Rick_R

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To me, the sign of a great company is wrapped around its return on investment; progress, innovation, and pushing the envelope are only useful as part of the overall goal of maximizing ROI. I've never looked at AB with an intent to invest, so don't really know their performance in any detail at all -- but that's pretty much beside my earlier point anyway; my original response to your post had to do with what I quoted previously, which I took to be your determination that they aren't a great company because you don't like their product. As to your follow-up, we're on the same side of the fence (with the caveat that I would change "qualify" to "deserve" as a cultural icon).

Rick

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Primary: Nottingham Apfelwein, American Wheat
Secondary: Nothing
Drinking: Autumn Amber
Aging: Wee Heavy
Up Next: Milk Stout
Recently Gone: Irish Red Ale

abracadabra

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Thought I'd add my 2 cents.

First to the point that certain folks made that things won't change. I believe that things will change, drastically. There will be layoffs big time at A-B. InBev has made layoffs a big part of their takeover modis oerandi previously, why would that change at A-B?

As to why A.A.Busch IV rejected the $65 / share bid he's hoping for $70 or $75. Regardless the stock holders will have a say but I do expect InBev to increase the offer.

As to the reason for the takeover from what I've read, the main reason aside from the weak $ is InBev wants A-B's distribution network.

As to whether it should be done or not. A few years ago americans were buying compaines overseas. If we truely what capital to flow freely we can't restrict the inflow of capital unless we want our ablitiy to invest overseas also restricted.

If congress wants to do something constructive (which I seriouly doubt) rather than demagogue the issue, they could make distribution easier to create more competion. Or at least make the playing field more level for smaller brewers.

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The Blow Leprechaun

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Most people thought this, too, until InBev filed a lawsuit against A-B upon the refusal of the offer, basically trying to allow stockholders to dismiss the board. Those are serious fighting words.

TheH2

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I was hoping the purchase would go through. I would love inBev to have the A-B distribution network.

RodfatherX

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Not sure if it will do any good but here it is.



Online petition to save A-B

abracadabra

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Filing a lawsuit doesn't preclude InBev from upping the offer. Althought it might be cheaper if they could get the courts to side with them. However any court decision will take years if not decades especially if it's appealed, which I sure it would be. So I don't really see a court challenge as a viable remedy if they truely want to do the deal.

Time will tell.

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The Blow Leprechaun

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I'm not a lawyer, and I don't pretend to be, but the article I read about it said that this indicated they had no intention of upping their offer because it's playing hardball and by doing it, they're going to make the A-B board really mad and unlikely to accept any offer.

The lawsuit wouldn't dismiss the board, as I understand it, merely empower the stockholders to do so. I imagine a case like that would actually move fairly quickly, the slow part will be if the stockholders actually decide to do that and what options the board then has.

FlyingHorse

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Looks like you nailed it, abracadabra:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080711/bs_nm/inbev_anhueser_dc;_ylt=AnGqOEeLgI2hlP4609rOJ6.s0NU E

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abracadabra

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Thanks! I had just read that article myself.

Now if I had only taken my own advise and bought some of the stock.

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The Blow Leprechaun

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Heh. That idea didn't even occur to me.