April Fact Sheet

Lazard World Trust Fund (previously known as 'The World Trust Fund')

Fact Sheet - 30th April 2018

Société d'Investissement à Capital Fixe

Registered office: 49, avenue J.F. Kennedy, L-1855 Luxembourg

Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, R.C.S. Luxembourg No. B 37.154

Investment Objective

Lazard World Trust Fund (the 'Fund') seeks to achieve long-term capital appreciation by investing primarily in companies whose shares trade at a discount to their underlying Net Asset Value ("NAV"). The Fund measures its performance principally against the MSCI All Countries World (ex US) Index, although Lazard Asset Management LLC (the 'Manager') seeks to achieve the highest possible risk-adjusted returns. The allocation of the Fund's assets will normally diverge substantially from the Index.

The Fund seeks to achieve long-term capital appreciation by investing primarily in a diversified portfolio of companies whose shares trade at a discount to the underlying net asset value. The Fund may also sell short stock indices, stocks, and shares of exchange-traded funds or closed-end funds, not exceeding 100% of the Fund's net assets.

As announced on April 27th the Fund has revised its Dividend Policy, effective for future fiscal years commencing 1st April 2018. Under the new Dividend Policy it is the Fund's intention to pay a total annual dividend equivalent to 6% of NAV, calculated at the start of each financial year, payable in equal quarterly instalments.

The final dividend for the financial year ending 2018 of approximately 6.5p, is now scheduled to be paid on June 8th 2018. The new Dividend Policy will then commence paying equal dividends in August, November, February and May.

Fund Data

Source: State Street Bank

Kun Deng is a Managing Director of Lazard Asset Management LLC, responsible for the firm's Discounted Assets strategies in global, international, and emerging markets.

He has been advising Lazard World Trust Fund since 1997. Kun has the CFA charter.

Lazard Asset Management LLC is known for its global perspective on investing and years of experience with global, regional, and domestic portfolios. With more than 300 investment personnel worldwide, and approximately US$294 billion in assets under management, it has offices located throughout the world in Bahrain, Boston, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, London, Madrid, Milan, Montreal, New York, San Francisco, Seoul, Sydney, Tokyo, Toronto, and Zurich.

Lazard Asset Management LLC was appointed as Manager of Lazard World Trust Fund at the inception of the Fund, 1 July 1991.

Top Holdings

Net Regional Exposure

Source: Lazard Asset Management

Performance as of April 30th, 2018

Source: Lazard Asset Management/MSCI

* As at 1 November 2009 the currency in which the shares of the Fund are traded changed from US dollars (US$) to UK Sterling (£). Past performance data up to and including 31 October 2009 has been re-calculated using exchange rates provided by Bloomberg. Past performance data from 1 November 2009 is calculated using exchange rates provided by State Street Bank. The Fund's base currency for valuation and performance fee calculation purposes remains as US$.

** Inception date 1 July 1991

Manager's Comment

Global equity markets recovered from two months of declines, as most developed markets registered modest gains in April. Equity volatility fell from its February and March highs, but price action remained choppy and performance diverged by region and sector. Another strong start to the earnings season was enough to overcome concerns over slowing economic growth and potential trade wars. Interest rates continued to creep upwards reaching four-year highs as the yield curve continues to flatten, especially beyond 10-year maturities. The European Central Bank kept its main policies and forward guidance unchanged at April's meeting and there were few clues on when they will make an announcement on the future of the quantitative easing programme. The US dollar reversed course from its year-long decline, appreciating over 1% in April. Driving Fund returns higher over the month were investments in BlackRock Resources & Commodities Strategy Trust (+9.8%), Herald Investment Trust (+8.3%) and Henderson Smaller Companies Investment Trust (+6.6%) while detracting from Fund returns were investments including GP Investments (-23.4%) and Altaba (-3.6%).

The Fund price, as traded on the London Stock Exchange, is currently at a discount of -7.2% to the Fund's NAV per share. The Fund's underlying investments were priced at an average discount of -24.8% to their NAV. Adding the two discounts together, the Fund is currently trading at an effective discount of -30.2%, which implies that every pound invested in the Fund buys £1.43 worth of assets.

Long Portfolio Composition

Source: Lazard Asset Management

Portfolio Exposure

Source: Lazard Asset Management

Lazard World Trust Fund Annual NAV Performance (%)

Source: Lazard Asset Management/FactSet

* The pre-2015 values relate to the fully Diluted NAV. The final subscription date for the exercise of warrants was 31 March 2014 and no additional warrant offers have been made since that date.

Company Information as at April 30th, 2018

Contact Details

Further copies of the Factsheet are available at:

www.lazardworldtrustfund.com 

NMPI Status

The Company currently conducts its affairs so that its securities can be recommended by IFAs to ordinary retail investors in accordance with the FCA's rules in relation to non-mainstream investment products and intends to continue to do so for the foreseeable future. The securities are excluded from the FCA's restrictions which apply to non-mainstream investment products because they are shares in an investment trust.

Important Information

This is a financial promotion and is not intended to be investment advice.

Securities identified in this document are not necessarily held by Lazard Asset Management for all client portfolios, and should not be considered as a recommendation or solicitation to purchase, sell or hold these securities. It should also not be assumed that any investment in these securities was, or will be, profitable.

Information and opinions contained within this document are derived from sources believed by Lazard to be reliable. Lazard makes no representation as to their accuracy or completeness. All opinions are as at the date of this document and are subject to change without notice.

Lazard World Trust Fund is an investment company incorporated in Luxembourg, whose shares are listed and traded on the London Stock Exchange.

Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. The value of investments and the income from them may go down as well as up and investors may not get back the amount originally invested.

Investors are reminded that although the shares of the Fund are listed in UK Sterling (£), the base currency of the Fund is US dollars. Therefore, in addition to the fluctuations in the rate of exchange between the currency in which shares are denominated (US$) and the base currencies of the underlying investments that may affect the value of your investment both positively and negatively, changes in rates of exchange between the Fund's base currency and the currency in which it is listed (£) may also have the effect of causing the value of your investment to fluctuate.

Certain information included herein is derived by Lazard in part from an MSCI index or indices (the "Index Data"). However, MSCI has not reviewed this product or report, and does not endorse or express any opinion regarding this product or report or any analysis or other information contained herein or the author or source of any such information or analysis. MSCI makes no express or implied warranties or representations and shall have no liability whatsoever with respect to any Index Data or data derived therefrom. The MSCI Index Data may not be further redistributed or used as a basis for other indices or any securities or financial products.

There is no assurance that Lazard World Trust Fund's objectives or performance targets will be achieved.

This financial promotion is issued and approved by:

Lazard Asset Management Limited, 50 Stratton Street, London W1J 8LL

Lazard Asset Management Limited is incorporated in England and Wales with registered number 525667. It is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority

Listing Category: Premium - Equity Closed-ended Investment Fund