BERTRANGE, Luxembourg, Sept. 30, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- Metro International S.A. ("Metro"), the international newspaper group, today announced that a total of 100,048 series 'A' shares and 100,048 series 'B' shares have been awarded to two independent non-executive Board Directors (Lance R. Primis and Paddy Byng) and two advisers to the Board of Directors (Lester Pollack and John Hepburn). The awards have been made under the terms of the company's long-term incentive plan, which was approved by the Board of Directors and announced in February 2004. The shares have been acquired by the four individuals at a price of US$ 0.25 per share.
The long-term incentive plan provides for the award of options to over eighty individuals to subscribe for a total of approximately 826,000 new series 'A' shares and 826,000 series 'B' shares, as well as restricted stock awards of 826,000 series 'A' shares and 826,000 series `B' shares. The plan therefore provides for the allocation of new shares amounting to approximately 0.6% of the total outstanding number of Metro International shares.
For further information, please visit www.metro.lu, email info@metro.lu or contact:
Pelle Tornberg, President & CEO tel: +44 (0) 20 7016 1300
Matthew Hooper, Investor & Press Relations tel: +44 (0) 20 7321 5010
Metro is the largest and fastest growing international newspaper in the world. 38 daily Metro editions are published in 54 major cities in 16 countries in 15 languages across Europe, North & South America and Asia. Metro has a unique global reach -- attracting a young, active, well-educated audience of more than 14.5 million daily readers and over 32 million weekly readers. Metro has an equal number of male and female readers and 70% are under the age of 45. Metro's advertising sales have grown at a compound annual rate of 47% since the launch of the first edition in 1995.
Metro International S.A. 'A' and 'B' shares are listed on the Stockholmsborsen 'O-List' under the symbols MTROA and MTROB.
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