InBev upped its offer to buy Anheuser-Busch to $70 a share over the weekend, enticing Anheuser to come to the table for a friendly deal. The Journal reports that the new offer, representing a $5 increase on the original, will be accepted. The brewers' negotiatiors have already settled on calling the new company Anheuser-Busch InBev but other issues remain unresolved, most importantly custody of Shamu.
August IV, Anheuser's CEO, scored himself a place in the new regime despite his earlier strident opposition. The Kaiser will take up one of the two new board seats set aside for Anheuser's old guard. Overall the family that demonstrated the value of dual-class stock structure will have little voice in the Belgian war machine.
Debuschification efforts by a fat-trimming Brito are unlikely despite previous fears, as Dom Carlos is working to retain key executives and, according to beer analysts, intends to leave Anheuser's formidable marketing efforts in place. The new company will unsurprisingly follow up on Anheuser's recent acceleration of cost cuts.
FT Alphaville says that out of the picture is now Adolphus Busch, the uncle who said the bid was fairly-valued and received a board nomination in lieu of a hat tip from Carlos Brito. They recommend he spend more time with his conservation groups, which sounds like a better fate that being drowned in a cask of Malmsey wine. We'll see how he gets along with his brother, loyalist uncle Andrew Busch.
-senior Bud-drinking surrender monkeys correspondent Andrew
Posted by guest , Jul 14, 2008 12:16PM
They don't drink pints in Belgium. Or Brazil. Still, y'know, it's not the USA and the Brits drink pints and they're in the USA, so whatever, yeah?
Posted by lemmerdeur , Jul 14, 2008 12:50PM
I know it is beer and not Irish whiskey, but why is it signed by this Andrew fellow and not you, Your Lushness?
On another note, will rednecks and hicks everywhere begin boycotting Bud in favor of real American beers now out of some infrared-guided sense of patriotism?
Posted by diablo , Jul 14, 2008 12:53PM
Merde:
Real american (whiners) will switch to Wild Turkey bourbon.
Wait, that's owned by the French.
Me bad.
Posted by Anal_yst , Jul 14, 2008 12:55PM
So now the Budweiser of Belgium (Stella) and the Budweiser of America can finally be brewed in the same facilities. If that isn't synergy, than I don't know what is.
Posted by JorgeCad , Jul 14, 2008 1:01PM
InBev is a Brazilian disguised as a Belgian - look at their mgmt structure. Ruthless cost cutters, so bye bye corporate jets, their will be no need for them in Louven
Posted by golden girl , Jul 14, 2008 1:24PM
What do we think Modelo will do?
Posted by american bandersnatch , Jul 14, 2008 1:28PM
Andrew:
While you get points for youthful enthusiasm, one Shakespeare reference a month is sufficient. Keep up the good work.
Posted by guest , Jul 14, 2008 1:34PM
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121599986960249953.html?mod=special_page_campaign2008_mostpop
Collapse of Steve and Barry's has Andrew Ross Sorkin looking for rumor mongers who drove the firm to the brink. Prior to the firm's demise rumors swirled that, they were not "profitable" and that their business model included selling clothing at a loss and making up the difference on volume. The scurrilous rumors worked their customarily cancerous course causing clothier's collapse. Can Chris Cox cast a blind eye to pernicious plundering provoked by prurient plungers?
Posted by jerrydill , Jul 14, 2008 3:29PM
I don't know how good this deal is going to be. Inbev makes it sound like they are not going to change a thing other than the advertising. I don't see how they are going to make a decent profit. Even if they do consolidate their facilities they are going to lose a lot of brand loyalty here in the U.S.
I guess they can't advertise the great "American" beer anymore.
Posted by guest , Jul 14, 2008 3:36PM
it would be funny if there was a serious boycott organized against budweiser and their products.
i mean, nobody drinks that crap any place else in the world, right?
miller/coors must be licking their chops...
signed,
former bud drinker
Posted by guest , Jul 14, 2008 3:39PM
the miller/coors advertising folks must be walking around with perma-grins.
i mean i could write some killer adverts and i suck at advertising...
Posted by guest , Jul 14, 2008 4:32PM
good! finally we would get an "american" beer with great taste
Posted by guest , Jul 14, 2008 4:46PM
"pernicious plundering provoked by prurient plungers?"
Say that five times fast.
Posted by guest , Jul 15, 2008 10:19AM
People are going to drink Bud. What other lawn-mower beer are they going to drink? Canadian/South African Coors and Miller?
Largest American beer company is now Boston Beer, makers of Sam Adams.