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: August 1, 2003
                        (Date of earliest event reported)




                         PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


        Delaware                     (1-16725                  42-1520346
(State or other jurisdiction    Commission file number)     (I.R.S. Employer
    of incorporation)                                     Identification Number)


                     711 High Street, Des Moines, Iowa 50392
                    (Address of principal executive offices)


              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)
                                 (515) 247-5111

                               ------------------


                                       1
<PAGE>

ITEM 9.  REGULATION FD DISCLOSURE

Principal  Financial  Group,  Inc.  maintains an investor  relations  website at
www.principal.com/investor.  From  time  to  time,  we post  information  on our
website  that is of  interest  to our  investors.  We believe  our website is an
efficient way to communicate with our investors.

Investors  have  expressed  interest in  information  regarding  declines in the
credit quality of securities and other financial  instruments owned by financial
services  companies.  This Form 8-K provides  formal  notice that  investors may
access information  concerning our exposure to troubled credits by reviewing the
Annual  Statement  that  Principal  Life  Insurance  Company files with the Iowa
Division of Insurance as well as other state insurance departments, particularly
Schedule D to the Annual Statement and quarterly updates to Schedule D. Schedule
D provides detail about Principal Life Insurance Company's investment portfolio.
These  files  can  be  viewed  by  accessing  the  investor   relations  website
(WWW.PRINCIPAL.COM/INVESTOR) and selecting "Supplementary Financial Information"
or by using the link: http://www.principal.com/investor/statutory.htm.

If our exposure to a particular  troubled  credit appears to us to be of special
interest to investors,  we may post to our website a summary of the  information
that can be found in Principal Life's Annual Statement, Schedule D and quarterly
updates to Schedule D in an effort to make the  information  in those  documents
more easily understood by investors.

Posting of information in accordance  with these  procedures does not constitute
our determination that the information is material.  In addition,  the continued
posting or archiving of the  information on our website is not a  representation
that such information continues to be accurate or complete.



                                    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 thereunto duly authorized.


                      PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.


                      By:   /s/ Thomas J. Graf
                            ----------------------------------------------------
                            Name:   Thomas J. Graf
                            Title:    Senior Vice President - Investor Relations



Date:  August 1, 2003

                                       2
<PAGE>
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{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL GROUP INC", "cik": "0001126328", "assigned-sic": "6321", "irs-number": "421520346", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "001-16725", "film-number": "03818388"}, "business-address": {"street1": "711 HIGH STREET", "city": "DES MOINES", "state": "IA", "zip": "50392", "phone": "5152475111"}}
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: August 1, 2003
                        (Date of earliest event reported)

                         PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

        Delaware                     (1-16725                  42-1520346
(State or other jurisdiction    Commission file number)     (I.R.S. Employer
    of incorporation)                                     Identification Number)

                     711 High Street, Des Moines, Iowa 50392
                    (Address of principal executive offices)

              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)
                                 (515) 247-5111

                               ------------------

                                       1
ITEM 9.  REGULATION FD DISCLOSURE

Principal  Financial  Group,  Inc.  maintains an investor  relations  website at
www.principal.com/investor.  From  time  to  time,  we post  information  on our
website  that is of  interest  to our  investors.  We believe  our website is an
efficient way to communicate with our investors.

Investors  have  expressed  interest in  information  regarding  declines in the
credit quality of securities and other financial  instruments owned by financial
services  companies.  This Form 8-K provides  formal  notice that  investors may
access information  concerning our exposure to troubled credits by reviewing the
Annual  Statement  that  Principal  Life  Insurance  Company files with the Iowa
Division of Insurance as well as other state insurance departments, particularly
Schedule D to the Annual Statement and quarterly updates to Schedule D. Schedule
D provides detail about Principal Life Insurance Company's investment portfolio.
These  files  can  be  viewed  by  accessing  the  investor   relations  website
(WWW.PRINCIPAL.COM/INVESTOR) and selecting "Supplementary Financial Information"
or by using the link: http://www.principal.com/investor/statutory.htm.

If our exposure to a particular  troubled  credit appears to us to be of special
interest to investors,  we may post to our website a summary of the  information
that can be found in Principal Life's Annual Statement, Schedule D and quarterly
updates to Schedule D in an effort to make the  information  in those  documents
more easily understood by investors.

Posting of information in accordance  with these  procedures does not constitute
our determination that the information is material.  In addition,  the continued
posting or archiving of the  information on our website is not a  representation
that such information continues to be accurate or complete.

                                    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 thereunto duly authorized.

                      PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.

                      By:   /s/ Thomas J. Graf
                            ----------------------------------------------------
                            Name:   Thomas J. Graf
                            Title:    Senior Vice President - Investor Relations

Date:  August 1, 2003

                                       2