SEC FORM 4

SEC Form 4

FORM 4

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person^*

FAIRBANKS JOHN F

(Last)

(First)

(Middle)

500 MAIN STREET

C/O LEGAL DEPARTMENT

(Street)

GROTON

014710001

(City)

(State)

(Zip)

2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
NEW ENGLAND BUSINESS SERVICE INC [ NEB ]

5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)

	Director	10% Owner
X	Officer (give title below)	Other (specify below)
	Senior Vice President

3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
08/22/2003

4. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)

6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)

X	Form filed by One Reporting Person
	Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1. Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed Of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)			5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4)	6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
1. Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price		6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
Common Stock Par Value $1.00	08/22/2003		J	V	47.48	D	$31.11	4,518.071	I	By 401(k)⁽¹⁾
Common Stock, Restricted, Par Value $1.00	08/22/2003		A		1,000⁽³⁾	A	$31.11	8,525.6	D
Common Stock, Restricted, Par Value $1.00	08/22/2003		A		48.377⁽²⁾	A	$31.11	8,573.977	D
Common Stock Par Value $1.00								1,996.956	D

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)		7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 3 and 4)		8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)	9. Number of derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)	10. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	Code	V	(A)	(D)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares	8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)		10. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
Options (Right to Buy)	$31.11	08/22/2003		A		8,500⁽⁴⁾		08/22/2003	08/21/2013	Common Stock Par Value $1.00	8,500	$31.11	8,500	D

Explanation of Responses:

1. 401(K) is a unitized stock fund consisting of company stock and cash and the amount of securities listed on this form is expressed in equivalent shares. The amount of shares attributed to a plan participant and expressed as equivalent shares may change from time to time without the volition of the plan participant and depends upon the amount of cash in the fund, the fair market value of company stock, and the number of plan participants.

2. Amount represents dividends on restricted shares that are automatically reinvested in additional restricted shares under the terms of the underlying restricted stock award.

3. Restricted shares granted pursuant to the Plan will vest 20% of the total grant beginning with the first anniversary from the date of grant and continuing for the next four consecutive anniversaries from the date of the grant.

4. The share options awarded to this beneficial owner vest in 4 yearly installments beginning on the grant date and continuing for each of the next three anniversaries. One-fourth of the total grant is exercisable as of August 22, 2003.

Remarks:

	By: /S/ Michelle R. Palermo-Murphy as Attorney-in-Fact	08/25/2003
	** Signature of Reporting Person	Date
Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4 (b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.
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