Save Budweiser!!!

[paperchase]

Save Budweiser.Com


Everyone should sign the petition to Save Budweiser. Im just blown away we have come to a place in our history where we would sell one our most iconic and admired companies just to make a little money. So sad!

[sg1efc]

InBev agrees to buy Anheuser for $50 billion

PHILADELPHIA/NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. brewer Anheuser-Busch Cos Inc (BUD.N) agreed to a $50 billion takeover by Belgium-based InBev NV (INTB.BR), a source familiar with the situation said on Sunday, creating the world's largest beer maker.

InBev, the maker of Stella Artois, and Budweiser-brewer Anheuser were not immediately available to comment.

The combined company will be called Anheuser-Busch InBev, said the sources, who agreed to speak on condition of anonymity. Anheuser will get seats on the new company's board, the sources said, but it was not immediately clear how many.

Adding another dimension to any deal was Mexico's No. 1 brewer Grupo Modelo (GMODELOC.MX), which is 50 percent owned by Anheuser. The maker of Corona beer, which has the right to choose its partner, has not yet approved InBev for that role and the two brewers remain in talks, according to one person familiar with the situation.

Modelo declined to comment.

The deal brings an amicable resolution to a month-long saga that was becoming increasingly hostile as the two companies sued each other and InBev set the stage to try to replace Anheuser's board of directors.

InBev had proposed its own slate of nominees for the board that included Adolphus Busch IV, an uncle of the current chief executive of Anheuser-Busch.

InBev lured Anheuser to the bargaining table last week by raising its offer to $70 per share from $65 per share, a 27 percent premium over Anheuser's record-high stock price in October 2002.

Shares of InBev and Anheuser surged on Friday as news of the higher offer and the negotiations emerged. Anheuser closed up 8.6 percent at $66.50, and InBev closed up more than 7 percent.

Sources had said that the two companies and their advisers had talked in New York over the weekend, working through details such as the name for the combined company, roles for Anheuser's executives and the structure of the board. The breakup fees if the deal collapses also were discussed over the weekend, the sources said.

InBev had tried to soothe some of Anheuser's concerns last month, saying it would keep Anheuser's St. Louis home as the headquarters for the North American region. Anheuser's main Budweiser beer would also become the new company's "flagship brand."

Last week, the director of the Brewery and Soft Drink Workers Conference of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters asked to meet with InBev Chairman Peter Harf and InBev Chief Executive Carlos Brito, according to a letter posted on the union's Web site Budwatch | Important News for Anheuser-Busch Employees, Members, Retirees, and Their Communities.

Led by Chief Executive Carlos Brito, InBev is known for ruthless cost-cutting.

The union, which represents workers at all 12 of Anheuser's U.S. breweries, asked for the meeting to discuss the initial offer so it could "fulfill our responsibilities to advise and protect our members."

It was unclear if InBev and the union met.

A takeover of iconic U.S. company Anheuser has sparked an outcry from some politicians, including Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

Analysts have said that Modelo is likely to embrace InBev's bid for Anheuser and hopes the Belgian brewer proves to be a more dynamic and innovative partner than the biggest U.S. brewer.

Anheuser also owns 27 percent of China's Tsingtao Brewery Co Ltd (600600.SS).

While Anheuser controls nearly half the U.S. market with brands like Budweiser, Bud Light and Michelob, InBev has strong positions in Western Europe and Latin America and is growing in Eastern Europe and Asia.

InBev, which was formed by the 2004 merger of Belgium's Interbrew with Brazil's AmBev, is based in Belgium and run by a mostly-Brazilian management team.

InBev agrees to buy Anheuser for $50 billion - Yahoo! News

They need a new slogan now, maybe: "This Budd's no longer for you... it's someone else's now".

[paperchase]

Im not shocked but definately bothered. Dont get me wrong money and profit are always nice, but some things are just sentimental. Whats next Ford or GM?

[BadThad]

I argree, this is a sad day for Americans.

[taterbug23]

Originally Posted by paperchase

Im not shocked but definately bothered. Dont get me wrong money and profit are always nice, but some things are just sentimental. Whats next Ford or GM?

you know I said the exact same thing to a couple guys at work today

[stockzilla]

America is soon to be a service only economy. I'm losing my job in telecommunications in Sept. as the Systems Integration Center I've worked at was bought by a French Company and is closing it's doors and moves to Mexico and Italy. When I was hired, there were 12,000 employees. Now there are 36. . It's sad to see the end of an era, but I had enough time in to get a little ALUminum parachute from them. Watch for the tele industry standards to be changed to European standards within a few years, as the current US standards are phased out. I feel sorry for the next few generations, it's gonna be a mess for them.

[pennyfrog]

To late for bud, but you will do just fine

[Ciao]

Originally Posted by stockzilla

America is soon to be a service only economy. I'm losing my job in telecommunications in Sept. as the Systems Integration Center I've worked at was bought by a French Company and is closing it's doors and moves to Mexico and Italy. When I was hired, there were 12,000 employees. Now there are 36. . It's sad to see the end of an era, but I had enough time in to get a little ALUminum parachute from them. Watch for the tele industry standards to be changed to European standards within a few years, as the current US standards are phased out. I feel sorry for the next few generations, it's gonna be a mess for them.

SZ sorry to hear that (job lost)...
but that unfortunately it is all over the world... even here in Europe it is not so rosy.....

IMO when the firm don't make profit (reach target etc…) instead of cutting staff they should sack the Managements (that is what used to happen in my time) and not giving then a pay rise with bonuses maybe the economy would be a bit better…. I better stop here

Sorry for this ranting and O/T

[Grizzums]

Originally Posted by stockzilla

America is soon to be a service only economy. I'm losing my job in telecommunications in Sept. as the Systems Integration Center I've worked at was bought by a French Company and is closing it's doors and moves to Mexico and Italy. When I was hired, there were 12,000 employees. Now there are 36. . It's sad to see the end of an era, but I had enough time in to get a little ALUminum parachute from them. Watch for the tele industry standards to be changed to European standards within a few years, as the current US standards are phased out. I feel sorry for the next few generations, it's gonna be a mess for them.

Sorry to hear that my friend....but I can't say as I'm surprised and I don't even know the company. The EU has been moving to extend and further unify a common market, and, in close connection, to raise profitability and increase the competitiveness of EU-based capital in the imperialist world economy for awhile now and this sounds like another extension of that longer term agenda, imo.

Best of luck to you.