Deluxe Corporation (NYSE:DLX) Q2 2023 Earnings Call Transcript

Chip Zint: Sure. So you’ll recall we talked about site closures and consolidations on the first quarter call. So we continue to focus on the lockbox operation specifically, which includes a function of consolidating actual real estate site locations, getting more efficient and automated on how work gets done and managing our labor force with partner — external partners. In addition, we continue to look at the production footprint. We announced the closure of a production site in the second quarter. So we continue to look at operations and fulfillment to shut that down. We also completed the ERP, which I know we’ve talked about for a long time. We’ve now turned the chapter when it comes to infrastructure-related technology spend.

And so now we really have to think about go forward, it’s really about looking for other opportunities and initiatives to take costs out of the business and do it with an eye on high-return projects. We will continue to spend in the right areas to get costs out of the business, but it has to end and follow a business case is an attractive return, you should expect to us to continue to look at that, whether that’s more process automation, efficiencies in the tech stack or, of course, just how we deploy resources across the company.

Operator: Your next question is from the line of David Silver with CL King.

Thomas Ginsburg: This is Thomas Ginsburg from CL King. I’m filling in for David today. So I have 2 questions. My first question. In regard to the updated full year financial guidance you provided, could you highlight the main incremental drivers for revenue as well as adjusted EBITDA. And in particular, will Data Solutions continue to record the fastest growth among your segments? And what are the prospects for an acceleration in Payments growth?

Chip Zint : Okay. So a lot there. We’ll try to unpack that. I’m going to first start with the Data side. So as Barry mentioned, very, very pleased with what they delivered in the second quarter. Given the divestiture of the Web hosting business, there’s a few pieces of dynamic. I think it’s clear that we need to lay out. So first of all, on a year-to-date basis or rolling 6-month basis, the overall segment was up 1% year-over-year. Sorry, it was up 1% on a rolling 6-month basis. It’s up 6%. The reason it’s up 1% on a roll-on basis externally reported is because of the declines inside the Web hosting portfolio. We mentioned in the first quarter call, it had declined 8%, and it actually further declined more in the second quarter.

So when you really take a step back and you look at the DDM specific part of that portfolio, it’s right along that mid-single digits rolling 6-month average, and we believe that that’s the way it will match for the second half of the year as well as the full year. When you blend it all together because of the declining piece of the Web hosting portfolio from the first half of the year, that’s where you get to our full year guide of low single digits. So data we think can continue to do what it’s going to do. That business can be a little seasonal and have maybe stronger periods and weaker periods, but we continue to see really good momentum and a good feeling of that business. And it’s important to look at it over a rolling basis just to see how that overall trajectory is going.

On the full year, I think we’ve delivered a solid first half, and so we feel great about the guide and what we’ve got to go. As I said before, we’ve got to maintain a higher range. You see a lot of area of opportunity. We do expect Check to return to secular decline. That’s important. It had a very strong second quarter, whether it was fulfilling the backlog from ERP or even having enough efficiencies to even pull forward some production, but we definitely see that being a return to secular declines and very long — abating the levers from a Payments perspective that you see.