Deluxe Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2023 Results; Affirms Full Year 2024 Outlook

Rhea-AI Summary

Deluxe (NYSE: DLX) reported a 2.0% decrease in 2023 revenue, including impact from divestitures, while comparable adjusted revenue increased by $6 million or 0.3%. Full year GAAP diluted EPS was $0.59, and adjusted diluted EPS was $3.32. Net income was $26.2 million, down from $65.5 million in 2022. Comparable adjusted EBITDA increased 3.2% to $417.1 million. 2024 guidance reiterated continued expansion of comparable adjusted revenue, EBITDA, and EPS.

Positive

• None.

Negative

• Net income decreased from the previous year, primarily due to higher interest expense and restructuring activities, as well as the impact of divestitures. Revenue for the full year and the fourth quarter decreased compared to the previous year. Adjusted diluted EPS was lower in 2023 compared to 2022.

Insights

Financial Analyst

The reported decrease in revenue by 2.0% for Deluxe, a Trusted Payments and Data company, is indicative of potential challenges in the company's operations or market conditions. However, the slight increase in comparable adjusted revenue suggests that the company's core business, excluding the effects of divestitures, remains stable. The significant drop in net income, from $65.5 million to $26.2 million, is a red flag that warrants investor attention. This decline, attributed to increased interest expense and restructuring activity, could be a sign of either a strategic repositioning or underlying financial stress.

From a valuation perspective, the decrease in GAAP diluted EPS from $1.50 to $0.59 and adjusted diluted EPS from $4.08 to $3.32, may impact investor sentiment and stock price. It is crucial to assess the company's future earnings potential and whether these figures reflect a temporary setback or a more prolonged downturn. The reiteration of the 2024 guidance suggests management confidence in the company's ability to execute its strategy and improve financial performance.

The mention of improved free cash flows is a positive indicator of the company's liquidity and operational efficiency. Investors would benefit from a deeper analysis of the components driving this improvement, such as cost management or changes in working capital. The company's ability to manage its net debt position and leverage ratio is also crucial for assessing its financial health and risk profile.

Market Research Analyst

Deluxe's focus on transforming into a modern Payments and Data company is a strategic move that aligns with current industry trends towards digitalization and integrated financial services. The reported organic revenue growth for the third consecutive year, despite a challenging macroeconomic environment, suggests resilience and potential competitive advantages. The expansion of comparable adjusted EBITDA margins indicates operational efficiency and successful scaling of the Payments and Data platform.

The company's 2024 guidance, which anticipates continued growth in comparable adjusted revenue, EBITDA and EPS, provides a forward-looking perspective on its growth trajectory. Investors should consider the company's market positioning, product offerings and the competitive landscape when evaluating this outlook. The mention of 'North Star initiatives' implies strategic focal points that could be pivotal in driving the company's long-term success.

It is important to contextualize the company's performance within the broader payments and data industry. Factors such as technological advancements, regulatory changes and consumer behavior shifts could significantly influence Deluxe's operations. The company's ability to adapt to these factors and maintain its momentum will be critical for future success.

Economist

The guidance provided by Deluxe for 2024, which includes expected revenue of $2.14 to $2.18 billion and adjusted EBITDA of $400 to $420 million, must be assessed in light of prevailing macroeconomic conditions. Current global unrest, labor supply issues and inflationary pressures could affect the company's cost structure and profitability. The company's resilience in the face of these challenges, as evidenced by its performance, may be indicative of strong management and operational agility.

The payment industry is sensitive to economic cycles and Deluxe's performance can serve as a bellwether for broader economic activity, especially in the SMB (small and medium-sized businesses) sector, which the company traditionally serves. The ability to improve net debt and leverage ratios in such an environment is commendable and suggests that the company is effectively managing its capital structure.

The regular quarterly dividend of $0.30 per share signals confidence in the company's ability to generate consistent cash flows. However, investors should balance this with the overall return on investment, considering the stock's performance and potential capital gains. The dividend policy in relation to earnings and free cash flow sustainability should be monitored, especially if macroeconomic conditions deteriorate.

• 2023 reported revenue decreased 2.0% including impact from divestitures, while comparable adjusted revenue increased $6 million or 0.3%.
• Third consecutive year of revenue growth, on a comparable adjusted basis.
• Full year GAAP diluted EPS was $0.59 while adjusted diluted EPS was $3.32.
• Full year net income was $26.2 million, down from $65.5 million in 2022, on increased interest expense and restructuring activity.
• Comparable adjusted EBITDA increased 3.2% to $417.1 million for the full year.
• 2024 guidance reiterated, reflecting continued expansion of comparable adjusted revenue, EBITDA, and EPS.

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Deluxe (NYSE: DLX), a Trusted Payments and Data company, today reported operating results for its fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2023.

“We are pleased to report a third consecutive year of organic revenue growth, while also increasing comparable adjusted EBITDA faster than revenue, and generating significantly improved free cash flows during both the fourth quarter and full year periods. These results further demonstrate the power of the combined Deluxe portfolio of offerings, aligned with the transformation of our business to a modern Payments and Data company,” said Barry McCarthy, President and CEO of Deluxe. “The increasing scale of our combined Payments and Data platform is driving improved operating leverage and expansion of our comparable adjusted EBITDA margins, which we expect will continue in line with our 2024 guidance as we focus on execution aligned to our North Star initiatives.”

“We were particularly pleased with our ability to improve our net debt position and leverage ratio during 2023, and the enterprise has strong momentum aligned with our core capital allocation priorities as 2024 begins,” said Chip Zint, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Deluxe. “Deluxe remains diligently focused on operational execution, and we are confident in the continued expansion of our earnings trajectory.”

Full Year 2023 Financial Highlights
(in millions, except per share amounts)
	Full Year 2023		Full Year 2022		% Change
Revenue	$2,192.3		$2,238.0		(2.0%)
Comparable Adjusted Revenue	$2,192.3		$2,186.3		0.3%
Net Income	$26.2		$65.5		(60.0%)
Adjusted EBITDA	$417.1		$418.1		(0.2%)
Comparable Adjusted EBITDA	$417.1		$404.0		3.2%
Diluted EPS	$0.59		$1.50		(60.7%)
Adjusted Diluted EPS	$3.32		$4.08		(18.6%)

• Revenue for the full year decreased 2.0% from the previous year. Comparable adjusted revenue, reflecting the removal of business exits, increased 0.3% compared to the previous year.
• Net income of $26.2 million was down from $65.5 million in 2022, primarily reflecting higher interest expense and restructuring activities, in addition to the impact of divestitures.
• Adjusted EBITDA margin was 19.0%, up 30 basis points from the prior year, while comparable adjusted EBITDA margin was up 50 basis points.
• Adjusted diluted EPS was $3.32 versus $4.08 in the prior year.

Fourth Quarter 2023 Financial Highlights
(in millions, except per share amounts)
	4th Quarter 2023		4th Quarter 2022		% Change
Revenue	$537.4		$564.0		(4.7%)
Comparable Adjusted Revenue	$537.4		$548.3		(2.0%)
Net Income	$15.0		$19.0		(21.1%)
Adjusted EBITDA	$106.4		$112.2		(5.2%)
Comparable Adjusted EBITDA	$106.4		$105.7		0.7%
Diluted EPS	$0.34		$0.44		(22.7%)
Adjusted Diluted EPS	$0.80		$1.04		(23.1%)

• Revenue for the fourth quarter decreased 4.7% from the previous year. Comparable adjusted revenue, reflecting the removal of business exits, decreased 2.0% compared to the previous year.
• Net income of $15.0 million was down from $19.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2022, primarily reflecting business exits and higher interest expense.
• Adjusted EBITDA margin was 19.8%, down 10 basis points from the prior year, while comparable adjusted EBITDA margin was up 50 basis points.
• Adjusted diluted EPS was $0.80 versus $1.04 in the prior year.

Outlook

The Company expects the following for full-year 2024, inclusive of expected business exits, and all figures are approximate:

• Revenue of $2.14 to $2.18 billion
• Adjusted EBITDA of $400 to $420 million
• Adjusted EPS of $3.10 to $3.40
• Free cash flow of $60 to $80 million

The guidance outlined above is subject to, among other things, prevailing macroeconomic conditions, global unrest, labor supply issues, inflation, and the impact of business exits.

Capital Allocation and Dividend

The Board of Directors recently approved a regular quarterly dividend of $0.30 per share. The dividend will be payable on March 4, 2024, to shareholders of record as of market closing on February 20, 2024.

Earnings Call Information

Deluxe management will host a conference call today at 8:30 a.m. ET (7:30 a.m. CT) to review the financial results. Listeners can access the call by dialing 1-888-210-4748 (access code 7092711). The audio and accompanying slides will be available via a simultaneous webcast on the investor relations website at www.investors.deluxe.com. Alternatively, an audio replay will be available after 11:30 a.m. ET through midnight on February 8, 2024, by dialing 1-800-770-2030 (access code 7092711).

About Deluxe Corporation

Deluxe, a Trusted Payments and Data company, champions business so communities thrive. Our solutions help businesses pay and get paid, accelerate growth and operate more efficiently. For more than 100 years, Deluxe customers have relied on our solutions and platforms at all stages of their lifecycle, from start-up to maturity. Our powerful scale supports millions of small businesses, thousands of vital financial institutions and hundreds of the world’s largest consumer brands. Our reach, scale and distribution channels position Deluxe to be our customers’ most trusted business partner. To learn how we can help your business, visit us at www.deluxe.com, www.facebook.com/deluxecorp, www.linkedin.com/company/deluxe, or www.twitter.com/deluxe.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements made in this release concerning Deluxe, the company’s or management’s intentions, expectations, outlook or predictions about future results or events are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements reflect management’s current intentions or beliefs and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to vary from stated expectations, which variations could be material and adverse. Factors that could produce such a variation include, but are not limited to, the following: potential continuing negative impacts from pandemic health issues, such as the coronavirus / COVID-19, along with the impact of related government restrictions or similar directives on our future results of operations and our future financial condition; changes in local, regional, national and international economic or political conditions, including those resulting from heightened inflation, rising interest rates, a recession, or intensified international hostilities, and the impact they may have on the company, its customers or demand for the company’s products and services; the effect of proposed and enacted legislative and regulatory actions affecting the company or the financial services industry as a whole; continuing cost increases and/or declines in the availability of materials and other services; the company’s ability to execute its transformational strategy and to realize the intended benefits; the inherent unreliability of earnings, revenue and cash flow predictions due to numerous factors, many of which are beyond the company’s control; declining demand for the company’s checks, check-related products and services and business forms; risks that the company’s strategies intended to drive sustained revenue and earnings growth, despite the continuing decline in checks and forms, are delayed or unsuccessful; intense competition; continued consolidation of financial institutions and/or bank failures, thereby reducing the number of potential customers and referral sources and increasing downward pressure on the company’s revenue and gross profit; risks related to acquisitions, including integration-related risks and risks that future acquisitions will not be consummated; risks that any such acquisitions do not produce the anticipated results or synergies; risks that the company’s cost reduction initiatives will be delayed or unsuccessful; risks related to any divestitures contemplated or undertaken by the company; performance shortfalls by one or more of the company’s major suppliers, licensors or service providers; continuing supply chain and labor supply issues; unanticipated delays, costs and expenses in the development and marketing of products and services, including web services and financial technology and treasury management solutions; the failure of such products and services to deliver the expected revenues and other financial targets; risks related to security breaches, computer malware or other cyber-attacks; risks of interruptions to the company’s website operations or information technology systems; and risks of unfavorable outcomes and the costs to defend litigation and other disputes. The company’s forward-looking statements speak only as of the time made, and management assumes no obligation to publicly update any such statements. Additional information concerning these and other factors that could cause actual results and events to differ materially from the company’s current expectations are contained in the company’s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, and other filings made with the SEC. The company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events, new information or future circumstances.

DELUXE CORPORATION
CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
(in millions, except per share amounts)
(Unaudited)
	Quarter Ended December 31,				Year Ended December 31,
	2023		2022		2023		2022
Product revenue	$318.8		$329.5		$1,257.6		$1,286.2
Service revenue	218.6		234.5		934.7		951.8
Total revenue	537.4		564.0		2,192.3		2,238.0
Cost of products	(124.2)		(124.8)		(486.1)		(470.2)
Cost of services	(129.7)		(137.8)		(543.5)		(561.9)
Total cost of revenue	(253.9)		(262.6)		(1,029.6)		(1,032.1)
Gross profit	283.5		301.4		1,162.7		1,205.9
Selling, general and administrative expense	(229.1)		(240.1)		(956.1)		(993.3)
Restructuring and integration expense	(18.2)		(15.9)		(78.2)		(62.5)
Gain on sale of businesses and long-lived assets	14.8		—		32.4		19.3
Operating income	51.0		45.4		160.8		169.4
Interest expense	(31.7)		(29.0)		(125.6)		(94.4)
Other income	0.1		1.9		4.6		9.4
Income before income taxes	19.4		18.3		39.8		84.4
Income tax (provision) benefit	(4.4)		0.7		(13.6)		(18.9)
Net income	15.0		19.0		26.2		65.5
Non-controlling interest	—		—		(0.1)		(0.1)
Net income attributable to Deluxe	$15.0		$19.0		$26.1		$65.4
Weighted average dilutive shares	44.1		43.4		43.8		43.3
Diluted earnings per share	$0.34		$0.44		$0.59		$1.50
Adjusted diluted earnings per share	0.80		1.04		3.32		4.08
Capital expenditures	19.9		31.1		100.7		104.6
Depreciation and amortization expense	44.7		43.6		169.7		172.6
EBITDA	95.8		90.9		335.0		351.3
Adjusted EBITDA	106.4		112.2		417.1		418.1

DELUXE CORPORATION
CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED BALANCE SHEETS
(dollars and shares in millions)
(Unaudited)
	December 31, 2023		December 31, 2022
Cash and cash equivalents	$72.0		$40.4
Other current assets	689.0		663.6
Property, plant & equipment	116.5		124.9
Operating lease assets	59.0		47.1
Intangibles	391.7		459.0
Goodwill	1,430.6		1,431.4
Other non-current assets	321.8		310.1
Total assets	$3,080.6		$3,076.5
Current portion of long-term debt	$86.2		$71.7
Other current liabilities	732.9		680.6
Long-term debt	1,506.7		1,572.5
Non-current operating lease liabilities	58.8		49.0
Other non-current liabilities	91.4		98.5
Shareholders' equity	604.6		604.2
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	$3,080.6		$3,076.5
Net debt	$1,520.9		$1,603.8
Shares outstanding	43.7		43.2

DELUXE CORPORATION
CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(in millions)
(Unaudited)
	Year Ended December 31,
	2023		2022
Cash provided (used) by:
Operating activities:
Net income	$26.2		$65.5
Depreciation and amortization of intangibles	169.7		172.6
Gain on sale of businesses and long-lived assets	(32.4)		(19.3)
Prepaid product discount payments	(28.5)		(30.6)
Other	63.4		3.3
Total operating activities	198.4		191.5
Investing activities:
Proceeds from sale of businesses and long-lived assets	53.6		25.2
Purchases of capital assets	(100.7)		(104.6)
Other	3.8		(0.9)
Total investing activities	(43.3)		(80.3)
Financing activities:
Net change in debt	(55.2)		(40.6)
Dividends	(53.3)		(52.6)
Net change in customer funds obligations	79.1		56.4
Other	(8.3)		(11.8)
Total financing activities	(37.7)		(48.6)
Effect of exchange rate change on cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents	3.2		(10.7)
Net change in cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents	120.6		51.9
Cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents, beginning of year	337.4		285.5
Cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents, end of year	$458.0		$337.4
Free cash flow	$97.7		$86.9

DELUXE CORPORATION
SEGMENT INFORMATION
(In millions)
(Unaudited)
	Quarter Ended December 31,				Year Ended December 31,
	2023		2022		2023		2022
Revenue:
Payments	$174.9		$171.4		$690.7		$678.6
Data Solutions	44.1		62.7		238.8		267.5
Promotional Solutions	142.4		154.3		541.7		562.9
Checks	176.0		175.6		721.1		729.0
Total	$537.4		$564.0		$2,192.3		$2,238.0
Adjusted EBITDA:
Payments	$42.3		$37.0		$152.8		$144.6
Data Solutions	7.3		17.3		55.7		68.2
Promotional Solutions	24.1		29.8		80.8		79.5
Checks	78.9		74.7		320.3		320.5
Corporate	(46.2)		(46.6)		(192.5)		(194.7)
Total	$106.4		$112.2		$417.1		$418.1
Adjusted EBITDA Margin:
Payments	24.2%		21.6%		22.1%		21.3%
Data Solutions	16.6%		27.6%		23.3%		25.5%
Promotional Solutions	16.9%		19.3%		14.9%		14.1%
Checks	44.8%		42.5%		44.4%		44.0%
Total	19.8%		19.9%		19.0%		18.7%

The segment information reported here was calculated utilizing the methodology outlined in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022.

DELUXE CORPORATION
SEGMENT INFORMATION (continued)
(In millions)
(Unaudited)
	Quarter Ended December 31,				Year Ended December 31,
	2023		2022		2023		2022
Comparable Adjusted Revenue:
Payments	$174.9		$171.4		$690.7		$678.6
Data Solutions	44.1		47.7		238.8		229.0
Promotional Solutions	142.4		153.6		541.7		549.7
Checks	176.0		175.6		721.1		729.0
Total	$537.4		$548.3		$2,192.3		$2,186.3
Comparable Adjusted EBITDA:
Payments	$42.3		$37.0		$152.8		$144.6
Data Solutions	7.3		10.9		55.7		54.8
Promotional Solutions	24.1		29.7		80.8		78.8
Checks	78.9		74.7		320.3		320.5
Corporate	(46.2)		(46.6)		(192.5)		(194.7)
Total	$106.4		$105.7		$417.1		$404.0
Comparable Adjusted EBITDA Margin:
Payments	24.2%		21.6%		22.1%		21.3%
Data Solutions	16.6%		22.9%		23.3%		23.9%
Promotional Solutions	16.9%		19.3%		14.9%		14.3%
Checks	44.8%		42.5%		44.4%		44.0%
Total	19.8%		19.3%		19.0%		18.5%

DELUXE CORPORATION
RECONCILIATION OF GAAP TO NON-GAAP MEASURES
(in millions)
(Unaudited)

Note that the company has not reconciled the adjusted EBITDA, adjusted EPS or free cash flow outlook for 2024 to the directly comparable GAAP financial measures because the company does not provide outlook guidance for the reconciling items between net income, adjusted net income and adjusted EBITDA, and certain of these reconciling items impact cash flows from operating activities. Because of the substantial uncertainty and variability surrounding certain of these forward-looking reconciling items, including: asset impairment charges, restructuring and integration costs, gains and losses on sales of businesses and long-lived assets, and certain legal-related expenses, a reconciliation of the non-GAAP financial measure outlook to the corresponding GAAP measures is not available without unreasonable effort. The probable significance of certain of these reconciling items is high and, based on historical experience, could be material.

EBITDA, ADJUSTED EBITDA AND ADJUSTED EBITDA MARGIN

Management discloses EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA margin because it believes they are useful in evaluating the company's operating performance, as the calculations eliminate the effect of interest expense, income taxes, the accounting effects of capital investments (i.e., depreciation and amortization) and in the case of adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA margin, certain items, as presented below, that may not be indicative of current period operating performance. In addition, management utilizes these measures to assess the operating results and performance of the business, to perform analytical comparisons and to identify strategies to improve performance. Management also believes that an increasing EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA depict an increase in the value of the company. Management does not consider EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA to be measures of cash flow, as they do not consider certain cash requirements, such as interest, income taxes, debt service payments or capital investments. Management does not consider EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA or adjusted EBITDA margin to be substitutes for operating income or net income. Instead, management believes that these amounts are useful performance measures that should be considered in addition to GAAP performance measures.

	Quarter Ended December 31,				Year Ended December 31,
	2023		2022		2023		2022
Net income	$15.0		$19.0		$26.2		$65.5
Non-controlling interest	—		—		(0.1)		(0.1)
Interest expense	31.7		29.0		125.6		94.4
Income tax provision (benefit)	4.4		(0.7)		13.6		18.9
Depreciation and amortization expense	44.7		43.6		169.7		172.6
EBITDA	95.8		90.9		335.0		351.3
Restructuring and integration costs	19.5		16.3		90.5		63.1
Share-based compensation expense	4.6		4.9		20.5		23.6
Acquisition transaction costs	—		—		—		0.1
Certain legal-related expense (benefit)	—		0.1		2.2		(0.7)
Gain on sale of businesses and long-lived assets	(14.8)		—		(32.4)		(19.3)
Loss on sale of Payroll investment	1.3		—		1.3		—
Adjusted EBITDA	$106.4		$112.2		$417.1		$418.1
Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of total revenue (adjusted EBITDA margin)	19.8%		19.9%		19.0%		18.7%

DELUXE CORPORATION
RECONCILIATION OF GAAP TO NON-GAAP MEASURES (continued)
(in millions, except per share amounts)
(Unaudited)

ADJUSTED DILUTED EPS

By excluding the impact of non-cash items or items that may not be indicative of current period operating performance, management believes that adjusted diluted EPS provides useful comparable information to assist in analyzing the company's current and future operating performance. As such, adjusted diluted EPS is one of the key financial performance metrics used to assess the operating results and performance of the business and to identify strategies to improve performance. It is reasonable to expect that one or more of the excluded items will occur in future periods, but the amounts recognized may vary significantly. Management does not consider adjusted diluted EPS to be a substitute for GAAP performance measures, but believes that it is a useful performance measure that should be considered in addition to GAAP performance measures.

	Quarter Ended December 31,				Year Ended December 31,
	2023		2022		2023		2022
Net income	$15.0		$19.0		$26.2		$65.5
Non-controlling interest	—		—		(0.1)		(0.1)
Net income attributable to Deluxe	15.0		19.0		26.1		65.4
Acquisition amortization	16.0		21.9		74.8		90.6
Accelerated amortization	2.5		—		2.5		—
Restructuring and integration costs	19.5		16.3		90.5		63.1
Share-based compensation expense	4.6		4.9		20.5		23.6
Acquisition transaction costs	—		—		—		0.1
Certain legal-related expense (benefit)	—		0.1		2.2		(0.7)
Gain on sale of businesses and long-lived assets	(14.8)		—		(32.4)		(19.3)
Loss on sale of Payroll investment	1.3		—		1.3		—
Gain on debt retirements	—		—		—		(1.7)
Adjustments, pre-tax	29.1		43.2		159.4		155.7
Income tax provision impact of pretax adjustments(1)	(8.9)		(17.0)		(39.6)		(43.8)
Adjustments, net of tax	20.2		26.2		119.8		111.9
Adjusted net income attributable to Deluxe	35.2		45.2		145.9		177.3
Income allocated to participating securities	—		—		—		(0.1)
Re-measurement of share-based awards classified as liabilities	—		—		—		(0.5)
Adjusted income attributable to Deluxe available to common shareholders	$35.2		$45.2		$145.9		$176.7
Weighted-average dilutive shares(2)	44.1		43.4		43.9		43.3
GAAP Diluted EPS	$0.34		$0.44		$0.59		$1.50
Adjustments, net of tax	0.46		0.60		2.73		2.58
Adjusted Diluted EPS	$0.80		$1.04		$3.32		$4.08

(1)		The tax effect of the pretax adjustments considers the tax treatment and related tax rate(s) that apply to each adjustment in the applicable tax jurisdiction(s). Generally, this results in a tax impact that approximates the U.S. effective tax rate for each adjustment. However, the tax impact of certain adjustments, such as share-based compensation expense, depends on whether the amounts are deductible in the respective tax jurisdictions and the applicable effective tax rate(s) in those jurisdictions.
(2)		The weighted-average dilutive shares used in the calculation of adjusted EPS for the quarter ended December 31, 2022 differs from the GAAP calculation due to differences in the amount of dilutive securities in each calculation.

DELUXE CORPORATION
RECONCILIATION OF GAAP TO NON-GAAP MEASURES (continued)
(in millions)
(Unaudited)

COMPARABLE ADJUSTED REVENUE, COMPARABLE ADJUSTED EBITDA AND COMPARABLE ADJUSTED EBITDA MARGIN

Management views the measures of comparable adjusted revenue and comparable adjusted EBITDA, which exclude the impact of business exits, as important indicators when assessing and evaluating the performance of the business and when identifying strategies to improve performance. By excluding the impact of business exits, management is able to evaluate internally-generated revenue and adjusted EBITDA, measured by comparable results on a year-over-year basis. These measures are utilized by management to compare operational performance across fiscal periods when an acquisition or business exit occurs.

COMPARABLE ADJUSTED REVENUE
		Quarter Ended December 31,				Year Ended December 31,
		2023		2022		2023		2022
Total Company:
Total revenue		$537.4		$564.0		$2,192.3		$2,238.0
Business exits		—		(15.7)		—		(51.7)
Comparable adjusted revenue		$537.4		$548.3		$2,192.3		$2,186.3
Payments:
Total revenue		$174.9		$171.4		$690.7		$678.6
Data Solutions:
Total revenue		$44.1		$62.7		$238.8		$267.5
Business exits		—		(15.0)		—		(38.5)
Comparable adjusted revenue		$44.1		$47.7		$238.8		$229.0
Promotional Solutions:
Total revenue		$142.4		$154.3		$541.7		$562.9
Business exits		—		(0.7)		—		(13.2)
Comparable adjusted revenue		$142.4		$153.6		$541.7		$549.7
Checks:
Total revenue		$176.0		$175.6		$721.1		$729.0

DELUXE CORPORATION
RECONCILIATION OF GAAP TO NON-GAAP MEASURES (continued)
(in millions)
(Unaudited)
COMPARABLE ADJUSTED EBITDA AND COMPARABLE ADJUSTED EBITDA MARGIN
		Quarter Ended December 31,				Year Ended December 31,
		2023		2022		2023		2022
Total Company:
Adjusted EBITDA		$106.4		$112.2		$417.1		$418.1
Business exits		—		(6.5)		—		(14.1)
Comparable adjusted EBITDA		$106.4		$105.7		$417.1		$404.0
Comparable adjusted EBITDA margin		19.8%		19.3%		19.0%		18.5%
Payments:
Adjusted EBITDA		$42.3		$37.0		$152.8		$144.6
Data Solutions:
Adjusted EBITDA		$7.3		$17.3		$55.7		$68.2
Business exits		—		(6.4)		—		(13.4)
Comparable adjusted EBITDA		$7.3		$10.9		$55.7		$54.8
Comparable adjusted EBITDA margin		16.6%		22.9%		23.3%		23.9%
Promotional Solutions:
Adjusted EBITDA		$24.1		$29.8		$80.8		$79.5
Business exits		—		(0.1)		—		(0.7)
Comparable adjusted EBITDA		$24.1		$29.7		$80.8		$78.8
Comparable adjusted EBITDA margin		16.9%		19.3%		14.9%		14.3%
Checks:
Adjusted EBITDA		$78.9		$74.7		$320.3		$320.5
Corporate:
Adjusted EBITDA		($46.2)		($46.6)		($192.5)		($194.7)

DELUXE CORPORATION
RECONCILIATION OF GAAP TO NON-GAAP MEASURES (continued)
(in millions)
(Unaudited)

NET DEBT

Management believes that net debt is an important measure to monitor leverage and to evaluate the balance sheet. In calculating net debt, cash and cash equivalents are subtracted from total debt because they could be used to reduce the company’s debt obligations. A limitation associated with using net debt is that it subtracts cash and cash equivalents, and therefore, may imply that management intends to use cash and cash equivalents to reduce outstanding debt. In addition, net debt suggests that our debt obligations are less than the most comparable GAAP measure indicates.

	December 31, 2023		December 31, 2022
Total debt	$1,592.9		$1,644.2
Cash and cash equivalents	(72.0)		(40.4)
Net debt	$1,520.9		$1,603.8

FREE CASH FLOW

Management defines free cash flow as net cash provided by operating activities less purchases of capital assets. Management believes that free cash flow is an important indicator of cash available for debt service and for shareholders, after making capital investments to maintain or expand the company’s asset base. A limitation of using the free cash flow measure is that not all of the company’s free cash flow is available for discretionary spending, as the company may have mandatory debt payments and other cash requirements that must be deducted from its cash available for future use. Free cash flow is not a substitute for GAAP liquidity measures. Instead, management believes that this measurement provides an additional metric to compare cash generated by operations on a consistent basis and to provide insight into the cash flow available to fund items such as dividends, mandatory and discretionary debt reduction, acquisitions or other strategic investments, and share repurchases.

		Quarter Ended December 31,				Year Ended December 31,
		2023		2022		2023		2022
Net cash provided by operating activities		$83.4		$68.1		$198.4		$191.5
Purchases of capital assets		(19.9)		(31.1)		(100.7)		(104.6)
Free cash flow		$63.5		$37.0		$97.7		$86.9

 

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240201904712/en/

Brian Anderson, VP, Strategy & Investor Relations

651-447-4197

brian.anderson@deluxe.com

Keith Negrin, VP, Communications

612-669-1459

keith.negrin@deluxe.com

Source: Deluxe Corporation

FAQ

What is the ticker symbol for Deluxe?

The ticker symbol for Deluxe is DLX.

What was the full year 2023 revenue for Deluxe?

The full year 2023 revenue for Deluxe was $2,192.3 million.

What was the net income for Deluxe in 2023?

The net income for Deluxe in 2023 was $26.2 million, down from $65.5 million in 2022.

What was the adjusted diluted EPS for Deluxe in 2023?

The adjusted diluted EPS for Deluxe in 2023 was $3.32.

What is the 2024 guidance for Deluxe?

The 2024 guidance for Deluxe includes revenue of $2.14 to $2.18 billion, adjusted EBITDA of $400 to $420 million, and adjusted EPS of $3.10 to $3.40.