InBev Post Strong First Half Performance
Sales for the first half of 2005 came to 5.2 billion euros ($6.47 billion), up 6 percent on hypothetical combined results from Interbrew and AmBev for 2004.
The world's largest brewer by volume, formed last year by the merger of Belgium's Interbrew with South America's largest brewer AmBev, said the first-half net profit compared to Interbrew's profit of 205 million euros in the first half of last year.
Sales for the first half of 2005 came to 5.2 billion euros ($6.47 billion), up 6 percent on hypothetical combined results from Interbrew and AmBev for 2004. The increase came from strong growth in South America, Russia and Ukraine, the company said.
The news came as InBev SA announced the closing of the sale of its 62.4% interest in Bremer Erfrischungsgetränke GmbH to Coca-Cola Erfrischungsgetränke AG, based on an enterprise value of 137 million euro (for 100%). InBev said that the divestiture is consistent with its commitment to free-up capital invested from a non-core asset, thereby driving value creation and enabling enhanced focus on its core German beer business.