GROTON, Mass.--Oct. 26, 2000--New England Business Service, Inc. (NYSE: NEB) today announced that its Board of Directors has authorized the repurchase of up to two million of the Company's shares. The program is effective immediately and extends through October 31, 2003, replacing an authorization expiring this month. Under the provisions of the authorization, share repurchases will be made on the open market or through privately negotiated transactions. Under the expiring repurchase authorization, which was activated in March 1999, the Company repurchased approximately 1.4 million shares at an average price of $24 per share. The total number of the Company's shares currently outstanding is 13,239,000.