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Mexicanos May Save St Louis Brewery-WALL STREET JOURNAL
via the St Louis Business Journal
http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/stories/2008/06/09/daily90.html?jst=b_ln_hl
Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc. has approached Grupo Modelo CEO Carlos
Fernandez about possibly combining A-B with the leading Mexican brewer
in an attempt to possibly block InBev's $46.3 billion takeover offer
of the top U.S. brewer, according to a Wall Street Journal report.
One strategy A-B could consider to thwart a potential takeover is
making a move to acquire the 50 percent of Grupo Modelo, maker of the
Corona brand, that it does not already own. Taking on that expense
could potentially make an acquisition of A-B too expensive for Belgian
brewer InBev, according to analysts.
The Wall Street Journal said it wasn't clear what type of transaction
was discussed between A-B and Fernandez, who serves on A-B's board of
directors. CNBC reported earlier Friday that A-B may give Grupo Modelo
"equal to up to" 19.9 percent in the brewer and cash with a total
consideration between $12.5 billion and $15 billion.
