AB InBev to buy back US can plant stake in $3bn deal
Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world’s largest brewer, has announced plans to repurchase a 49.9 per cent stake in its U.S. metal container plants for about $3 billion. The stake was previously sold to a group led by Apollo Global Management, but AB InBev retained operational control. The company expects the deal to boost profits and help manage costs amid rising aluminium prices. Analysts believe the move will be earnings accretive for the brewer.
TLDR
- AB InBev will buy back a 49.9% stake in seven U.S. metal container plants for approximately $3 billion.
- The plants were previously sold in 2020 to investors led by Apollo Global Management, but AB InBev kept operational control.
- The transaction will be funded with cash and is expected to close in the first quarter of 2026.
- The deal is aimed at securing supply and managing costs as aluminium prices rise, with the benchmark price recently hitting $3,130 per metric tonne.
- This marks AB InBev’s first major acquisition since reducing its debt to investor-acceptable levels at the end of 2024.
