Momentum investing revolves around the idea of following a stock's recent trend in either direction. In "long context," investors will be essentially be "buying high, but hoping to sell even higher." With this methodology, taking advantage of trends in a stock's price is key; once a stock establishes a course, it is more than likely to continue moving that way. The goal is that once a stock heads down a fixed path, it will lead to timely and profitable trades.Even though momentum is a popular stock characte ...

A strong stock as of late has been Deluxe (DLX) . Shares have been marching higher, with the stock up 28% over the past month. The stock hit a new 52-week high of $28.24 in the previous session. Deluxe has gained 24.7% since the start of the year compared to the -3.3% gain for the Zacks Business Services sector and the 18.8% return for the Zacks Business - Office Products industry.What's Driving the Outperformance?The stock has a great record of positive earnings surprises, having beaten the Zacks Consensus ...

On a non-GAAP basis, Deluxe posted comparable adjusted EBITDA of $431.5 million, up $25 million, or 6.2%, from the prior year. Adjusted EBITDA margin expanded 90 basis points to 20.2%. Comparable adjusted EPS increased 12.6% to $3.67 from $3.26, which Zint attributed primarily to higher operating profits and slightly lower interest expense.Chief Financial Officer Chip Zint reported total revenue of $2.133 billion for the full year, up 0.5% versus 2024 on a reported basis and up 1.1% on a comparable adjusted ...

Deluxe (DLX) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.96 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.83 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.84 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +15.21%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this payments and data company would post earnings of $0.92 per share when it actually produced earnings of $1.09, delivering a surprise of +18.48%.Over the last four quarters, th ...

Deluxe (NYSE:DLX) Q4 2025 Earnings call January 28, 2026 05:00 PM ET Company ParticipantsBarry McCarthy - President and CEOBrian Anderson - VP of Strategy and IRChip Zint - CFOConference Call ParticipantsKartik Mehta - Research AnalystMarc Riddick - Senior Equity AnalystNone - AnalystOperatorLadies and gentlemen, thank you for standing by, and welcome to the Deluxe quarterly earnings conference call. All participants are currently in a listen-only mode, and today's call is being recorded. At this time, I wo ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total revenue for 2025 was $2.133 billion, a 0.5% increase compared to 2024, and a 1.1% increase on a comparable adjusted basis [18] - GAAP net income improved to $85.3 million, or $1.87 per share, up from $52.9 million, or $1.18 per share in 2024 [18] - Comparable adjusted EBITDA was $431.5 million, a 6.2% increase from the previous year, with adjusted EBITDA margins expanding by 90 basis points to 20.2% [18][19] - Comparable adjusted EPS grew by 12.6% to $3.67 from $3.26 in 2024 [19] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Merchant services revenue for 2025 was $398.6 million, growing by 3.8% compared to 2024, with adjusted EBITDA at $85.9 million, a 9.4% increase [19][20] - B2B payment segment revenue finished at $290.5 million, reflecting a 0.9% growth, with adjusted EBITDA at $64.4 million, a 12.8% increase [22][23] - Data-driven marketing business revenue reached $307.3 million, a 31.3% increase year-over-year, with adjusted EBITDA at $86.4 million, reflecting a 28.1% margin rate [25][26] - Print business revenue was $1.14 billion, a decline of 5.7% compared to the previous year, with adjusted EBITDA at $366.9 million, a 2.6% decline [28][29] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Payments and data now account for 47% of total revenue, up from 43% a year ago, with expectations to achieve revenue parity with print businesses later in 2026 [5][7] - The data segment expanded its revenue by over 30% year-over-year, indicating strong demand across market verticals [8] - The print segment continues to experience secular decline, with legacy check revenue declining by 1.8% [28] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on shifting its revenue mix towards payments and data, aiming for ongoing profitable growth [6][7] - There is a strong emphasis on driving operational efficiencies and improving margins across all business segments [13][14] - The company aims to increase cash flow generation to lower net debt and improve leverage ratios, with a target of achieving a leverage ratio of 3 times or lower [15][32] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about the operating environment, noting traditional consumer behavior patterns stabilizing [46] - The company anticipates continued growth in the data segment, with expectations for double-digit growth in the first half of 2026 [49] - Management highlighted the importance of executing their strategic priorities to achieve a strong trajectory heading into 2026 [39] Other Important Information - The company generated $175 million of free cash flow in 2025, achieving its 2026 goal a year early [5] - The board approved a regular quarterly dividend of $0.30 per share, payable on February 23, 2026 [34] Q&A Session Summary Question: How is Deluxe positioned to respond to trends in AI and agentic commerce? - Management stated that Deluxe is well-positioned, having applied AI technology across multiple business areas, leading to improved performance and significant revenue growth in the data-driven marketing business [42][44] Question: What are the primary objectives for the business in 2026? - The main objectives include shifting the revenue mix towards payments and data, driving operational efficiency, and generating cash flow to lower debt [55][56] Question: What does the pipeline look like for 2026 in terms of distribution growth? - Management indicated a robust pipeline for the ISV distribution channel, with ongoing investments in improving API suites and reporting tools [57][58] Question: What are the opportunities for build versus buy decisions in investments? - Management emphasized a balanced approach, making responsible acquisitions while also focusing on internal capability development to enhance business growth [65][66]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total revenue for 2025 was $2.133 billion, a 0.5% increase compared to 2024, and a 1.1% increase on a comparable adjusted basis [19] - GAAP net income improved to $85.3 million, or $1.87 per share, up from $52.9 million, or $1.18 per share in 2024 [19] - Comparable adjusted EBITDA was $431.5 million, a 6.2% increase from the previous year, with adjusted EBITDA margins expanding to 20.2% [19][20] - Comparable adjusted EPS grew by 12.6% to $3.67 from $3.26 in 2024 [20] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Merchant services revenue for 2025 was $398.6 million, growing by 3.8% compared to 2024, with adjusted EBITDA at $85.9 million, a 9.4% increase [20][21] - B2B payment segment revenue finished at $290.5 million, reflecting a 0.9% growth, with adjusted EBITDA at $64.4 million, a 12.8% increase [23][24] - Data-driven marketing business revenue reached $307.3 million, a 31.3% increase year-over-year, with adjusted EBITDA at $86.4 million, reflecting a 28.1% margin [26][27] - Print business revenue declined to $1.14 billion, a 5.7% decrease, with adjusted EBITDA at $366.9 million, a 2.6% decline [28][30] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Payments and data now account for 47% of total revenue, up from 43% a year ago, with expectations to achieve revenue parity with print businesses later this year [5][8] - The data segment's revenue growth was particularly strong, expanding over 30% year-over-year, driven by enhanced marketing capabilities and AI tools [9][26] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on shifting its revenue mix towards payments and data, aiming for ongoing profitable growth [6][8] - There is a commitment to driving operational efficiencies and improving margins across all business segments [14][15] - The company aims to reduce net debt and improve its leverage ratio, with a target of achieving a leverage ratio of 3 times or lower [16][33] Management Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about the operating environment, noting traditional consumer behavior patterns and stable macroeconomic conditions [46][48] - The company anticipates continued growth in the data segment, although it will face tougher comparisons in the latter half of the year [49] - Overall, management is confident in the company's trajectory heading into 2026, with expectations for significant advances in strategic priorities [39] Other Important Information - Free cash flow for 2025 was $175 million, up from $100 million in 2024, reflecting improved cash generation and operational efficiency [33] - The company has a strong balance sheet, with net debt reduced to $1.39 billion, and a net debt to adjusted EBITDA ratio of 3.2 times [32][33] - A regular quarterly dividend of $0.30 per share was approved, payable on February 23, 2026 [35] Q&A Session Summary Question: How is Deluxe positioned to respond to trends in AI and agentic commerce? - Management highlighted that Deluxe has applied AI technology across multiple business areas, enhancing performance and delivering improved outcomes [42][44] Question: What are the primary objectives for the business in 2026? - The main objectives include shifting the revenue mix towards payments and data, driving operational efficiency, and generating cash flow to reduce debt [55][56] Question: What opportunities exist for growth in the ISV distribution channel? - Management noted a robust pipeline for the ISV distribution channel, with ongoing investments in API and reporting tools to enhance appeal [57][58] Question: What is the company's approach to build versus buy decisions for investments? - The company maintains a balance between building capabilities internally and making strategic acquisitions that enhance performance [66][68]

Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2025 Earnings January 28, 2026 © 2026 Deluxe Corporation Brian Anderson Vice President, Strategy & Investor Relations 2 Today's Presenters Barry McCarthy President and Chief Executive Officer Chip Zint Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Brian Anderson Vice President, Strategy & Investor Relations 3 Cautionary Statement Statements made in this presentation regarding Deluxe, the company's,or management's intentions, expectations, outlook, or predictions about future ...

Financial Performance - Full year reported revenue increased by 0.5% to $2,133.2 million, while comparable adjusted revenue increased by 1.1%[4] - Full year net income rose to $85.3 million, a 61.2% increase from $52.9 million in 2024[5] - Comparable adjusted EBITDA increased by 6.2% to $431.5 million for the full year[4] - Full year GAAP diluted EPS was $1.87, up 58.5% from $1.18 in 2024; comparable adjusted diluted EPS improved by 12.6% to $3.67[5] - Total revenue for the year ended December 31, 2025, was $2,133.2 million, slightly up from $2,121.8 million in 2024, indicating a 0.5% increase[23] - Adjusted EBITDA for the year ended December 31, 2025, rose to $431.5 million from $412.1 million in 2024, reflecting a 4.0% increase[28] - Net income for the year ended December 31, 2025, increased to $85.3 million from $52.9 million in 2024, representing a 61.5% growth[21] Cash Flow and Debt Management - Free cash flow increased by $75.3 million to $175.3 million in 2025[4] - Free cash flow for the year ended December 31, 2025, was $175.3 million, compared to $100.0 million in 2024, marking a 75.3% increase[21] - Net cash provided by operating activities increased to $270.6 million in 2025 from $194.3 million in 2024, reflecting a growth of 39.2%[38] - Total debt reduced by $73.7 million, while net debt decreased by $76.2 million[4] - The company reported a total debt of $1,429.4 million as of December 31, 2025, down from $1,503.1 million in 2024, a reduction of 4.9%[35] - Net debt decreased to $1,392.5 million in 2025 from $1,468.7 million in 2024, indicating a 5.2% decline[35] - Management emphasizes free cash flow as a key indicator for servicing debt and returning value to shareholders after necessary capital investments[37] - The company acknowledges that not all free cash flow is available for discretionary spending due to mandatory debt payments and other cash requirements[37] - Free cash flow provides insight into cash available for dividends, debt reduction, acquisitions, and share repurchases[37] Future Projections - The company expects 2026 revenue to increase by 0.5% and comparable adjusted revenue to rise by 1.1%[7] - For 2026, adjusted diluted EPS is projected to be between $3.90 and $4.30, with free cash flow expected to be approximately $200 million[14] Operational Focus - The comparable adjusted EBITDA margin for 2025 was 20.2%, up 90 basis points from the prior year[7] - The adjusted EBITDA margin for the year ended December 31, 2025, improved to 20.2% from 19.4% in 2024[28] - Merchant Services revenue for the year ended December 31, 2025, increased to $398.6 million, up from $384.0 million in 2024, a growth of 3.8%[23] - Data Solutions revenue for the year ended December 31, 2025, surged to $307.3 million from $234.0 million in 2024, representing a significant increase of 31.3%[23] - The company plans to continue focusing on operational efficiency and strategic decision-making to enhance performance and enterprise value[27] Dividend Declaration - The company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.30 per share, payable on February 23, 2026[10]

To ensure this doesn’t happen in the future, please enable Javascript and cookies in your browser.If you have an ad-blocker enabled you may be blocked from proceeding. Please disable your ad-blocker and refresh. ...