8-K

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                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                 _______________

                                    FORM 8-K
                                 _______________


                                 CURRENT REPORT
     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

       Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): January 22, 2004
                                 _______________

                            METHODE ELECTRONICS, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

        Delaware                 0-2816                    36-2090085
     State of Other        Commission File Number         I.R.S. Employer
    Jurisdiction of                                    Identification Number
     Incorporation

                7401 West Wilson Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60706
               (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

       Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (708) 867-6777

                                 Not Applicable
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)


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ITEM 5. Other Events

     On January 22, 2004, the company issued a press release to announce that it
intends to take an after tax charge over its remaining 2004 fiscal year of up to
$0.12 per share. This charge will include approximately $1.8 million for costs
associated with the recently completed merger to eliminate its Class B stock and
the unsolicited tender offer for Methode's Class B stock, and up to $2.5 million
for the closing of two European manufacturing facilities.

ITEM 7. Financial Statements and Exhibits

(c)      Exhibits

99.1     Methode Electronics, Inc. Press Release issued on January 22, 2004.










                                    SIGNATURE

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.



                                           METHODE ELECTRONICS, INC.


         Date: January 22, 2004            By: /s/   Douglas A. Koman
                                               ---------------------------------
                                               Douglas A. Koman
                                               Vice President, Corporate Finance

EX-99

                                                                   Exhibit 99.1

  Methode Electronics Announces Facility Closing and Merger Charges

    CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 22, 2004--Methode Electronics, Inc.
(Nasdaq: METH) a global manufacturer of electronic component and
subsystem devices announced today that it intends to take an after tax
charge over its remaining 2004 fiscal year of up to $0.12 per share.
This charge will include approximately $1.8 million for costs
associated with the recently completed merger to eliminate its Class B
stock and the unsolicited tender offer for Methode's Class B stock,
and up to $2.5 million for the closing of two European manufacturing
facilities.
    Mr. Donald W. Duda, President of Methode said, "We are glad to
have the merger which eliminated our Class B stock completed. Methode
now has a single class of stock with equal voting rights and three
independent directors were recently added to our board. We look
forward to working with our new directors and continuing to build and
develop Methode's business."
    "The continued price erosion in the copper and fiber optics cable
assembly business as well as sales lost to lower cost Eastern European
and Asian suppliers has rendered Methode's manufacturing facility in
Ireland and one of its manufacturing facilities in the UK
unsustainable. It is for these reasons that we are closing these
operations."

    About Methode Electronics

    Methode Electronics, Inc. is a global manufacturer of electronic
component and subsystem devices. Methode designs, manufactures and
markets devices employing electrical, electronic, wireless, sensing
and optical technologies. Methode's components are found in the
primary end markets of the automotive, communications (including
information processing and storage, networking equipment, wireless and
terrestrial voice/data systems), aerospace, rail and other
transportation industries; and the consumer and industrial equipment
markets. Further information can be found at Methode's website at
http://www.methode.com.


    CONTACT: Methode Electronics, Inc.
             Joey Iske (IR), 708-457-4060
             jiske@methode.com