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Getbig Main Boards => Gossip & Opinions => Topic started by: The Coach on July 13, 2008, 09:02:48 PM

Title: This Is Big.......
Post by: The Coach on July 13, 2008, 09:02:48 PM
ST. LOUIS —  Anheuser-Busch agreed to be acquired by Belgian brewer InBev for about $52 billion in a deal that would shift ownership of the nation's largest brewer overseas, The Wall Street Journal reported Sunday.

The deal, which is subject to shareholders' and regulators' approval, would create the world's largest brewer and create the fourth-largest consumer product company worldwide. The newspaper cited anonymous sources who said Anheuser-Busch-InBev would be the new company's name and Anheuser would have two seats on the board.

Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc. did not return messages seeking comment Sunday evening.

The newspaper said the deal was for $70 a share, a $5 increase over the offer Anheuser-Busch rejected in June.

InBev, the maker of Stella Artois and Becks, is the world's second-largest beer-maker behind SABMiller. Anheuser-Busch is by far the largest brewer in the U.S. with more than 48 percent of the market share.

It wasn't immediately clear how long approval might take from regulators and shareholders. Several Missouri politicians have expressed concerns about the merger — especially how it would affect the approximate 6,000 people employed by Anheuser-Busch in St. Louis.

InBev has said it plans to use St. Louis as its North American headquarters, and that it will keep open all 12 of Anheuser-Busch's North American breweries.

InBev SA announced its intent to try and purchase Anheuser-Busch on June 11. The Anheuser-Busch board initially voted against the merger, calling the initial $65 per share offer too low.

That prompted much squabbling between the companies over the past few weeks. InBev filed a motion seeking the removal of all 13 Anheuser-Busch board members; Anheuser-Busch filed suit calling the InBev effort an "illegal scheme" that threatened to defraud Anheuser-Busch shareholders. Among other things, the suit noted that InBev failed to disclose it operates a brewery in Cuba.

So it was with some surprise when reports surfaced on Friday that the two companies were sitting down for merger talks, reportedly after InBev upped its offer by $5 to $70 per share.

The merger, if completed, will bring to an end one of the most iconic names in American business, and a name synonymous with St. Louis. From college buildings to offices to the stadium where the Cardinals play, the Busch name is virtually everywhere in the Gateway City.

Eberhard Anheuser acquired the Bavarian brewery in 1860 and renamed it E. Anheuser & Co. His son-in-law, Adolphus Busch, joined the company in 1864 and it was eventually renamed Anheuser-Busch.

The company survived Prohibition by selling products ranging from ice cream to root beer.

In addition to opposition from politicians and civic leaders, at least two Web sites sprung up opposing the merger. SaveBudweiser.com claims to have more than 60,000 signatures from merger opponents. SaveAB.com hosted a recent anti-merger rally that drew hundreds to downtown St. Louis.

InBev has not said if layoffs will occur as a result of the merger. But some cutbacks seem likely.

Even without the merger, Anheuser-Busch said last month it planned to cut pension and health benefits for salaried employees as part of an effort to slash $1 billion in costs by the end of 2010. The plan called for offering early retirement to 1,300 salaried workers 55 and older.

The cost-cutting effort — dubbed "Blue Ocean" by the company — was part of a strategy to fend off the merger.

The beer industry has been consolidating in recent years amid rising costs for transportation fuel and key ingredients.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,381523,00.html
Title: Re: This Is Big.......
Post by: gordiano on July 13, 2008, 09:13:14 PM
No kidding.


Still, nothing to do with golf, or men in thongs.....
Title: Re: This Is Big.......
Post by: JohnnyVegas on July 13, 2008, 09:14:30 PM
In-Bev will dump ALL the distributors (Like Cindy McCain in AZ) and sell directly to Wal Mart.


Mark my words.......BIG fucking mistake.  :'(
Title: Re: This Is Big.......
Post by: muscularny on July 13, 2008, 09:51:14 PM
when ego overtakes the brain
Title: Re: This Is Big.......
Post by: Voice of Doom on July 13, 2008, 09:57:20 PM
Finally some decent beer will arrive in the states!
Title: Re: This Is Big.......
Post by: The Coach on July 13, 2008, 09:57:59 PM
No kidding.


Still, nothing to do with golf, or men in thongs.....

It have everything to do with golf. It means I'll be paying more at the turn >:(
Title: Re: This Is Big.......
Post by: G o a t b o y on July 13, 2008, 10:37:09 PM
Who cares?  Budweiser is piss water that only joe-sixpack douchebags drink.   Anheuser-Busch is largely responsible for the crappy worldwide reputation of American beer.
Title: Re: This Is Big.......
Post by: The_Leafy_Bug on July 13, 2008, 10:47:23 PM
Who cares?  Budweiser is piss water that only joe-sixpack douchebags drink.   Anheuser-Busch is largely responsible for the crappy worldwide reputation of American beer.
Agreed.... They can take Coors with them as well.
Title: Re: This Is Big.......
Post by: timfogarty on July 13, 2008, 10:54:12 PM
I grew up in St Louis.   The three biggest company names were Anheuser-Busch, McDonnell Douglas, and TWA. All gone.
Title: Re: This Is Big.......
Post by: windsor88 on July 13, 2008, 11:03:49 PM
I grew up in St Louis.   The three biggest company names were Anheuser-Busch, McDonnell Douglas, and TWA. All gone.

I'm here too and this sucks.  You guys may just think beer but they have shit everywhere.

goodbye to..

Busch Gardens
Grants Farm
Concert Events

They were a very charitable organization that paid there employees very well.  This is a sad part of St. Louis history.
Title: Re: This Is Big.......
Post by: evandatp on July 13, 2008, 11:06:50 PM
Who cares?  Budweiser is piss water that only joe-sixpack douchebags drink.   Anheuser-Busch is largely responsible for the crappy worldwide reputation of American beer.
Too right.

How far out of your way do you have to go to get a mini/micro-brewery beer?
Title: Re: This Is Big.......
Post by: Faust on July 14, 2008, 02:00:48 AM
Correction:

InBev is not completely Belgian. It's already a fusion of the Belgian Interbrew and the Brazilian Ambev.
Title: Re: This Is Big.......
Post by: Stark on July 14, 2008, 02:03:29 AM
Finally some decent beer will arrive in the states!

Lol you guys don't even know what beer is unles you've had German beer, we have even a law how to brew beer, that stuff you call beer at your country would actually not qualify for beer in germany and couldn't been produced in germany.

it's also called the Reinheitsgebot:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reinheitsgebot
Title: Re: This Is Big.......
Post by: TechnoViking on July 14, 2008, 02:13:19 AM
Lol you guys don't even know what beer is unles you've had German beer, we have even a law how to brew beer, that stuff you call beer at your country would actually not qualify for beer in germany and couldn't been produced in germany.

it's also called the Reinheitsgebot:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reinheitsgebot

The germans take pride in there shit...Lets hope this massive globel movement doesn't effect that...However americans also took pride in shit many moons ago...
Title: Re: This Is Big.......
Post by: Stark on July 14, 2008, 02:55:00 AM
The germans take pride in there shit...Lets hope this massive globel movement doesn't effect that...However americans also took pride in shit many moons ago...

yep now they can't build nothing worth a fuck
Title: Re: This Is Big.......
Post by: Stu on July 14, 2008, 03:57:18 AM
St Louis? Maybe this is the big business deal that Dave has been working on?
Title: Re: This Is Big.......
Post by: El_Pajero on July 14, 2008, 04:26:53 AM
Suck my motherfucking dick.
Title: Re: This Is Big.......
Post by: Stark on July 14, 2008, 04:36:37 AM
Suck my motherfucking dick.
#

no gay porn on the gossip sorry
Title: Re: This Is Big.......
Post by: Bruffy on July 14, 2008, 09:12:56 AM
I'm here too and this sucks.  You guys may just think beer but they have shit everywhere.

goodbye to..

Busch Gardens
Grants Farm
Concert Events

They were a very charitable organization that paid there employees very well.  This is a sad part of St. Louis history.
St. Louis has never been the same since Brett Hull left the Blues.
Title: Re: This Is Big.......
Post by: CalvinH on July 14, 2008, 09:16:20 AM
  This is a sad part of St. Louis history.



Bigger than the demise of SF ???
Title: Re: This Is Big.......
Post by: dr.chimps on July 14, 2008, 09:20:05 AM
Lol you guys don't even know what beer is unles you've had German beer, we have even a law how to brew beer, that stuff you call beer at your country would actually not qualify for beer in germany and couldn't been produced in germany.

it's also called the Reinheitsgebot:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reinheitsgebot
Hehe. Yeah, yeah, the purity law. If you look at how that came about you see it was more of a tariff measure against imports than it was anything to do with quality.  ::)     ;)
Title: Re: This Is Big.......
Post by: Bast000 on July 14, 2008, 10:20:40 AM
America = Dead

who killed it?
Title: Re: This Is Big.......
Post by: JOHN MATRIX on July 14, 2008, 11:00:30 AM
Who cares?  Budweiser is piss water that only joe-sixpack douchebags drink.   Anheuser-Busch is largely responsible for the crappy worldwide reputation of American beer.
correct. it can only improve from here, considering bud light is the worst tasting beer in the world
Title: Re: This Is Big.......
Post by: Bast000 on July 14, 2008, 02:27:47 PM
correct. it can only improve from here, considering bud light is the worst tasting beer in the world

Natural ice may be worse, but that's also made by Anheuser-Busch
Title: Re: This Is Big.......
Post by: The Coach on July 14, 2008, 03:14:28 PM
I want to here Neurotoxins take on this. Dude knows his his stuff when it comes to things like this.
Title: Re: This Is Big.......
Post by: The Coach on July 14, 2008, 03:15:57 PM
I want to here Neurotoxins take on this. Dude knows his his stuff when it comes to things like this.
Title: Re: This Is Big.......
Post by: Bast000 on July 14, 2008, 06:19:56 PM
it's called the Republicans fucked up the economy and now foreign countries are buying everything.  52 billion is nothing compared to the 10 trillion debt to China.  hope that helps.
Title: Re: This Is Big.......
Post by: tu_holmes on July 14, 2008, 06:22:20 PM
I'm here too and this sucks.  You guys may just think beer but they have shit everywhere.

goodbye to..

Busch Gardens
Grants Farm
Concert Events

They were a very charitable organization that paid there employees very well.  This is a sad part of St. Louis history.

True, and whether you like Budweiser or not, they are still the number 1 selling beer in the world.
Title: Re: This Is Big.......
Post by: The Coach on July 14, 2008, 07:05:06 PM
it's called the Republicans fucked up the economy and now foreign countries are buying everything.  52 billion is nothing compared to the 10 trillion debt to China.  hope that helps.

Actually it doesn't because you have you're head so far up your liberal ass you can't breath let alone see straight.


Hope THIS helps!!
Title: Re: This Is Big.......
Post by: TechnoViking on July 15, 2008, 01:23:00 AM
GM,STarbucks and now Bud are all gearing up for 2012 when the shift happens and we become a true globel world...I'm guessing an alien presence that unites us all...Of course the alien presence will be not from another planet but man made...

Welcome to 1984...You are already see banks go down...
Title: Re: This Is Big.......
Post by: HDPhysiques on July 15, 2008, 01:29:42 AM
Bigger than the demise of SF ???

Union, MO is too far from St. Louis to be considered "St. Louis". 
Title: Re: This Is Big.......
Post by: Tapeworm on July 15, 2008, 01:30:07 AM
Long as I got my cold one after work.

(http://farm1.static.flickr.com/102/316548103_e2e3559757.jpg?v=0)
Title: Re: This Is Big.......
Post by: HDPhysiques on July 15, 2008, 01:30:42 AM
I grew up in St Louis.   The three biggest company names were Anheuser-Busch, McDonnell Douglas, and TWA. All gone.

Gonna be weird watching the Cardinals play ball at "Hoegaarden Park" next year....