AB InBev or Anheuser-Busch InBev, just launched over a $100 billion bid for its closest competitor, SABMiller.
As reported by Reuters, the offer by the world's biggest brewery also comes with an offer to sell SABMiller's stake in the U.S. venture MillerCoors that will help win regulatory approval.
If the deal pushes through, the takeover of SABMiller would be one of the largest mergers in corporate history, and it is expected to result into $1.4 billion in annual savings four years after the completion of the deal, which is projected for the second half of 2016.
However, the Wall Street Journal reported that before even this deal happens, AB InBev would need to be approved by the United States, the European Union, China, South Africa, Australia and India. And if the proposed acquisition fails, the company would have to pay SABMiller a huge amount of $3 billion.
Moreover, ahead of Wednesday's announcement, the Belgian brewing company succeeded in clearing the most pressing regulatory blockage with a side deal in the U.S. to sell SAB's 58 percent stake in the MillerCoors LLC joint venture to Molson Coors Brewing Co. as well as the Miller portfolio outside the U.S. for $12 billion.
If the sale succeeds, it would launch Molson into the position of the number 2 brewery in America, with a 25 percent market share - just second to AB InBev's 45 percent share.
According to AB InBev CEO Carlos Brito, the sale was a "proof point" that the company would be "very decisive and very prompt in dealing with any regulatory issues that arise."
However, it does not mean that all will now go as smooth as ice. The largest brewery took similar steps before it acquired Grupo Modelo back in 2012, but the United States Justice Department still filed a lawsuit in 2013, forcing AB InBev to restructure the deal.
Another challenge that may arise is China, where the combined brewers have a considerable size of the market. Brito did not offer details whether the company would be forced to sell SABMiller's stake in a joint venture that produces Snow - the world's largest beer by volume, with China Resources Enterprise Ltd.
But if the deal does push through, AB InBev and SABMiller would have a 70 percent combined controlled share of the U.S. beer market.
Furthermore, according to CNBC, these two beer giants own over hundreds of brands, including America's most popular beer, Budweiser. In addition, they also own Corona, Grolsch and Stella Artois.
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