Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus having means for delivering, depositing, and aligning individual sheets (S) in a collecting tray (7) to form at least one sheet stack (8) from sheets collected one on top of another, the collecting tray of which has a depositing surface (70) with at least one front delimiter (71) against which the sheets are aligned, and having a holddown element (3) resting on the sheet stack, wherein the alignment means (1) for aligning a topmost delivered sheet (S) are drivable by a drive unit (6) and the alignment means are movable together with the holddown element relative to the stack in the stacking direction.