Principal Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE: PFG) announced today that its Board of Directors has declared a cash dividend of $1.39075 per share on its 5.563% Series A non–cumulative perpetual preferred stock and a cash dividend of $0.407375 per share on its 6.518% Series B non-cumulative perpetual preferred stock. The preferred dividends are payable on Dec. 30, 2010, to preferred stockholders of record as of Dec. 9, 2010.

Forward looking and cautionary statements
This press release may contain forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements as to sales targets, sales and earnings trends, and management's beliefs, expectations, goals and opinions. The company does not undertake to update these statements, which are based on a number of assumptions concerning future conditions that may ultimately prove to be inaccurate. Future events and their effects on the company may not be those anticipated, and actual results may differ materially from the results anticipated in these forward-looking statements. The risks, uncertainties and factors that could cause or contribute to such material differences are discussed in the company's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2009, and in the company's quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2010 filed by the company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation: competitive factors; volatility of financial markets; decrease in ratings; interest rate changes; inability to attract and retain sales representatives; international business risks; foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations; a pandemic, terrorist attack or other catastrophic event; default of the company's re-insurers; and investment portfolio risks.

About the Principal Financial Group
The Principal Financial Group® (The Principal ®)1 is a leader in offering businesses, individuals and institutional clients a wide range of financial products and services, including retirement and investment services, life and health insurance, and banking through its diverse family of financial services companies. A member of the Fortune 500, the Principal Financial Group has $305.7 billion in assets under management2 and serves some 18.9 million customers worldwide from offices in Asia, Australia, Europe, Latin America and the United States. Principal Financial Group, Inc. is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol PFG. For more information, visit www.principal.com.

1 "The Principal Financial Group" and ?The Principal? are registered service marks of Principal Financial Services, Inc., a member of the Principal Financial Group.
2 As of Sept. 30, 2010.

The Principal Financial Group
Media contact:
Susan Houser, 515-248-2268
houser.susan@principal.com
or
Investor Relations contact:
John Egan, 515-235-9500
egan.john@principal.com