MetLife honored by Forbes as best-managed insurer

NEW YORK – MetLife Inc. (NYSE: MET) has been honored by Forbes magazine as the best-managed company in the insurance industry, and named to the magazine’s list of America’s 400 Best Big Companies for 2008.

“We’re extremely honored to be selected by Forbes as the best-managed insurance company in America,” said C. Robert Henrikson, MetLife’s chairman of the board, president and CEO. “MetLife is focused on delivering the best products and services for our clients, and this has translated into earnings growth and increased value for our shareholders.”

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It is the first time MetLife has been honored by Forbes as the best-managed in its industry, and the third time the company has appeared on the magazine’s annual 400 Best Big Companies list. The list aims to identify the best of the biggest publicly traded companies in America. Companies are selected after a thorough review of financial metrics, Wall Street forecasts, corporate governance ratings and other public information.

From that list, Forbes writers and editors then select a best-managed company from each of 26 industries, based on financial performance, leadership, innovation and execution.

MetLife was chosen from among the 18 insurance companies in this year’s 2008 Best Big Companies list. In its evaluation, Forbes said “MetLife has become a leader in insurance and retirement planning, and is the country’s largest individual and group life insurer.” And since its IPO eight years ago, “MetLife’s earnings per share have grown at a compound annual growth rate of 17 percent,” the magazine noted.

“Our talented employees and distribution partners have enabled us to generate consistent, year-over-year top-line growth since becoming a public company in 2000,” MetLife’s Henrikson said. “We’re excited about the future, expanding on our market-leading positions in the U.S. and exporting our expertise to several international markets as well.”

MetLife Inc. (NYSE: MET) is a provider of insurance and financial services in the United States, Latin America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. Its Rhode Island-based MetLife Home & Auto division employs more than 2,000 people at its offices in Warwick. To learn more, visit www.metlife.com.