LAZ vs HLI

For growth investors, Houlihan Lokey, Inc.

(HLI) is the stronger pick with 24. 8% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 3. 2% for Lazard Ltd (LAZ). Lazard Ltd (LAZ) offers the better valuation at 20. 8x trailing P/E (14. 1x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Lazard Ltd (LAZ) a "Buy" — based on 29 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.

On trailing P/E, Lazard Ltd (LAZ) is the cheapest at 20.

8x versus Houlihan Lokey, Inc. at 25. 8x. On forward P/E, Lazard Ltd is actually cheaper at 14. 1x.

Over the past 5 years, Houlihan Lokey, Inc.

(HLI) delivered a total return of +142. 2%, compared to +19. 4% for Lazard Ltd (LAZ). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: HLI returned +599. 6% versus LAZ's +94. 5%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Houlihan Lokey, Inc.

(HLI) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 94β versus Lazard Ltd's 1. 79β — meaning LAZ is approximately 91% more volatile than HLI relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Houlihan Lokey, Inc. (HLI) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 20% versus 3% for Lazard Ltd — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Houlihan Lokey, Inc.

(HLI) is pulling ahead at 24. 8% versus 3. 2% for Lazard Ltd (LAZ). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Houlihan Lokey, Inc. grew EPS 41. 6% year-over-year, compared to -19. 0% for Lazard Ltd. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

Houlihan Lokey, Inc.

(HLI) is the more profitable company, earning 16. 7% net margin versus 7. 4% for Lazard Ltd — meaning it keeps 16. 7% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: HLI leads at 21. 0% versus 13. 0% for LAZ. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — HLI leads at 38. 5%, 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.

On forward earnings alone, Lazard Ltd (LAZ) trades at 14.

1x forward P/E versus 19. 5x for Houlihan Lokey, Inc. — 5. 4x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for HLI: 33. 2% to $200. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Lazard Ltd (LAZ) offers the highest yield at 3. 9%, versus 1. 6% for Houlihan Lokey, Inc. (HLI).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Houlihan Lokey, Inc.

(HLI) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 94), 1. 6% yield, +599. 6% 10Y return). Lazard Ltd (LAZ) carries a higher beta of 1. 79 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (HLI: +599. 6%, LAZ: +94. 5%), 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.

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; HLI is a mid-cap high-growth 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.