Anheuser-Busch Cos. agreed to be acquired Sunday by InBev NV for about $52 billion, creating the world’s largest beer maker and placing an iconic American company in the hands of a Belgian-Brazilian giant.
The $70-a-share deal marks an abrupt end to what many expected to be a prolonged takeover drama. For weeks, Anheuser showed stiff resistance to a sale. But last week, InBev, based in Leuven, Belgium, drew its St. Louis rival into friendly discussions by increasing its offer by $5 a share.
Looks like the weak dollar has another victim. And since beer is an industry that usually does pretty well during a downturn and then again during the upturn, more money is now going to flowing from the U.S. to old Europa.