PAINT COMPANY HAS METEX<MTX> STAKE, MAY BUY MORE Metropolitan Consolidated Industries Inc, a New York paint company, said it has acquired 278,709 shares of Metex Corp, or 21.2 pct of the total, and left open the possibility that it might acquire more through a merger. In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Metropolitan said it bought the Metex stock as an investment. It also said it may buy additional shares, or sell some or all of its current stake. If it buys more shares, Metropolitan said it would consider doing so in the open market, in private deals, or through an exchange offer, tender offer or merger. Metropolitan said it may acquire an option on or may buy some or all of the Metex shares owned by William Hack, a Metex director, who, together with this wife, holds 149,750 of the company's common shares, or 11.4 pct of the total. Metropolitan said it already has an option to buy another 42,750 Metex common shares at 11.25 dlrs each. The option is not exercisable until April 12, 1988, it said. If Metropolitan were to exercise the option and acquire all of Hack's stake, it would have 471,208 Metex common shares, or 35.9 pct of the total. Metropolitan's SEC filing was made as a shareholder group with Hack. Metropolitan, which said it spent 3.1 mln dlrs to acquire its Metex stake, listed its recent stock purchases as 54,993 common shares on March 67 at 10 dlrs each and 83,916 shares on March 11 at 11.25 dlrs.