General Mills Inc reported lower quarterly earnings on Tuesday, as higher ingredient costs hurt gross margins.

The maker of Progresso soups and Cheerios cereal reported net earnings of $444.8 million, or 67 cents per share, for the second quarter ended on November 27, down from $613.9 million, or 92 cents per share, in the year-earlier period.

Sales rose 14 percent to $4.62 billion.

(Reporting By Martinne Geller in New York; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn)