% | +34.4% |
Risk & Volatility
LAZ is the less volatile stock with a 1.72 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than EVR's 1.82 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. LAZ currently trades 86.1% from its 52-week high vs EVR's 79.5% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | LAZLazard Ltd | EVREvercore Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.72x | 1.82x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $58.75 | $388.71 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $31.97 | $148.63 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +86.1% | +79.5% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 51.7 | 44.3 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 807K | 355K |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates LAZ as "Buy" and EVR as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 29.1% upside for EVR (target: $399) vs 8.0% for LAZ (target: $55). For income investors, LAZ offers the higher dividend yield at 3.46% vs EVR's 1.06%.
| Metric | LAZLazard Ltd | EVREvercore Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $54.67 | $398.83 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 28 | 21 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +3.5% | +1.1% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | 18 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $1.75 | $3.26 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +1.3% | +1.7% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lazard Ltd (LAZ) | 100 | 141.77 | +41.8% |
| Evercore Inc. (EVR) | 100 | 521.2 | +421.2% |
Evercore Inc. (EVR) returned +159% over 5 years vs Lazard Ltd (LAZ)'s +49%. A $10,000 investment in EVR 5 years ago would be worth $25,940 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lazard Ltd (LAZ) | $2.4B | $3.1B | +28.6% |
| Evercore Inc. (EVR) | $1.2B | $3.0B | +141.6% |
Lazard Ltd's revenue grew from $2.4B (2015) to $3.1B (2024) — a 2.8% CAGR. Evercore Inc.'s revenue grew from $1.2B (2015) to $3.0B (2024) — a 10.3% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lazard Ltd (LAZ) | 41.1% | 9.1% | -77.9% |
| Evercore Inc. (EVR) | 3.5% | 12.6% | +265.3% |
Lazard Ltd's net margin went from 41% (2015) to 9% (2024). Evercore Inc.'s net margin went from 3% (2015) to 13% (2024).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 8 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lazard Ltd (LAZ) | 27.5 | 19.2 | -30.2% |
| Evercore Inc. (EVR) | 32.1 | 30.5 | -5.0% |
Lazard Ltd has traded in a 9x–28x P/E range over 7 years; current trailing P/E is ~19x. Evercore Inc. has traded in a 8x–32x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~34x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lazard Ltd (LAZ) | 7.4 | 2.68 | -63.8% |
| Evercore Inc. (EVR) | 0.98 | 9.08 | +826.5% |
Lazard Ltd's EPS grew from $7.40 (2015) to $2.68 (2024) — a -11% CAGR. Evercore Inc.'s EPS grew from $0.98 (2015) to $9.08 (2024) — a 28% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Lazard Ltd generated $697M FCF in 2024 (-16% vs 2021). Evercore Inc. generated $958M FCF in 2024 (-29% vs 2021).
LAZ vs EVR: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is LAZ or EVR a better buy right now?
Lazard Ltd (LAZ) offers the better valuation at 18.9x trailing P/E (13.9x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Lazard Ltd (LAZ) a "Buy" — based on 28 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.
02Which has the better valuation — LAZ or EVR?
On trailing P/E, Lazard Ltd (LAZ) is the cheapest at 18.9x versus Evercore Inc. at 34.0x. On forward P/E, Lazard Ltd is actually cheaper at 13.9x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Evercore Inc. wins at 2.94x versus Lazard Ltd's 7.31x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — LAZ or EVR?
Over the past 5 years, Evercore Inc. (EVR) delivered a total return of +159.4%, compared to +49.2% for Lazard Ltd (LAZ). A $10,000 investment in EVR five years ago would be worth approximately $26K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: EVR returned +614.6% versus LAZ's +103.8%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — LAZ or EVR?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Lazard Ltd (LAZ) is the lower-risk stock at 1.72β versus Evercore Inc.'s 1.82β — meaning EVR is approximately 6% more volatile than LAZ relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Evercore Inc. (EVR) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 48% versus 3% for Lazard Ltd — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — LAZ or EVR?
Evercore Inc. (EVR) is the more profitable company, earning 12.6% net margin versus 9.1% for Lazard Ltd — meaning it keeps 12.6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: EVR leads at 17.8% versus 12.5% for LAZ. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — EVR leads at 99.4%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.
06Is LAZ or EVR more undervalued right now?
The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential. By this metric, Evercore Inc. (EVR) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 2.94x versus Lazard Ltd's 7.31x. Both stocks trade at elevated growth-adjusted valuations, so expected growth needs to materialise. On forward earnings alone, Lazard Ltd (LAZ) trades at 13.9x forward P/E versus 16.7x for Evercore Inc. — 2.8x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for EVR: 29.1% to $398.83.
07Which pays a better dividend — LAZ or EVR?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends. Lazard Ltd (LAZ) offers the highest yield at 3.5%, versus 1.1% for Evercore Inc. (EVR).
08Is LAZ or EVR better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Evercore Inc. (EVR) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (1.1% yield, +614.6% 10Y return). Lazard Ltd (LAZ) carries a higher beta of 1.72 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (EVR: +614.6%, LAZ: +103.8%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.
09What are the main differences between LAZ and EVR?
Both stocks operate in the Financial Services sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. In terms of investment character: LAZ is a small-cap income-oriented stock; EVR is a mid-cap quality compounder stock. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.
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