InBev Shareholders Approve Combination with Anheuser-Busch and Related Matters
InBev shareholders voted to approve the acquisition of all the shares of Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. for USD 70 per share at the Company's Extraordinary General Meeting. Shareholders voted overwhelmingly in favor of the combination.
30/09/08 The enclosed information constitutes regulated information as defined in the Royal Decree of 14 November 2007 regarding the duties of issuers of financial instruments which have been admitted for trading on a regulated market.
InBev shareholders voted to approve the acquisition of all the shares of Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. for USD 70 per share at the Company's Extraordinary General Meeting. Shareholders voted overwhelmingly in favor of the combination.
Carlos Brito, Chief Executive Officer of InBev, said, "This vote demonstrates the confidence our shareholders have in the strategic and financial benefits of the combination with Anheuser-Busch. We are very pleased to complete this important milestone and we remain on track to close the transaction by the end of the year."
Shareholders also approved the name change of InBev to Anheuser-Busch InBev and the appointment of August A. Busch IV as a director of the company, both effective upon closing of the transaction.
Finally, the shareholders also authorized the Board to proceed with the capital increase required to finance 9.8 billion USD of the transaction.
The transaction remains subject to approval by Anheuser-Busch shareholders and regulatory clearance in a number of jurisdictions. InBev continues to expect that it will complete the transaction by the end of 2008. In light of the limited overlap between the InBev and Anheuser-Busch businesses, the company does not anticipate any significant regulatory issues. Anheuser-Busch has set a record date of 3rd October for its shareholders' meeting and expects to set the date of such shareholders' meeting in the near future.