General Mills: Declares Two-for-One Stock Split

Minneapolis / MN. (gm) General Mills Inc. Board of Directors declared a two-for-one split of General Mills common stock. The split will be effected in the form of a 100 percent stock dividend. Shareholders of record at the close of business on May 28, 2010, will receive one additional share of General Mills stock for each share then owned. These additional shares will be distributed beginning June 08, 2010.

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Ken Powell: «This action by our board recognizes General Mills´ strong, long-term equity-market performance, our current business momentum and our promising growth prospects. It also reflects our commitment to maintaining a market price range for our shares that is attractive to individual investors».

Since General Mills was incorporated in 1928, the company´s common stock has split seven previous times, most recently as a two-for-one split on November 08, 1999. From a split-adjusted closing price of 41,69 USD on that date, shares of GIS appreciated 71 percent to 71,16 USD as of market close on April 30, 2010. Over that same time period, the S+P 500 Index declined 14 percent from 1’377,01 USD to 1’186,69 USD. «General Mills´ categories and our leading brands have proven to be very resilient over time», said Powell. «During the past decade, our company underwent a major transformation with the acquisition of Pillsbury, faced a sustained period of high input cost inflation and a global economic recession. Despite these challenges, we have delivered strong business performance and generated solid returns for our shareholders».

From November 1999 through April 2010, total return to General Mills´ shareholders through stock price appreciation and dividends compounded at an eight percent annualized rate, compared to an annualized return of less than one percent for the S+P 500. General Mills´ annual cash dividend has grown from 1,08 USD in fiscal 1999 to 1,92 USD in fiscal 2010. The company and its predecessor firms have paid dividends without interruption or reduction for the past 111 years.