General Mills 2Q profit falls on higher costs

[December 20, 2011]  NEW YORK (AP) -- General Mills is reporting that net income slipped 28 percent in the second quarter, pressured by rising costs and some charges, but revenue jumped by double digits.

The food company maintained its adjusted full-year earnings guidance Tuesday, but cautioned that second-half gross margin as a percent of sales will be below year-ago levels.

General Mills Inc., based in Minneapolis, earned $444.8 million, or 67 cents per share. That's down from $613.9 million, or 92 cents per share, a year earlier.

Excluding charges tied to its Yoplait deal and other items, earnings were 76 cents per share.

Revenue rose 14 percent to $4.62 billion from $4.07 billion, helped by higher prices.

Analysts forecast earnings of 79 cents per share on revenue of $4.6 billion.

[Associated Press]

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