UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
AMENDMENT NO. 16 TO
SCHEDULE 13D
Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
MetLife, Inc.
(Name of Issuer)
Common Stock, par value $.01 per share
(Title of Class of Securities)
59156R108
(CUSIP Number)
James L. Lipscomb, Esq.
Executive Vice-President and General Counsel
MetLife, Inc.
One Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10010-3690
(212) 578-2211
(Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person Authorized to Receive Notices and
Communications)
March 5, 2004
(Date of Event which Requires Filing of this Statement)
If the filing person has previously filed a statement on Schedule 13G to report
the acquisition that is the subject of this Schedule 13D, and is filing this
schedule because of Sections 240.13d-1(e), 240.13d-1(f) or 240.13d-1(g),
check the following box [ ].
The information required on the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed
to be "filed" for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act
but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the
Notes).
SCHEDULE 13D
CUSIP No. 59156R108 Page 2 of 11 Pages
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Names of Reporting Persons Board of Directors of MetLife, Inc.,
as an entity
I.R.S. Identification
Nos. of Above Persons Not applicable
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(2) Check the Appropriate Box (a) [ ]
if a Member of a Group (b) [ ]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(3) SEC Use Only
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(4) Source of Funds Not Applicable. See Item 4
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(5) Check if Disclosure of Legal
Proceedings is Required Pursuant
to Items 2(d) or 2(e) [ ]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(6) Citizenship or Place of
Organization U.S.A.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of Shares (7) Sole Voting Power 0
Beneficially Owned --------------------------------------------------------
by Each Reporting
Person With (8) Shared Voting Power 351,051,700*
--------------------------------------------------------
(9) Sole Dispositive Power 0
--------------------------------------------------------
(10) Shared Dispositive Power 0
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(11) Aggregate Amount Beneficially
Owned by Each Reporting Person 351,051,700
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(12) Check if the Aggregate Amount
in Row (11) Excludes Certain Shares [ ]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(13) Percent of Class Represented
by Amount in Row 11 46.4%
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(14) Type of Reporting Person OO
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Unless otherwise indicated, all information relating to beneficial ownership
of the Shares by the Reporting Persons is as of March 1, 2004.
SCHEDULE 13D
CUSIP No. 59156R108 Page 3 of 11 Pages
Items 4 and 5 are amended as set forth below:
ITEM 4. PURPOSE OF TRANSACTION.
The Board of Directors is reporting beneficial ownership of
351,051,700 shares of Common Stock (the "Shares") held by the MetLife
Policyholder Trust (the "Trust") under the Plan of Reorganization, dated
September 28, 1999, as amended (the "Plan"), of Metropolitan Life Insurance
Company ("MetLife").
On April 7, 2000, 494,466,664 Shares were issued to the Trust
pursuant to Section 5.2(d) of the Plan, a copy of which is filed as an exhibit
to this statement. No consideration has been separately provided therefor by any
member of the Board of Directors, except for Shares allocated to such member
pursuant to the Plan. Since April 7, 2000, transactions by Beneficiaries under
the Purchase and Sale Program provided for by the Trust Agreement (as defined
below) have resulted in a decrease in the number of Shares held by the Trust
from 494,466,664 to 351,051,700 (as adjusted to reflect refinements in the
calculation of the number of Shares issued to the Trust under the Plan).
Under the Plan and the MetLife Policyholder Trust Agreement, dated
as of November 3, 1999 (as amended, the "Trust Agreement"), by and among
MetLife, the Issuer, Wilmington Trust Company (the "Trustee") and ChaseMellon
Shareholder Services, L.L.C., as custodian (the "Custodian"), a copy of which is
attached as an exhibit to this statement, certain eligible policyholders of
MetLife ("Trust Eligible Policyholders") have been allocated a number of
interests in the Trust ("Trust Interests") equal to the number of shares of
Common Stock allocated to the Trust Eligible Policyholders in accordance with
the Plan. The assets of the Trust principally are the Shares issued to the Trust
for the benefit of the Trust Eligible Policyholders and permitted transferees
(collectively, the "Beneficiaries"). The Shares are held in the name of the
Trustee, on behalf of the Trust, which has legal title over the Shares. The
Beneficiaries do not have legal title to any part of the assets of the Trust.
The Trust Interests represent undivided fractional interests in the Shares and
other assets of the Trust beneficially owned by a Trust Beneficiary through the
Custodian.
The Trust Agreement provides the Trustee with directions as to the
manner in which to vote, assent or consent the Shares at all times during the
term of the Trust. On all matters brought for a vote before the stockholders of
the Issuer, with the exception of a Beneficiary Consent Matter (as defined
below), the Trustee will vote in accordance with the recommendation given by the
Board of Directors of the Issuer to its stockholders or, if no such
recommendation is given, as directed by the Board. On all Beneficiary Consent
Matters, the Trustee will vote all of the Shares in favor of, in opposition to
or abstain from the matter in the same ratio as the Trust Interests of the
Beneficiaries that returned voting instructions to the Trustee indicated
preferences for voting in favor of, in opposition to or abstaining from such
matter. The Trust Agreement also contains provisions allowing Beneficiaries to
instruct the Custodian to withdraw their allocated Trust Shares to participate
in any tender or exchange offer for the Common Stock and to make any cash or
share election, or perfect any dissenter's rights, in connection with a merger
of the Issuer.
SCHEDULE 13D
CUSIP No. 59156R108 Page 4 of 11 Pages
A "Beneficiary Consent Matter" is:
(i) a contested election of directors or, subject to certain conditions, the
removal of a director,
(ii) a merger or consolidation, a sale, lease or exchange of all or
substantially all of the assets or a recapitalization or dissolution of
the Issuer, if it requires a vote of stockholders under applicable
Delaware law,
(iii) any transaction that would result in an exchange or conversion of the
Shares for cash, securities or other property,
(iv) issuances of Common Stock prior to the first anniversary of the effective
date of the Plan (the "Effective Date") at a price materially below the
prevailing market price, if a vote is required to approve the issuance
under Delaware law, other than issuances in an underwritten public
offering or pursuant to an employee benefit plan,
(v) before the first anniversary of the Effective Date, any matter that
requires approval by a vote of more than a majority of the outstanding
stock of the Issuer entitled to vote thereon under Delaware law or the
certificate of incorporation or the by-laws of the Issuer, and any
amendment to the certificate of incorporation or by-laws of the Issuer
that is submitted to a vote of stockholders for approval, and
(vi) proposals submitted to stockholders requiring the Board of Directors to
amend the Issuer's Stockholder Rights Plan, or redeem rights under that
plan, other than a proposal with respect to which the Issuer has received
advice of nationally-recognized legal counsel to the effect that the
proposal is not a proper subject for stockholder action under Delaware
law.
The Trust Agreement contains provisions enabling the Beneficiaries
to withdraw the Shares allocated to them under the Plan and the Trust Agreement
for resale or otherwise and to receive dividends on such Shares.
SCHEDULE 13D
CUSIP No. 59156R108 Page 5 of 11 Pages
ITEM 5. INTEREST IN SECURITIES OF THE ISSUER.
(a) As an entity, the Board of Directors of the Issuer beneficially owns
351,051,700 shares or 46.4% of the Issuer's outstanding Common Stock. The
Board of Directors of the Issuer is deemed to beneficially own the shares
of Common Stock held by the Trust because the Board will direct the voting
of these shares on certain matters submitted to a vote of stockholders.
See Item 4.
(b) As an entity, the Board of Directors of the Issuer has shared voting power
with respect to 351,051,700 shares of Common Stock.
(c) Except as described in Item 4, there were no transactions in the class of
securities reported on that were effected by the Reporting Persons since
October 31, 2003 other than transactions by Beneficiaries under the
Purchase and Sale Program provided for by the Trust Agreement, resulting
in a decrease in the number of shares of Common Stock held by the Trust
from 369,768,886 to 351,051,700.
(d) The Beneficiaries of the Trust have the right to receive or the power to
direct the receipt of dividends from, or the proceeds from the sale of,
the Shares allocated to them under the Plan and the Trust Agreement. See
Item 4.
SCHEDULE 13D
CUSIP No. 59156R108 Page 6 of 11 Pages
SIGNATURES.
After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief,
we certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete
and correct.
Dated: March 5, 2004
*
--------------------------------------------
Robert H. Benmosche
*
--------------------------------------------
Curtis H. Barnette
*
--------------------------------------------
John C. Danforth
*
--------------------------------------------
Burton A. Dole, Jr.
*
--------------------------------------------
Cheryl W. Grise
*
--------------------------------------------
James R. Houghton
*
--------------------------------------------
Harry P. Kamen
*
--------------------------------------------
Helene L. Kaplan
*
--------------------------------------------
John M. Keane
*
--------------------------------------------
Catherine R. Kinney
SCHEDULE 13D
CUSIP No. 59156R108 Page 7 of 11 Pages
*
--------------------------------------------
Charles M. Leighton
*
--------------------------------------------
Sylvia M. Mathews
*
--------------------------------------------
Stewart G. Nagler
*
--------------------------------------------
John J. Phelan, Jr.
*
--------------------------------------------
Hugh B. Price
*
--------------------------------------------
Kenton J. Sicchitano
*
--------------------------------------------
William C. Steere, Jr.
* By /s/ Gwenn L. Carr
------------------------------------
Gwenn L. Carr
Attorney-in-fact