ST. PAUL, Minn., June 17 -- Deluxe Corporation said today that it received early termination of the 15-day waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act for its pending acquisition of New England Business Service, Inc.. Deluxe also announced that it has decided to extend the expiration of the tender offer period for the pending acquisition to gain transaction reporting efficiencies and to accommodate the market. The tender offer, which commenced on May 25, 2004, and was scheduled to expire at 11:59 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, June 23, 2004, has been extended to 11:59 p.m. EDT on Thursday, June 24, 2004, subject to the terms and conditions of the parties' Agreement and Plan of Merger and the tender offer, unless further extended. The short extension facilitates the financial and tax reporting processes associated with the completion of NEBS' fiscal year-end and the consolidation with Deluxe's calendar year reporting. The extension also serves to accommodate the market following the termination of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act. As of the close of business on June 16, 2004, approximately 827,000 shares of NEBS common stock, representing approximately 6 percent of the total outstanding shares, had been validly tendered and not withdrawn in connection with the tender offer.