AMERICAN EXPRESS FINANCIAL ADVISORS
SC 13G, 1999-12-07
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December 7, 1999



Ronald N Zebeck
Metris Companies Inc.
600 South Hwy 169
Suite 1800
St. Louis Park, MN  55426


RE:  Amended  Schedule 13G


Enclosed pursuant to Rule 13d-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 is
a report on Schedule 13G reporting beneficial ownership at November 30, 1999 by
American Express Company and American Express Financial Corporation in common
stock of Metris Companies Inc.


Sincerely,



Steve Turbenson
Director - External Reports and Tax




Enclosure


<PAGE>




                         SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                              Washington, D. C. 20549

                                    SCHEDULE 13G


                   Under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934



                                 Metris Companies Inc.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                  (Name of Issuer)

                                     Amendment #1

                                    Common Stock
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       T                      itle of Class of Securities)



                                    591598-10-7
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                   (CUSIP Number)






The information required in the remainder of this cover page (except any items
to which the form provides a cross-reference) shall not be deemed to be "filed"
for the purpose 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.


<PAGE>





                               CUSIP NO. 591598-10-7


1)   Name of Reporting Person               American Express Company

     S.S. or I.R.S. Identification          IRS No. 13-4922250
     No. of Above Person

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2)   Check the Appropriate Box              (a)
     if a Member of a Group                 (b) X - Joint Filing

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3)   SEC Use Only

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4)   Citizenship or Place of Organization       New York

         NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH
     (5)                Sole Voting Power               -0-
     (6)                Shared Voting Power             -0-
     (7)                Sole Dispositive Power          1,643,674
     (8)                Shared Dispositive Power        5,400

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

9)   Aggregate Amount Beneficially
     Owned by Each Reporting Person                     1,649,074

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

10)  Check if the Aggregate Amount in
     Row (9) Excludes Certain Shares                    Not Applicable

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

11)  Percent of Class Represented by
     Amount In Row (9)                                 4.3%

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

12)  Type of Reporting Person                          CO, HC

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

<PAGE>


                               CUSIP NO. 591598-10-7


1)   Name of Reporting Person           American Express Financial Corporation

     S.S. or I.R.S. Identification              IRS No. 13-3180631
     No. of Above Person

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2)   Check the Appropriate Box                  (a)
     if a Member of a Group                     (b) X - Joint Filing

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3)   SEC Use Only

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4)   Citizenship or Place of Organization       Delaware

         NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH
     (5)Sole Voting Power                      -0-
     (6)Shared Voting Power                    -0-
     (7)Sole Dispositive Power                 1,643,674
     (8)Shared Dispositive Power               5,400
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

9)   Aggregate Amount Beneficially
     Owned by Each Reporting Person             1,649,074

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

10)  Check if the Aggregate Amount in
     Row (9) Excludes Certain Shares            Not Applicable

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

11)  Percent of Class Represented by
     Amount In Row (9)                          4.3%

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

12)  Type of Reporting Person                   CO, IA

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>

1(a)    Name of Issuer:                   Metris Companies Inc.

1(b)    Address of Issuer's Principal     600 South Hwy 169
        Executive Offices:                Suite 1800
                                          St. Louis Park, MN  55426

2(a)    Name of Person Filing:            American Express Company
                                          American Express Financial Corporation


2(b)    Address of Principal
        Business Office:                  American Express Company
                                          American Express Tower
                                          200 Vesey Street
                                          New York, NY  10285

                                          American Express Financial Corporation
                                          IDS Tower 10
                                          Minneapolis, MN  55440


2(c)    Citizenship:                      See Item 4 of Cover Page

2(d)    Title of Class of Securities:     Common Stock

2(e)    Cusip Number:                     591598-10-7

3      Information if statement is filed pursuant to Rules 13d-1(b) or 13d-2(b):
       American Express Company, one of the persons filing this statement, is a
       Parent Holding Company in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(ii)(G).

       American Express Financial Corporation, one of the persons filing this
       statement, is an Investment Advisor registered under section 203 of the
       Investment Advisors Act of 1940.


4(a)  Amount Beneficially Owned as of November 30, 1999:See Item 9 of CoverPages

4(b)   Percent of Class:    See Item 11 of Cover Pages

4(c)   Number of Shares as to which such person has:
       (i) Sole power to vote or to direct the vote:  See Item 5 of Cover Pages
       (ii)Shared power to vote or direct the vote:   See Item 6 of Cover Pages
       (iii)Sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of: See Item 7
            of Cover Pages
       (iv)Shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition of:See Item 8
            of Cover Pages
<PAGE>


5       Ownership of 5% or Less of a Class:
        If this statement is being filed to report the fact as of the date
        hereof the reporting person has ceased to be the beneficial owner of
        more than five percent of the class of securities, check the
        following  ( x ).

6       Ownership of more than 5% on Behalf of Another Person:

                                   Not Applicable

7       Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which Acquired the
        Security Being Reported on by the Parent Holding Company:

                                   See Exhibit I

8       Identification and Classification of Members of the Group:

                                   Not Applicable

9       Notice of Dissolution of Group:

                                   Not Applicable

10      Certification:

          By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and
      belief, the securities referred to above were acquired in the ordinary
      course of business and were not acquired for the purpose of and do not
      have the effect of changing or influencing the control of the issuer of
      such securities and were not acquired in connection with or as a
      participant in any transaction having such purposes or effect.

          After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and
      belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement is
      true, complete and correct.
                                          American Express Financial Corporation

Dated:  November 30, 1999                   By
                                          Signature


                                          Steve Turbenson
                                          Director - External Reports
                                          and Tax
                                          Name/Title

                                          Telephone:  (612)  671-2059

<PAGE>
                                   Exhibit Index


Exhibit I    Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary which Acquired
             the Security Being Reported on by the Parent Holding Company.

Exhibit II   Statement of American Express Company

Exhibit III  Statement of American Express Financial Corporation

<PAGE>
                                     Exhibit I

                                         to

                                    Schedule 13G

     One of the persons filing this statement is a parent holding company. The
relevant subsidiary, American Express Financial Corporation, a Delaware
Corporation, is registered as investment advisor under section 203 of the
Investment Advisors Act of 1940.

<PAGE>
                                    EXHIBIT II

                                        to

                                  SCHEDULE 13G

                                    under the

                         Securities Exchange Act of 1934

American Express Company, American Express Tower, World Financial Center, New
York, New York disclaims beneficial ownership of the securities referred to in
the Schedule 13G to which this exhibit is attached, and the filing of this
Schedule 13G shall not be construed as an admission that American Express
Company is, for the purpose of Section 13(d) or 13(g) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, the beneficial owner of any securities covered by this
Schedule 13G.

Pursuant to Rule 13d-1(f) (1) and subject to the preceding disclaimer, American
Express Company affirms it is individually eligible to use Schedule 13G and
agrees that this Schedule is filed on its behalf, and authorizes the President,
any Vice President, the comptroller, the Secretary, the General Counsel, any
Associate General Counsel or any Counsel, each with power to act singly, of each
subsidiary of American Express Company making this filing to sign this statement
on behalf of American Express Company.


                                   AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY



                                   By:____________________________
                                   Name:        Stephen P. Norman
                                   Title:       Secretary


<PAGE>
                                    Exhibit III

                                         to

                                    Schedule 13G

                                     Under the

                          Securities Exchange Act of 1934


    Pursuant to Rule 13d-1(f)(1), American Express Financial Corporation
affirms that it is individually eligible to use Schedule 13G and agrees that
this Schedule is filed in its behalf.


                                   American Express Financial Corporation


                                        By:
                                           Steve Turbenson
                                           Director - External Reports
                                           and Tax



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