The invention relates to a delivery device (03) for a sheet-processing machine, comprising at least one deposition station (I) and a conveyor system (21), by means of which upstream-processed sheets of printed material (B) can be picked up in a transfer location (43), can be conveyed to the deposition station (I) via a first conveying section (41), where they can be deposited optionally to form astack (11) or can be conveyed beyond said stack. According to the invention, a holding device, which holds down the uppermost sheet (B) of the stack (11) during the transfer of a sheet (B) to be conveyed against an entrainment and/or lifting, is provided with one or a plurality of holding means (299) which are spaced apart from each other transversely to the transport direction (T) and/or a sheet-guiding element (78) is provided, which adjoins the deposition station (I) and is variable in its vertical position with at least its upstream end by means of an actuating drive (283, 284).