Company: LAZ
Filing Date: 2025-07-25
Form Type: 10-Q
Source: 0001311370-25-000022
Chunk: 36

Company: Lazard, Inc.
Filing Date: 2025-07-25
Form: 10-Q
Item: Part I, Item 2
Chunk 36
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 See Note 9 of Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information regarding goodwill.

Consolidation

The condensed consolidated financial statements include entities in which Lazard has a controlling financial interest. Lazard determines whether it has a controlling financial interest in an entity by first evaluating whether the entity is a voting interest entity (“VOE”) or a variable interest entity (“VIE”) under U.S. GAAP.

•Voting Interest Entities. VOEs are entities in which (i) the total equity investment at risk is sufficient to enable the entity to finance itself independently and (ii) the equity holders have the obligation to absorb losses, the right to receive residual returns and the right to make decisions about the entity’s activities. Lazard is required to consolidate a VOE if it holds a majority of the voting interest in such VOE.

•Variable Interest Entities. VIEs are entities that lack one or more of the characteristics of a VOE. If Lazard has a variable interest, or a combination of variable interests, in a VIE, it is required to analyze whether it needs to consolidate such VIE. Lazard is required to consolidate a VIE if we are the primary beneficiary having (i) the power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly impact the VIE’s economic performance and (ii) the obligation to absorb losses of, or receive benefits from, the VIE that could be potentially significant to the VIE.

Lazard’s involvement with various entities that are VOEs or VIEs primarily arises from LFI investments, seed and other investments in our Asset Management business. Lazard consolidates these entities when it has a controlling financial interest.

The impact of seed and LFI investment entities that require consolidation on the condensed consolidated financial statements, including any consolidation or deconsolidation of such entities, is not material to our financial statements. Our exposure to loss from entities in which we have made such investments is limited to the extent of our investment in, or investment commitment to, such entities. 

Generally, when the Company initially invests to seed an investment entity, the Company is the majority owner of the entity. Our majority ownership in seed investment entities represents a controlling financial interest, except when we are the general partner in such entities and the third-party investors have the right to replace the general partner. To the extent material, we consolidate seed and LFI investment entities in which we own a controlling financial interest, and we would deconsolidate any such entity when we no longer have a controlling