BRUSSELS, April 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/
-- Anheuser-Busch InBev (Euronext: ABI; NYSE: BUD),
Grupo Modelo, S.A.B. de C.V. (BMV:
GMODELOC), Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE: STZ, STZ.B) and Crown
Imports LLC, have reached a final agreement with the U.S.
Department of Justice on the terms of a settlement of
the Department of Justice's litigation challenging AB InBev's
proposed acquisition of the remaining stake in Grupo Modelo that it does not already own.
The parties have jointly approached the Court with the terms of
a proposed Final Judgment, which would fully resolve the Department
of Justice's claims in its litigation challenging the proposed
acquisition.
The agreement is substantially in line with the revised
transaction announced on February 14,
2013. The proposed Final Judgment presented to the Court
includes additional binding commitments to the revised transaction,
which are designed to ensure a prompt divestiture of assets by AB
InBev to Constellation, the necessary build-out of the Piedras
Negras brewery by Constellation, as well as certain distribution
guarantees for Constellation in the
United States.
Once the Stipulation and Order (which is filed concurrently
with, and requires the parties to comply with, the proposed Final
Judgment) is signed by the Court, AB InBev, Grupo Modelo and Constellation intend to move
swiftly to complete the pending transactions. These include an
all-cash tender offer of USD 9.15 per
share by AB InBev for all the outstanding Grupo Modelo shares it does not already own and,
upon completion of the tender offer, the sale of Grupo Modelo's Piedras Negras brewery and stake
in Crown to Constellation.
The Mexican Competition Commission approved the revised
transaction with Constellation in early April 2013. Therefore, once the Stipulation and
Order is signed, all regulatory approvals necessary for closing the
transactions with Grupo Modelo and
Constellation will have been obtained. The transaction is expected
to close in June 2013.
Transaction Website: www.globalbeerleader.com
Disclaimer
This release contains certain
forward-looking statements reflecting the current views of the
management of AB InBev with respect to, among other things, the
proposed transaction described herein as well as AB InBev's
strategic objectives, business prospects, future financial
condition, budgets, projected levels of production, projected costs
and projected levels of revenues and profits, and the synergies it
is able to achieve. These statements involve risks and
uncertainties. The ability of AB InBev to achieve these objectives
and targets or to consummate the proposed transaction is dependent
on many factors some of which may be outside of management's
control. In some cases, words such as "believe", "intend",
"expect", "anticipate", "plan", "target", "will" and similar
expressions to identify forward-looking statements are used. All
statements other than statements of historical facts are
forward-looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on
these forward-looking statements. By their nature, forward-looking
statements involve risk and uncertainty because they reflect AB
InBev's current expectations and assumptions as to future events
and circumstances that may not prove accurate. The actual results
could differ materially from those anticipated in the
forward-looking statements for many reasons including the risks
described under Item 3.D of AB InBev's annual report on Form 20-F
filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission on
13 April 2012, as well as risks
associated with the proposed transaction, including uncertainty as
whether AB InBev will be able to consummate the transaction on the
terms described in this document or in the definitive agreements,
the ability to obtain necessary governmental approvals, the
availability of financing for the transaction and the ability to
consummate the financing on the currently anticipated terms, the
ability to realize the anticipated benefits of transaction,
including as a result of a delay in completing the transaction or
difficulty in integrating the businesses of the companies involved,
and the amount and timing of any costs savings and operating
synergies. AB InBev cannot assure you that the proposed transaction
or the future results, level of activity, performance or
achievements of AB InBev will meet the expectations reflected in
the forward-looking statements. Moreover, neither AB InBev nor any
other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy or
completeness of the forward-looking statements. Unless AB InBev is
required by law to update these statements, AB InBev will not
necessarily update any of these statements after the date hereof,
either to confirm the actual results or to report a change in its
expectations.
Anheuser-Busch InBev Contacts:
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Media
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Investors
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Marianne Amssoms
Tel:
+1-212-573-9281
E-mail:
marianne.amssoms@ab-inbev.com
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Graham
Staley
Tel:
+1-212-573-4365
E-mail:
graham.staley@ab-inbev.com
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Karen
Couck
Tel:
+32-16-27-69-65
E-mail:
karen.couck@ab-inbev.com
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Thelke
Gerdes
Tel:
+32-16-27-68-88
E-mail:
thelke.gerdes@ab-inbev.com
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Laura
Vallis
Tel:
+1-212-573-9283
E-mail:
laura.vallis@ab-inbev.com
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Christina Caspersen
Tel:
+1-212-573-4376
E-mail:
christina.caspersen@ab-inbev.com
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Steve
Lipin / Stan Neve, Brunswick Group
Tel:
+1-212-333-3810
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About Anheuser-Busch InBev
Anheuser-Busch InBev is a
publicly traded company (Euronext: ABI) based in Leuven,
Belgium, with American Depositary
Receipts on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: BUD). It is
the leading global brewer, one of the world's top five consumer
products companies and recognized as first in the beverage industry
on FORTUNE Magazine's "World's Most Admired" companies list.
Beer, the original social network, has been bringing people
together for thousands of years and our portfolio of well over 200
beer brands continues to forge strong connections with
consumers. We invest the majority of our brand-building
resources on our Focus Brands - those with the greatest growth
potential such as global brands Budweiser®, Stella
Artois® and Beck's®, alongside
Leffe®, Hoegaarden®, Bud Light®,
Skol®, Brahma®, Antarctica®, Quilmes®,
Michelob Ultra®, Harbin®, Sedrin®,
Klinskoye®, Sibirskaya Korona®,
Chernigivske®, Hasseroder® and
Jupiler®. In addition, the company owns a 50
percent equity interest in the operating subsidiary of Grupo Modelo, Mexico's leading brewer and owner of the
global Corona® brand. Anheuser-Busch InBev's
dedication to heritage and quality originates from the Den Hoorn
brewery in Leuven, Belgium dating
back to 1366 and the pioneering spirit of the Anheuser & Co
brewery, with origins in St.
Louis, USA since
1852. Geographically diversified with a balanced exposure to
developed and developing markets, Anheuser Busch InBev leverages
the collective strengths of its approximately 118,000 employees
based in 23 countries worldwide. In 2012, AB InBev realized
39.8 billion US dollar revenue. The
company strives to be the Best Beer Company in a Better
World. For more information, please visit:
www.ab-inbev.com.
SOURCE Anheuser-Busch InBev