METROMAIL <MTMA> PREDICTS FLAT EARNINGS Metromail Corp said it expects flat operating profits for its 1987 fiscal year ending May 31 with last fiscal year's earnings from operations of 9,943,000 dlrs, or 1.05 dlrs a share. The company said the flat results will be due to higher than normal expenditures during the fourth quarter for expansion of its data processing capabilities. Earlier, Metromail reported fiscal 1987 third quarter earnings of 2.4 mln dlrs, or 25 cts a share, versus three mln dlrs, or 32 cts a share, the prior third quarter, and nine months net of 7.2 mln dlrs, or 76 cts a share, versus 7.8 mln dlrs, or 82 cts a share the prior nine months.