Johnston-based ALL Fuels & Energy announced yesterday that it has secured an extension of its period of exclusivity in which to negotiate and sign an agreement to purchase an ethanol plant located in the Midwest. According to a release, the exclusivity period now extends through mid-July. The location of the plant was not disclosed. “We are very encouraged with the progress we’ve made so far on this transaction,” said Dean Sukowatey, president and CEO of ALL Fuels & Energy, in a release.

Principal Financial Group Inc. has declared a cash dividend of $1.39075 per share on its 5.563 percent Series A non-cumulative perpetual preferred stock and a cash dividend of 40.7375 cents per share on its 6.518 percent Series B non-cumulative perpetual preferred stock. A release on the company’s website said the preferred dividends are payable on June 30 to preferred stockholders of record as of June 10.

A.M. Best Co. has revised the outlook for EMC Insurance Cos. and its seven property and casualty members to positive from stable and affirmed the financial strength ratings of A- and issuer credit ratings of “a-“. Best also revised the outlook to positive from stable and affirmed the issuer credit ratings of “bbb-” of EMC Insurance Group Inc., a downstream holding company majority-owned by Employers Mutual Casualty Co. and the immediate owner of EMC Reinsurance Co. According to a release, “The revised outlook reflects EMC management’s actions to strengthen claims handling, risk selection and pricing, which will produce improved underwriting and operating results while preserving the group’s historically strong balance sheet, even as soft market conditions persist.”