<PAGE>
+--------+
| FORM 3 | U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
+--------+ WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES
Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or
Section 30(f) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person*
Harkins David V.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Last) (First) (Middle)
Thomas H. Lee Company, 75 State Street
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Street)
Boston MA 02110
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(City) (State) (Zip)
2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year) 6/25/99
--------------
3. IRS Identification Number of Reporting Person if an Entity
(Voluntary)
--------------
4. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol Metris Companies Inc. (MXT)
-----------------------------------
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable)
[X] Director [_] Officer [_] 10% Owner [_] Other
(give title below) (specify below)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
6. If Amendment, Date of Original (Month/Day/Year) 7/21/99
----------------------------
7. Individual or Joint Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)
[X] Form Filed by One Reporting Person
[_] Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
TABLE I--NON-DERIVATIVE SECURITIES BENEFICIALLY OWNED
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Title 2. Amount of 3. Ownership Form: 4. Nature of
of Securities Bene- Direct (D) or Indirect Bene-
Security ficially Owned Indirect (I) ficial Ownership
(Instr. 4) (Instr. 4) (Instr. 5) (Instr. 5)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>
<PAGE>
TABLE II--DERIVATIVE SECURITIES BENEFICIALLY OWNED
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Title of Derivative 2. Date Exer- 3. Title and Amount of Securities 4. Conversion 5. Ownership 6. Nature of In-
Security (Instr. 4) cisable and Underlying Derivative Security or Form of direct Bene-
Expiration (Instr. 4) Exercise Derivative ficial
Date Price Security: Ownership
(Month/Day/ of Direct (D) (Instr. 5)
Year) Derivative or In-
---------------------------------------------------- Security direct (I)
Date Expira- Amount or (Instr. 5)
Exer- tion Title Number of
cisable Date Shares
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Series C Perpetual Convertible
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Preferred Stock 6/1/99 Common Stock 25,041(1) $37.25(2) D
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Series C Perpetual Convertible
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Preferred Stock 6/1/99 Common Stock 8,055,751(3) $37.25(2) I See Note 3
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>
Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially
owned directly or indirectly.
Explanation of Responses:
(1) Shares of Series C Perpetual Convertible Preferred Stock are subject to pay
in kind dividends accruing at a rate of 9% per annum, subject to increase in
certain circumstances. Therefore, the number of shares of Common Stock into
which the Series C Perpetual Convertible Preferred Stock is convertible will
increase at a similar rate. Also the number of shares of Common Stock into
which the Series C Perpetual Convertible Preferred Stock is convertible
would give effect to cumulative dividends through December 9, 2005 if
converted in certain circumstances.
(2) Subject to anti-dilution adjustments.
(3) Represents shares owned directly by certain investment partnerships which
may be deemed to be affiliates of the reporting person. The reporting person
disclaims beneficial ownership of such shares except to the extent of his
pecuniary interest therein.
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal
Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed.
If space is insufficient, See Instruction 6 for procedure.
Potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information contained
in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently
valid OMB Number.
/s/ David V. Harkins 2/14/00
------------------------------- -----------------
**Signature of Reporting Person Date
David V. Harkins
