METRO EXTENDS MARKET LEADERSHIP IN SWEDEN
METRO EXTENDS MARKET LEADERSHIP IN SWEDEN Metro International S.A. ("Metro"), the international newspaper group, today announced that Metro has increased its daily readership by 8% year on year, according to the independent readership survey published by Research International - SIFO 'Orvesto'. Metro grew by more than any of its morning newspaper rivals and has further extended its position as the most read morning newspaper in Sweden, with a total of 1,096,000 daily readers. The Research International - SIFO 'Orvesto' survey is conducted three times a year amongst over 15,000 participants and the latest numbers are for the period from September to December 2001. Metro's three editions in Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö have added 81,000 readers since the same period in 2000. Pelle Törnberg, President & CEO of Metro International, commented: "This survey demonstrates the continuing popularity of the Metro concept and the fact that we are attracting a new generation of newspaper readers. Metro's five editions in the Nordic region have over 1.56 million readers, making it the largest newspaper in the region, and enabling us to offer unrivalled reach and innovative sales packages to advertisers." "This continued growth has enabled our Stockholm edition to maintain its operating margin at 37% for the first nine months of this year, and Gothenburg is profitable on an annualised basis." For further information, please visit www.metro.lu, email info@metro.lu or contact: Pelle Törnberg, President & CEO tel: +44 (0) 20 7408 0230 Matthew Hooper, Investor & Press Relations tel: +44 (0) 20 7321 5010 Metro is the world's largest free newspaper, publishing and distributing 21 editions in 15 countries in 13 languages: Stockholm (Metro), Prague (Metro), Gothenburg (Metro), Hungary (Metro), the Netherlands (Metro), Helsinki (Metro), Malmö (Metro), Santiago (Publimetro), Philadelphia (Metro), Zurich (Metropol), Toronto (Metro Today), Rome (Metro), Buenos Aires (Publimetro), Milan (Metro), Warsaw (Metropol), Athens (Metrorama), Montreal (Metro), Barcelona (Metro Directe), Boston (Metro), Madrid (Metro Directo) and Copenhagen (MetroXpress). Metro International S.A. 'A' and 'B' shares are listed on the NASDAQ National Market and on the Stockholmsbörsen O-List under the symbols MTROA and MTROB. ------------------------------------------------------------ This information was brought to you by Waymaker http://www.waymaker.net The following files are available for download: http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2001/12/20/20011220BIT01600/bit0003.doc http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2001/12/20/20011220BIT01600/bit0003.pdf