Reuters: Bankers, analysts think AB InBev will swallow SABMiller by 2013
We’ve heard this before…and we will continue to hear it again and again over the next year.
If AB InBev buys SABMiller it could be the biggest cash takeover in history and would create a group brewing a third of the world’s beer. Analysts and bankers suggest 2013 as a likely time frame for a takeover that is seen as the final play in deal making in big world brewing. They say the world’s No 1 brewer AB InBev will not be deterred from making a move for SABMiller even after the No 2 brewer swallows up Australia’s Foster’s by the end of 2011 in a $10.2 billion deal.
via Dealtalk: AB Inbev seen brewing up final mega deal | Reuters.
Breweries: A-B InBev
Whoa.
I will second Jamie’s comment of “Whoa.”
I read the column now. I’ve got a better understanding of how this wouldn’t violate anti-trust laws (Selling of a percentage of MillerCoors to MolsonCoors). Still trying to wrap my head around what this means at a distributorship and/or retail level.
@jamie: i would not expect much change at the beer distro level, at least in the USA. all the miller & coors brands would stay with their current distributors. the only different thing would be that the distro would write a check to molson/coors, not miller/coors.