US: Is the DoJ close to approving AB InBev-SABMiller deal?

The US Justice Department is poised to approve Anheuser-Busch InBev NV’s takeover of SABMiller Plc in an agreement that may include measures to keep the beer behemoth from edging craft brewers from shelves, according to people familiar with the matter.

US clearance of the $107 billion combination is on track for later this month, according to three people familiar with the process. The accord could include limits on the combined company’s ownership of distributors, said one of the people.

US antitrust approval would bring the maker of Budweiser a step closer to completing the industry’s biggest merger ever and redraw control of the global beer market. The merged company will be followed by Heineken NV and Molson Coors Brewing Co. in the No. 2 and No. 3 spots by market capitalization. Following divestitures to win regulatory approvals, the deal will keep Budweiser, Beck’s and Stella Artois under AB InBev’s roof, while selling brands including Miller in the U.S. and Peroni and Pilsner Urquell in Europe.

AB InBev erased earlier losses to rise as much as 1 percent in Brussels, while SABMiller shares gained 0.6 percent in London.

Full Content: Bloomberg

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