Belgian-Brazilian InBev Buys Anheuser-Busch for $52B

Historic change for American beer king
By Matt Cantor,  Newser Staff
Posted Jul 14, 2008 4:10 AM CDT
Belgian-Brazilian InBev Buys Anheuser-Busch for $52B
In an Oct. 18, 2005, file photo, employees of Anheuser Busch deliver cases of Budweiser to a New York restaurant    (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)

Legendary American brewing company Anheuser-Busch has agreed to a $52 billion takeover bid by the Belgian-Brazilian InBev, building the largest beer firm in the world and ending over 150 years of ownership by the Anheuser and Busch families, the Wall Street Journal reports. The $70-per-share deal is a step up from an earlier, rejected offer.

The resulting $36 billion-a-year company will be called Anheuser-Busch InBev. Anheuser will retain two seats on the 14-member board. Though Anheuser CEO August Busch IV had insisted there would be no deal “on my watch,” officials accepted the offer in the interest of shareholders. Now, the face-off will be between the new giant and London’s SABMiller, the next-biggest brewer. (More Anheuser-Busch stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X