InBev bids for US brewer Anheuser-Busch for $46.3 billion

12 June 2008

Mumbai: Belgian brewer InBev NV has offered to acquire Anheuser-Busch Cos Inc, the largest brewer in the US, for around $46.3 billion, to create the world's largest brewer in the biggest-ever deal in the alcoholic drinks market. (See: World's largest brewer InBev proposes to create $100 billion company with $46 billion takeover of Anheuser-Busch)

InBev is offering $65 a share for Anheuser - a 24 per cent premium to Anheuser's share price on 22 May - the day before reports of merger talks surfaced.

InBev said it would like to engage in a friendly dialogue with Anheuser, which dominates the US beer market with a 48.5 per cent share.

InBev, which sells beer brands that include Stella Artois and Beck's, was formed in 2004 by the merger of Belgium's Interbrew with Brazil's AmBev and has its headquarters in Leuven, Belgium and management based in Brazil.
 
Anheuser-Busch, which makes Budweiser and Michelob brands, is five per cent owned by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc.

Anheuser also owns 50 per cent of Mexican brewer Modelo and 27 per cent of China's Tsingtao Brewery Co Ltd.

Anheuser also operates some non-core assets, including nine theme parks and other properties as also companies that supply the breweries with bottles and other packaging materials.