METLIFE ANNOUNCES FIRST QUARTER 2009 PREFERRED STOCK DIVIDEND ACTIONS, SUBJECT TO FINAL CONFIRMATION

MetLife, Inc. (NYSE: MET) announced today that it has declared first quarter 2009 dividends of $0.2500000 per share on the company’s floating rate non-cumulative preferred stock, Series A (NYSE: METPrA), and $0.4062500 per share on the company’s 6.50% non-cumulative preferred stock, Series B (NYSE: METPrB), subject to the final confirmation that it has met the financial tests specified in the Series A and Series B preferred stock, which the company anticipates will be made on or about March 5, 2009, the earliest date permitted in accordance with the terms of the securities. Both dividends will be payable March 16, 2009 to shareholders of record as of February 28, 2009.

 

MetLife, Inc. is a leading provider of insurance, employee benefits and financial services with operations throughout the United States and the Latin America, Europe and Asia Pacific regions.  Through its subsidiaries and affiliates, MetLife, Inc. reaches more than 70 million customers around the world and MetLife is the largest life insurer in the United States (based on life insurance in-force).  The MetLife companies offer life insurance, annuities, auto and home insurance, retail banking and other financial services to individuals, as well as group insurance and retirement & savings products and services to corporations and other institutions.  For more information, visit www.metlife.com.

This press release may contain or incorporate by reference information that includes or is based upon forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements give expectations or forecasts of future events. These statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. They use words such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe” and other words and terms of similar meaning in connection with a discussion of future operating or financial performance. In particular, these include statements relating to future actions, prospective services or products, future performance or results of current and anticipated services or products, sales efforts, expenses, the outcome of contingencies such as legal proceedings, trends in operations and financial results. 
  
Any or all forward-looking statements may turn out to be wrong. They can be affected by inaccurate assumptions or by known or unknown risks and uncertainties. Many such factors will be important in determining MetLife’s actual future results. These statements are based on current expectations and the current economic environment. They involve a number of risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. These statements are not guarantees of future performance. Actual results could differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Risks, uncertainties, and other factors that might cause such differences include the risks, uncertainties and other factors identified in MetLife, Inc.’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). These factors include: (i) difficult and adverse conditions in the global and domestic capital and credit markets; (ii) continued volatility and further deterioration of the capital and credit markets; (iii) uncertainty about the effectiveness of the U.S. government’s plan to stabilize the financial system by injecting capital into financial institutions, purchasing large amounts of illiquid, mortgage-backed and other securities from financial institutions, or otherwise; (iv) the impairment of other financial institutions; (v) potential liquidity and other risks resulting from MetLife’s participation in a securities lending program and other transactions; (vi) exposure to financial and capital market risk; (vii) changes in general economic conditions, including the performance of financial markets and interest rates, which may affect MetLife’s ability to raise capital and generate fee income and market-related revenue; (viii) defaults on MetLife’s mortgage and consumer loans; (ix) investment losses and defaults, and changes to investment valuations; (x) market value impairments to illiquid assets; (xi) unanticipated changes in industry trends; (xii) heightened competition, including with respect to pricing, entry of new competitors, the development of new products by new and existing competitors and for personnel; (xiii) discrepancies between actual claims experience and assumptions used in setting prices for MetLife’s products and establishing the liabilities for MetLife’s obligations for future policy benefits and claims; (xiv) discrepancies between actual experience and assumptions used in establishing liabilities related to other contingencies or obligations; (xv) ineffectiveness of risk management policies and procedures; (xvi) catastrophe losses; (xvii) changes in assumptions related to deferred policy acquisition costs, value of business acquired or goodwill; (xviii) downgrades in MetLife’s and its affiliates’ claims paying ability, financial strength or credit ratings; (xix) economic, political, currency and other risks relating to MetLife’s international operations; (xx) regulatory, legislative or tax changes that may affect the cost of, or demand for, MetLife’s products or services; (xxi) changes in accounting standards, practices and/or policies; (xxii) adverse results or other consequences from litigation, arbitration or regulatory investigations; (xxiii) deterioration in the experience of the “closed block” established in connection with the reorganization of Metropolitan Life Insurance Company; (xxiv) the effects of business disruption or economic contraction due to terrorism or other hostilities; (xxv) MetLife’s ability to identify and consummate on successful terms any future acquisitions, and to successfully integrate acquired businesses with minimal disruption; (xxvi) MetLife, Inc.’s primary reliance, as a holding company, on dividends from its subsidiaries to meet debt payment obligations and the applicable regulatory restrictions on the ability of the subsidiaries to pay such dividends; and (xxvii) other risks and uncertainties described from time to time in MetLife, Inc.’s filings with the SEC.

MetLife, Inc. does not undertake any obligation to publicly correct or update any forward-looking statement if MetLife, Inc. later becomes aware that such statement is not likely to be achieved. Please consult any further disclosures MetLife, Inc. makes on related subjects in reports to the SEC. 

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MetLife
For Media: John Calagna
MetLife
For Investors : Conor Murphy