Sherwin-Williams' Chairman and CEO Establishes 10b5-1 Trading Plan

CLEVELAND, Feb. 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Sherwin-Williams Company (NYSE: SHW) announced that Christopher M. Connor, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, has established a trading plan in accordance with Rule 10b5-1 of the Securities Exchange Act.  Rule 10b5-1 permits individuals who are not then in possession of material nonpublic information to establish prearranged plans to buy or sell stock.  The rule allows individuals to buy or sell shares of stock at a specific price in the future, regardless of any subsequent material nonpublic information.

Under the plan, Mr. Connor intends to exercise 246,067 employee stock options and sell a portion of the underlying shares of Sherwin-Williams common stock beginning in March and continuing from time to time during 2010, subject to the market price of our common stock.  Mr. Connor's ownership interest in Sherwin-Williams is in excess of stock ownership guidelines.  This process will facilitate the orderly exercise of employee stock options and the sale of common stock for personal financial planning purposes with the goal of minimizing any market impact and avoiding any concerns about the timing of the transactions.

This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements," as defined under U.S. federal securities laws, with respect to the trading plan described above.  These forward-looking statements are based upon current plans and expectations.  Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements.  Forward-looking statements are necessarily subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside the control of the Company.  These risks, uncertainties and other factors are described from time to time in the Company's reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.  Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

SOURCE The Sherwin-Williams Company