ConAgra Foods, Inc. is one of North America’s leading food companies with brands such as Banquet and Healthy Choice. Its 2011 sales exceeded $12 billion. ConAgra’s 2011 statement of cash flows included the following items, among others ($ in millions):

Cash dividends paid ..................$ (374.5)

Repurchase of ConAgra Foods common shares ........ (825.0)

Additions to property, plant, and equipment ......... (466.2)

Depreciation and amortization .............. 360.9

Exercise of stock options and issuance of other stock awards . 59.7

Sale of property, plant, and equipment .......... 18.9

Increase in inventories ................. (190.7)

Net income ...................... 818.8

Repayments of long-term debt ............. (294.3)

Other financing items .................. 2.1

1. Prepare the section “Cash flows from financing activities” from ConAgra’s 2011 annual report. All items necessary for that section appear in the preceding list. The list also includes some items from other sections that should not be included among the financing activities.

2. Did ConAgra’s financing activities increase or decrease cash during 2011? By how much? What were the main causes of this increase or decrease?