Investor Summary
Fund Strategy
FUND PERFORMANCE AS OF 31st March 2026
| ANNUALIZED SINCE INCEPTION | QUARTERLY | YTD |
|---|---|---|
| - | - | - |
| ANNUALIZED SINCE INCEPTION | QUARTERLY | YTD |
|---|---|---|
| - | - | - |
Lazard's Enhanced Opportunities Portfolio navigated a challenging Q1 2026 marked by Middle East tensions involving Iran and concerns over Strait of Hormuz shipping disruptions. Energy price spikes triggered risk-off moves, pressuring equity markets with the tech-heavy Nasdaq falling 6.96%. Software stocks faced particular pressure from valuation compression after 2025's AI-driven rally, as enterprise spending normalized. The portfolio benefited from elevated volatility, with Akamai convertibles leading performance as equity volatility increased while credit quality remained stable. IREN convertibles contributed after securing data center expansion funding. Detractors included Bill.com convertibles amid weak macro conditions and fading takeover rumors, plus Five9 and Pagaya convertibles pressured by software sector weakness. Interest rate hedges contributed positively during Treasury rate moves. The convertible issuance market remained robust with $53 billion in Q1 new issuance, double prior year levels. Looking ahead, the manager expects continued Middle East uncertainty to favor convertibles, with the portfolio well-positioned for broad market risks while benefiting from issuers monetizing elevated stock volatility through new convertible issuance.
Lazard's Enhanced Opportunities Portfolio capitalizes on convertible arbitrage opportunities in a volatile market environment, benefiting from elevated equity volatility while maintaining credit quality stability across its convertible securities holdings.
The manager expects near-term uncertainty from Middle East conflict resolution to continue favoring the convertible asset class. March performance was helped by rising broad market and single stock volatility. Convertibles are benefiting from issuers looking to monetize higher stock volatility and opportunistically issuing new convertibles. The portfolio is positioned as well-hedged for broad risks.
| Date | Letter | Tickers | Keywords | Pitches | Quick Takes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 28 2026 | 2026 Q1 | AKAM, BILL, FIVN, IREN, ORCL, PGY | Convertibles, Data centers, energy, Middle East, software, technology, volatility | - | Lazard's convertible arbitrage strategy capitalized on Q1 2026's elevated volatility driven by Middle East tensions and software sector pressure. Akamai and IREN convertibles led gains while Bill.com and software names detracted. Strong $53 billion issuance market and continued geopolitical uncertainty position convertibles favorably, with the portfolio well-hedged for broad risks. |
| Jan 23 2026 | 2025 Q4 | - | - | - | |
| Oct 31 2025 | 2025 Q3 | AVAV, BABA, BE, GME, OPEN | AI, Convertibles, credit, rates, technology, volatility |
AVAV NBIS AVAV NBIS GME OPEN |
Lazard Enhanced Opportunities capitalized on strong Q3 equity performance and Fed rate cuts through convertible arbitrage strategies. AI-related positions and new convertible issues drove outperformance while macro hedges detracted. Record-setting convertible issuance activity continues with expectations for further acceleration into year-end supported by favorable financing conditions and strong product demand. |
| Jul 27 2025 | 2025 Q2 | AVAV, BABA, BE, GME, OPEN | AI, Convertibles, credit, rates, technology, volatility | - | Lazard Enhanced Opportunities capitalized on strong Q3 equity performance and Fed rate cuts through convertible arbitrage strategies. AI-related holdings and new convertible issues drove outperformance while macro hedges detracted. Record convertible issuance activity continues with favorable conditions expected into year-end, though government shutdown uncertainty and earnings season may increase beneficial volatility ahead. |
| Mar 31 2025 | 2025 Q1 | BIDU, CHTR, DAY, DOCN, GME, KKR, LINTA, NET, RDFN, RKT, TCOM | arbitrage, Convertibles, credit, rates, special situations, volatility | - | Lazard's convertible arbitrage strategy navigated Q1 2025 volatility with mixed results as US markets declined and credit spreads widened. Winners included DigitalOcean, Redfin, and Cloudflare convertibles, while Liberty positions detracted. The portfolio maintains focus on higher-quality, shorter-dated convertibles positioned to capitalize on expected continued volatility and elevated Special Situations activity. |
| QUARTER | THEMES | TAGS |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Q1 |
VolatilityConvertible securities benefited from elevated equity volatility in Q1 2026, particularly in the second half of the quarter. The VIX spiked above 31.0 in late March, the highest level since April 2025, driven by Middle East tensions. Portfolio holdings like Akamai convertibles gained as underlying equity volatility increased meaningfully while credit quality remained stable. |
VIX Equity Volatility Convertibles Risk |
AISoftware stocks faced pressure in Q1 primarily due to valuation compression after an extended AI-driven rally in 2025. Enterprise customers remained selective on incremental spending, reinforcing concerns that near-term growth was normalizing after the post-AI surge. Pagaya Technologies convertibles experienced basis contraction due to continued uncertainty surrounding the impact of AI on software-oriented business models. |
Software Valuation Enterprise Spending Growth | |
Data CentersIREN Ltd. convertibles were the second largest contributor for the quarter, gaining basis after the company announced it had secured additional funding for its data center expansion. The portfolio benefits from exposure to data center infrastructure growth themes. |
Infrastructure Expansion Funding | |
Middle EastHeightened tensions involving Iran and concerns around potential disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz created market pressure in Q1. Energy prices rose, triggering risk-off moves in global markets. The near-term uncertainty regarding conflict resolution is likely to continue favoring the convertible asset class. |
Iran Geopolitical Energy Shipping | |
| 2025 Q4 |
Small CapsThe fund operates a concentrated Micro and Small-Cap strategy that naturally diverges from market indexes. Portfolio consists of ~60% businesses with market caps below $500M, with top five positions accounting for ~60% of the portfolio. |
Micro Cap Small Cap Concentration |
ValueManager demonstrates value discipline by selling Bel Fuse after three years when it reached fair value, and expressing willingness to repurchase at more reasonable prices. Also notes Kitwave was acquired at a premium that significantly undervalued the business. |
Value Investing Fair Value Undervalued | |
| 2025 Q3 |
AIAI companies drove strong performance in the tech-focused Nasdaq Composite Index during Q3, with investor enthusiasm for artificial intelligence being a key market driver. The portfolio benefited from AI-fueled stock performance, particularly through positions in Nebius Group and Bloom Energy complexes. |
Artificial Intelligence Technology Performance Growth Innovation |
RatesThe Federal Reserve implemented its first rate cut of 2025 in September, lowering the fed funds rate by 25 bps to 4.09%. Interest rates across the US Treasury curve moved lower during the quarter, with the most notable declines in maturities inside of two years. |
Federal Reserve Interest Rates Monetary Policy Treasury Rate Cuts | |
VolatilityEquity volatility remained muted throughout Q3, with the VIX averaging 15.99. Interest rate volatility also declined and remained subdued. The portfolio expects typical seasonal upswing in volatility due to upcoming quarterly earnings and economic data uncertainty. |
VIX Market Volatility Risk Seasonality Earnings | |
| 2025 Q2 |
AIAI companies drove strong performance in the tech-focused Nasdaq Composite Index during Q3, with investor enthusiasm for artificial intelligence being a key market driver. AI-fueled stock performance contributed significantly to portfolio returns through holdings like Nebius Group and Bloom Energy. |
Artificial Intelligence Technology Performance Growth Innovation |
RatesThe Federal Reserve cut rates for the first time in 2025, lowering the fed funds rate by 25 bps to 4.09%. Interest rates across the US Treasury curve moved lower during the quarter, with six-month rates contracting the most at 41 bps, creating supportive conditions for convertible bonds. |
Federal Reserve Interest Rates Monetary Policy Treasury Fed Funds | |
VolatilityEquity volatility remained muted throughout Q3, with the VIX averaging 15.99. Interest rate volatility also declined and remained subdued. The manager expects typical seasonal upswing in volatility due to upcoming quarterly earnings and clouded economic data from the government shutdown. |
VIX Market Volatility Risk Seasonality Earnings | |
| 2025 Q1 |
ConvertiblesThe portfolio focuses on convertible securities with attractive volatility/gamma characteristics, targeting shorter-dated, higher-quality paper in the $80-120 price range. Convertible valuations improved in higher price buckets, driven by rates and volatility movements, while credit-sensitive convertibles below 80 weakened due to wider credit spreads. |
Convertibles Gamma Volatility Credit |
VolatilityThe investment team believes the portfolio is well-positioned to take advantage of heightened levels of volatility given global economic and trade uncertainty. The VIX finished the quarter 28% higher, reaching 27.86, reflecting elevated market volatility that supports the convertible strategy. |
VIX Market Risk Uncertainty Trading | |
CreditHigh-yield credit spreads widened by 60 bps from 321 to 381 bps during the quarter. The team maintains focus on shorter-dated, higher-quality paper to reduce credit risk exposure while avoiding risk-return sets below $60 which remain de minimis in the portfolio. |
Credit Spreads High Yield Quality Duration |
| Date | Pitch Type | Author | Ticker | Company | Industry | Sub Industry | Bull / Bear | Exchange | Keywords | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 31, 2025 | Fund Letters | Sean Reynolds | GME | GameStop Corp. | Consumer Discretionary | Consumer Retail | Bear | NYSE | retail, Risk, turnaround, Underperformance, Volatility | Login |
| Oct 31, 2025 | Fund Letters | Sean Reynolds | OPEN | Opendoor Technologies Inc. | Real Estate | Real Estate Services | Bull | NASDAQ | — | Login |
| Oct 31, 2025 | Fund Letters | Sean Reynolds | AVAV | AeroVironment Inc. | Industrials | Aerospace & Defense | Bull | NASDAQ | Aerospace, backlog, Convertibles, Defense, Drones, growth, Military | Login |
| Oct 31, 2025 | Fund Letters | Sean Reynolds | NBIS | Nebius Group | Communication Services | Cloud Computing | Bull | NYSE | AI, cloud, Convertibles, Data, growth, infrastructure, machine learning | Login |
| Oct 31, 2025 | Fund Letters | Sean Reynolds | AVAV | AeroVironment Inc. | Industrials | Aerospace & Defense | Bull | NASDAQ | Aerospace, backlog, Convertibles, Defense, Drones, growth, Military | Login |
| Oct 31, 2025 | Fund Letters | Sean Reynolds | NBIS | Nebius Group | Communication Services | Cloud Computing | Bull | NYSE | AI, cloud, Convertibles, Data, growth, infrastructure, machine learning | Login |
| TICKER | COMMENTARY |
|---|---|
| AKAM | The leading winner was the complex of Akamai Technologies Inc. (AKAM) convertibles, which gained as underlying equity volatility increased meaningfully, while credit quality remained stable, resulting in strong performance. |
| IREN | The IREN Ltd. (IREN) complex was the second largest contributor for the quarter, gaining basis after the company announced it had secured additional funding for its data center expansion. |
| BILL | On the negative side, the leading detractor was the Bill.com (BILL) 0% coupon convertibles, which declined due to the weak macro backdrop and a likely temporary fading of takeover rumors. |
| FIVN | Additionally, Five9, Inc. (FIVN) 1% coupon convertibles weakened in sympathy with the broader selloff in software and high-growth technology names. |
| PGY | Finally, the Pagaya Technologies (PGY) 6.125% convertible due 2029 experienced a basis contraction following earnings results and continued uncertainty surrounding the impact of AI on software-oriented business models. |
| ORCL | Notable new issues were the $4 billion dual-tranche bond from Nebius Group N.V., Nippon Steel's two-tranche zero-coupon issuance totaling ¥600 billion (approximately $4 billion), and Oracle's $5 billion 6.5% mandatorily convertible preferred. |
| Ticker | Put/Call | Amount Bought | Shares Bought | % Change | Weight % |
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| Ticker | Put/Call | Amount Sold | Shares Sold | % Change | Weight % | Status |
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| Industry | Prev Quarter % | Current Quarter % | Change |
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