A Battle Is Brewing With A-B InBev’s SAB Miller Takeover

First Offer Is Rejected Setting The Bar Higher, So To Speak

So much for sitting in a bar afterward, holding up bottles of both Budweiser and Miller and toasting to a deal.

SABMiller has rejected A-B InBev’s first formal takeover offer as too low. A-B offered 40 pounds a share – more than what the shares were trading – on the London Stock Exchange where SABMiller is listed.

But shareholders are reported to want somewhere around 45 pounds a share.

This could be a sign that trouble is brewing with A-B InBev’s proposed takeover.

One thing is for certain – it’s not going to be like going to a keg party as some had anticipated. It’s more like being at a college football rivalry game where people on both sides are flexing their muscles.

And make no mistake, A-B and Miller have been rivals for decades. While this is a boardroom decision, if it goes through, it will have a profound affect on employees who have been brand loyal to their respective company for years.

For beer drinkers, the only thing to do is sit back and watch what happens, as if two rivals are playing in a college football game.

And just like those games, you never know what might happen and which side might win.