In this battered and volatile market few companies are really
safe: just ask the stockholders of Anheuser-Busch.
On July 13, 2008, Anheuser-Busch and InBev said they have agreed
to a deal, pending shareholder and regulatory approval, for InBev
to purchase the American icon Anheuser-Busch at $70 per share,
creating a new company to be named Anheuser-Busch InBev. The
all-cash agreement, almost $52 billion in total equity, would
create the world’s largest brewer, uniting the maker of
Budweiser and Michelob with the producer of Stella Artois,
Hoegaarden, Leffe and Beck's, Bass, Labatt and Brahma. The two
companies would have yearly sales of more than $36.4 billion,
surpassing the current No. 1 brewer, London-based SABMiller.
Despite the $70 agreement, BUD trades at around $63.
Why? Because InBev is financing the deal. Great
timing!
Yet, the news has been positive for BUD shareholders, who agreed
to the merger last week. InBev has been lining up an
executive team and has stressed that there is no financing
problem. The market is obviously skeptical.
I am not. Beer will not go down in a recessionary
period. In fact, it will probably go up! Meanwhile, the
world governements have stepped in to bailout the banks with major
cash infusions. Why would they turn down InBev after
promising financing?
Here is the risk reward: $63 to $70 within a month and a half -
which is the timeframe mentioned by most analysts and the
companies. That's an 11% return in only a month and a
half! The risk is that the deal somehow falls apart and the
stock drops to around $50, a 20% loss. I see a 95% chance it
goes up 11% and a 5% chance it drops 20% - a pretty spectacular
risk reward. And I think only in this crazy market would this
stock be so cheap right before the acquisition.
Barring a complete market and financial sector meltdown, I think
this deal will go through. It will represent the easiest 11%
I will ever make. I strongly recommend doing your own
research and looking to park your money into this stock before it
gets up to the high 60s.