FORM N-SAR
SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT
FOR REGISTERED INVESTMENT COMPANIES
Report for the six month period ending: / / (a)
or fiscal year ending: 12/31/97(b)
Is this a transition report?: (Y/N) N
Is this an amendment to a previous filing? (Y/N) N
Those items or sub-items with a box"_" after the item number should be completed
only if the answer has changed from the previous filing on this form.
1. A. Registrant Name: Principal Mutual Life Insurance Co.
Separate Account B
B. File Number: 811-2091
C. Telephone Number 515-248-3842
2. A. Street: The Principal Financial Group
B. City: Des Moines
C. State: IA
D. Zip Code: 50392
Zip Ext. 0200
E. Foreign Country
3. Is this the first filing on this form by Registrant? (Y/N) N
4. Is this the last filing on this form by Registrant? (Y/N) N
5. Is Registrant a small Business investment Company(SBIC)? (Y/N) N
[If answer is "y" (yes), complete only items 89 through 110.]
6. Is registrant a unit investment trust (UIT)? (Y/N) Y
(If answer is "y" (Yes complete only items 111 through 132.]
7. A. Is Registrant a series or multiple portfolio company? (Y/N) N
B. How many separate series or portfolios did Registrant
have at the end of the period.
125. State the total dollar amount of sales loads collected (before
reallowances to other brokers or dealers) by Registrant's
principal underwriter and any underwriter which is an affiliated
person of the principal underwriter during the current period
solely from the sale of units of all series of Registrant
($000's omitted)................................................. $910
127. List opposite the appropriate description below the number of series whose
portfolios are invested primarily (based upon a percentage of NAV) in each
type of security show, the aggregate total assets at market value as of a
date or near the end of the current period of each such group of series and
the total income distriubtions made by each group of series during the
current period (excluding distributions of realized gains, if any):
Total Total
Number of Assets Income
Series ($000's Distributions
Investing omitted) ($000's omitted)
--------- -------- ----------------
A. U.S. Treasury direct issue..... _________ ________ ________________
B. U.S. Government Agency......... _________ ________ ________________
C. State and municipal tax-free.... _________ ________ ________________
D. Public Utility Debt............ _________ ________ ________________
E. Brokers or dealers debt or debt
of brokers' or dealer's parent. _________ ________ ________________
F. All other corporate intermed.
& long-term debt............... _________ ________ ________________
G. All other corporate short-term
debt.......................... _________ ________ ________________
H. Equity securities of brokers or
dealers or parents of brokers
or dealers..................... _________ ________ ________________
I. Investment company equity
securities..................... ____1____ 1,288,183 ________________
J. All other equity securities.... _________ ________ ________________
K. Other securities............... _________ ________ ________________
L. Total assets of all series
or registrant.................. _________ ________ ________________
131. Total expenses incurred by all series of Registrant during the
current reporting period ($000's omitted)...................... $12,252
This report is signed on behalf of the registrant (or depositor or trustee) in
the city of Des Moines and State of Iowa on the 24th day of February 1998.
Principal Mutual Life Insurance Company
Separate Account B
By: /s/ Michael D. Roughton
----------------------------
Michael D. Roughton, Counsel
Witness:
/s/ Joyce N. Hoffman
- --------------------------------
Joyce N. Hoffman, Vice President
and Corporate Secretary
