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DLX vs ZD
Which Stock Would AI Choose? Deluxe Corporation (DLX) vs. Ziff Davis (ZD) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- Deluxe Corporation (DLX) has transformed from a legacy check printer into a diversified payments and data company, delivering 12.6% adjusted diluted EPS (earnings per share) growth in fiscal 2025 alongside aggressive debt reduction.
- Ziff Davis (ZD) operates a digital media and internet portfolio spanning technology, health, gaming, and cybersecurity, generating nearly $288 million in free cash flow during 2025 while repurchasing $174 million in shares.
- DLX trades at a modest P/E (price-to-earnings) ratio of approximately 12 and offers a dividend yield above 4%, making it a potential value and income candidate.
- ZD carries a higher GAAP P/E near 47 but a forward P/E around 10, reflecting significant expected earnings expansion and an aggressive share-buyback strategy.
- Both stocks have posted strong year-over-year gains exceeding 70%, yet they operate in entirely different industries with distinct risk-and-return profiles.
- An AI-driven evaluation suggests one of these tickers currently exhibits a more consistent combination of trend stability, earnings momentum, and capital discipline.
Introduction
Investors often find value in comparing stocks that, at first glance, occupy completely different corners of the market. DLX (Deluxe Corporation) and ZD (Ziff Davis, Inc.) represent two such cases — one a century-old payments and data company undergoing a strategic transformation, the other a digital media and internet conglomerate pursuing value-unlocking initiatives. Both have delivered triple-digit-percentage gains from their 52-week lows and both have attracted attention for their disciplined capital allocation. This comparison examines how these two names stack up across fundamentals, recent momentum, and forward positioning, offering a framework for traders deciding where opportunity may lie in the current market.
DLX Overview and Recent Performance
DLX, headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, has meaningfully evolved beyond its historical identity as a check printer. Today the company operates across four segments: Merchant Services, B2B Payments (business-to-business payments), Data Solutions, and Print. The legacy Print business continues to generate steady cash flow that funds expansion into higher-growth digital payments and data analytics. In full-year 2025, Deluxe reported revenue of $2.133 billion, a 0.5% increase year-over-year on a reported basis and 1.1% on a comparable adjusted basis. Net income jumped 61.2% to $85.3 million, while comparable adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) rose 6.2% to $431.5 million. Adjusted diluted EPS reached $3.67, representing a 12.6% improvement.
In recent weeks, DLX shares have traded in the $24 to $27 range, maintaining upward momentum following the company's January 2026 fourth-quarter report and 2026 guidance. Management guided for 2026 adjusted diluted EPS of $3.90 to $4.30, implying continued double-digit earnings growth at the midpoint. The company also reduced total debt by $73.7 million during 2025 and achieved its leverage target ahead of schedule, strengthening the balance sheet. With a dividend yield above 4% and a P/E ratio near 12, DLX has drawn interest from value-oriented and income-focused market participants.
ZD Overview and Recent Performance
ZD (Ziff Davis, Inc.) is a digital media and internet company with a diverse portfolio that spans Technology & Shopping, Gaming & Entertainment, Health & Wellness, Connectivity, and Cybersecurity & Martech (marketing technology). Its brands include well-known properties such as PCMag, Mashable, RetailMeNot, and Spiceworks. For the full year 2025, Ziff Davis generated revenue of $1.451 billion, a 3.5% increase from 2024. Operating income surged 61.1% to $183.1 million, helped by a significantly smaller goodwill impairment charge compared to the prior year. On an adjusted basis, EBITDA edged up 0.3% to $495.1 million, and adjusted diluted EPS rose 0.2% to $6.63.
In recent market activity, ZD shares have traded in the $51 to $55 range, rebounding sharply from a 52-week low of $22.45. The company generated $287.9 million in free cash flow during 2025 and deployed $173.8 million toward share repurchases, signaling management's conviction that the stock was undervalued. Additionally, Ziff Davis has engaged outside advisors to evaluate value-creating opportunities, including the potential sale of entire divisions. While GAAP net income was pressured by losses on business sales and equity-method investments, the underlying adjusted earnings profile has remained relatively steady. The stock does not pay a dividend, reflecting management's preference for buybacks and acquisitions as its primary capital-return tools.
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Head-to-Head Comparison
Business Model and Revenue Mix: DLX derives a growing share of its revenue from digital payments and data solutions while its legacy Print segment provides a cash-flow foundation. ZD is a pure-play digital media and internet business with revenue distributed across five segments, providing diversification but also exposing it to advertising cyclicality and competition for consumer attention.
Growth Drivers: DLX is executing its "North Star" transformation plan, which emphasizes margin expansion, organic revenue growth in Payments and Data, and ongoing deleveraging. ZD is pursuing value-unlocking through potential asset sales, active share repurchases, and select acquisitions aimed at strengthening its Health & Wellness and Connectivity verticals.
Valuation and Capital Return: DLX trades at a P/E near 12 with a dividend yield above 4% — metrics that appeal to value and income strategies. ZD carries a GAAP P/E near 47 but a forward P/E around 10, reflecting expectations of earnings recovery. It returns capital exclusively through buybacks, having reduced its share count significantly in 2025.
Risk Factors: DLX faces secular decline in its Print segment, execution risk around its digital transformation, and sensitivity to small-business health. ZD contends with digital advertising volatility, goodwill impairment risk (a recurring item in recent years), and integration risk tied to past acquisitions.
Recent Price Momentum: Both stocks have rallied substantially from their 2025 lows. DLX has risen roughly 70% year-over-year, while ZD has climbed approximately 72% in the same period. However, DLX has exhibited somewhat steadier upward progression, while ZD's path has included sharper drawdowns and recoveries.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Based on observable factors such as trend consistency, earnings trajectory, capital discipline, and relative valuation, Tickeron's AI analysis would likely tilt in favor of DLX (Deluxe Corporation) in the current environment. The company's combination of accelerating adjusted EPS growth, expanding free cash flow, ahead-of-schedule debt reduction, and a clear multi-year transformation roadmap presents a coherent, measurable catalyst path. The stock's lower P/E multiple and above-4% dividend yield provide additional margin of safety characteristics that quantitative models often reward. While ZD (Ziff Davis) benefits from strong free cash flow generation and an aggressive buyback program, the recurring goodwill impairment charges and uncertainty tied to potential divisional sales introduce variables that weigh on trend-confidence scores within AI-driven frameworks. It is important to emphasize that this assessment reflects a probabilistic, data-driven perspective — not a prediction — and that market conditions can shift the relative attractiveness of either ticker at any time.
Disclaimer
The information on this webpage is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice, a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation related to investments. It does not consider your personal financial situation, goals, or risk profile, and all investing carries inherent risks, including the possibility of losing your entire investment. For more details, please review our full disclaimer.
To compare these two companies we present long-term analysis, their fundamental ratings and make comparative short-term technical analysis which are presented below. The conclusion is DLX is a Hold and ZD is a Hold.
Long-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a long-term outlook for a ticker by using Fundamental Analysis (FA) ratings. The rating of 1 to 100, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, is divided into thirds. The first third (a green rating of 1-33) indicates that the ticker is undervalued; the second third (a grey number between 34 and 66) means that the ticker is valued fairly; and the last third (red number of 67 to 100) reflects that the ticker is undervalued. We use an FA Score to show how many ratings show the ticker to be undervalued (green) or overvalued (red).
DLX’s FA Score shows that 1 FA rating(s) are green whileZD’s FA Score has 1 green FA rating(s).
- DLX’s FA Score: 1 green, 4 red.
- ZD’s FA Score: 1 green, 4 red.
Short-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a short-term outlook for a ticker by using Technical Analysis (TA) indicators. We use Odds of Success as the percentage of outcomes which confirm successful trade signals in the past.
If the Odds of Success (the likelihood of the continuation of a trend) for each indicator are greater than 50%, then the generated signal is confirmed. A green percentage from 90% to 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bullish trend. A red percentage from 90% - 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bearish trend. All grey percentages are below 50% and are considered not to confirm the trend signal.
DLX’s TA Score shows that 5 TA indicator(s) are bullish while ZD’s TA Score has 3 bullish TA indicator(s).
- DLX’s TA Score: 5 bullish, 4 bearish.
- ZD’s TA Score: 3 bullish, 5 bearish.
Price Growth
DLX (@Industrial Conglomerates) experienced а -2.13% price change this week, while ZD (@Advertising/Marketing Services) price change was -2.86% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Industrial Conglomerates industry was +1.30%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was -4.51%, and the average quarterly price growth was +6.22%.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Advertising/Marketing Services industry was -0.75%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was -5.24%, and the average quarterly price growth was +5.52%.
Reported Earning Dates
DLX is expected to report earnings on Oct 29, 2026.
ZD is expected to report earnings on Aug 06, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Industrial Conglomerates (+1.30% weekly)Industrial Conglomerates specialize in numerous types of products, most of which comprise industrial goods, while some also go towards meeting household needs. Honeywell (makes engineering services and aerospace systems), United Technologies Corporation(manufactures aircraft engines, aerospace systems, HVAC, elevators and escalators, fire and security, building systems, and industrial products, among others), 3M (over 60,000 products under several world-renowned brands, including adhesives, abrasives, laminates, passive fire protection, personal protective equipment, window films, paint protection films, dental and orthodontic products, electrical & electronic connecting and insulating materials, medical products, car-care products, electronic circuits, healthcare software and optical films).
@Advertising/Marketing Services (-0.75% weekly)Making a brand known to people, garnering more clients/consumers for its product and solidifying the brand’s position in an industry – all of these are essential to a company’s growth, and that’s where marketing/advertising come in as one of the key catalysts. Advertising industry is a global multibillion-dollar business of public relations and marketing companies, media services and advertising agencies – entities that help to connect manufacturers/producers with customers. Digital media has played a big role in the growth of global advertising, and agencies invest substantially to integrate advanced technologies into their business operations. According to some estimates, the U.S. advertising industry is expected to generate revenue of $52.6 billion by 2023, up from almost $40 billion in 2015 . Omnicom Group Inc., Trade Desk, Inc. and Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc. are some of the major U.S. companies in the industry.
| DLX | ZD | DLX / ZD | |
| Capitalization | 1.22B | 1.94B | 63% |
| EBITDA | 404M | 322M | 125% |
| Gain YTD | 22.047 | 49.986 | 44% |
| P/E Ratio | 11.78 | 45.06 | 26% |
| Revenue | 2.14B | 1.45B | 148% |
| Total Cash | 27.2M | 520M | 5% |
| Total Debt | 1.45B | 867M | 167% |
DLX | ZD | ||
|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 83 | 26 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 3 Undervalued | 83 Overvalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 100 | 100 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 55 | 89 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 42 | 37 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 61 | 6 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 75 | 50 |
Tickeron ratings are formulated such that a rating of 1 designates the most successful stocks in a given industry, while a rating of 100 points to the least successful stocks for that industry.
DLX's Valuation (3) in the Commercial Printing Or Forms industry is significantly better than the same rating for ZD (83) in the Internet Software Or Services industry. This means that DLX’s stock grew significantly faster than ZD’s over the last 12 months.
DLX's Profit vs Risk Rating (100) in the Commercial Printing Or Forms industry is in the same range as ZD (100) in the Internet Software Or Services industry. This means that DLX’s stock grew similarly to ZD’s over the last 12 months.
DLX's SMR Rating (55) in the Commercial Printing Or Forms industry is somewhat better than the same rating for ZD (89) in the Internet Software Or Services industry. This means that DLX’s stock grew somewhat faster than ZD’s over the last 12 months.
ZD's Price Growth Rating (37) in the Internet Software Or Services industry is in the same range as DLX (42) in the Commercial Printing Or Forms industry. This means that ZD’s stock grew similarly to DLX’s over the last 12 months.
ZD's P/E Growth Rating (6) in the Internet Software Or Services industry is somewhat better than the same rating for DLX (61) in the Commercial Printing Or Forms industry. This means that ZD’s stock grew somewhat faster than DLX’s over the last 12 months.
| DLX | ZD | |
|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 66% | 2 days ago 88% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 70% | 2 days ago 76% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 70% | 2 days ago 63% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | N/A | 2 days ago 76% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 68% | 2 days ago 74% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 65% | 2 days ago 74% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 66% | 3 days ago 64% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 7 days ago 68% | 14 days ago 75% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 78% | 2 days ago 81% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 59% | 2 days ago 60% |
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DLX and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, DLX has been loosely correlated with ZD. These tickers have moved in lockstep 58% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is some statistical probability that if DLX jumps, then ZD could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To DLX | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DLX | 100% | -1.33% | ||
| ZD - DLX | 58% Loosely correlated | -4.80% | ||
| CCO - DLX | 49% Loosely correlated | -0.41% | ||
| CMPR - DLX | 47% Loosely correlated | -1.99% | ||
| WPP - DLX | 46% Loosely correlated | +0.05% | ||
| MGNI - DLX | 44% Loosely correlated | -0.91% | ||
More | ||||
ZD and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, ZD has been loosely correlated with DLX. These tickers have moved in lockstep 58% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is some statistical probability that if ZD jumps, then DLX could also see price increases.