Abstract: An apparatus for handling stacks of sheet-like products is provided and includes a rotary table on which gripper devices are mounted for linear shifting. The table has a central axis of rotation about which it is rotatable and includes linear carriage guides on which carriages of the devices can be shifted linearly. A linear drive propels the carriages and devices thereon in a linear direction along the guides between waiting and working positions. Each gripper device includes upper and lower gripper units with the lower gripper unit sliding beneath and out from under the product stack as the carriages are driven between the waiting and working positions depending on whether the units are to support a stack to be moved or are dropping it off at a station for further processing and/or transfer.