Lazard AM breaks into ETF market with global infrastructure theme

Lazard Asset Management has made its first foray into the Australian exchange traded fund (ETF) industry, repackaging its flagship global listed infrastructure strategy into the popular investment vehicle.

Listed on Cboe Global Markets, the Lazard Global Listed Infrastructure Active ETF (GIFL) grants investors access to 25 to 50 players within the global infrastructure market that have been selected by the manager to provide higher revenue predictability and profitability and lower volatility.

“By investing in the equities of listed infrastructure operators, such as electricity networks, toll roads, and other essential assets and related services, investors can gain exposure to predictable long-term earnings streams,” Warryn Robertson, Portfolio Manager/Analyst on Lazard’s Global Listed Infrastructure Team, said.

“In our view, not all infrastructure is created equal. Our unique approach focusses on a ‘preferred’ subset providing an asset class that can deliver clear benefits: diversification, lower volatility and inflation protection.”

GIFL is launched as a unit class of the Lazard Global Listed Infrastructure Fund which has been available since 2005 and has grown to $2 billion in funds under management (FUM) as of 31 May 2024. The same team now runs both strategies, and was one of the first in the world to introduce a fund concentrated in global listed infrastructure.

“This is an award-winning investment capability that has long delivered outstanding risk-adjusted returns for our clients across the globe,” Paul Cuddy, Chief Executive Officer (APAC) at Lazard Asset Management, said.

“We are pleased to now offer this fund in an ETF structure, so Australian investors can enjoy the simplicity of investing through an exchange.”