AB-InBev Makes Takeover Move for SABMiller to Explore $250bn Tie-Up
16 Sep 2015 --- Brewing giant SABMiller has confirmed press reports that it has received acquisition interest from the world’s largest brewer, AB InBev. If a deal were to go ahead, the resultant mega-brewer would be worth around $250bn, say analysts. It would be the largest deal in the drinks industry's history.
“No proposal has yet been received and the board of SABMiller has no further details about the terms of any such proposal,” SABMiller said in a statement.
A possible takeover by AB Inbev has been speculated upon many times since AB Inbev was created by the merging of US brewer Anheuser Busch and Belgian rival InBev in 2008. Most recently, in May this year, shares in SABMiller rose on takeover rumours, but there was no confirmation on that occasion. AB Inbev is also thought to have been interested in rival drinks maker Diageo in the past.
SABMiller has showed interest in Dutch brewer Heineken as recently as 2014 but its attempts to acquire Heineken were fruitless at the time, leaving SABMiller vulnerable to takeover itself.
AB Inbev, which is partly owned by Brazilian investment firm 3G Capital, confirmed that it is interested in a combination of the two brewers.
Shares in SAB Miller rose 23% on the London Stock Exchange on confirmation of the news.
