Shares of Anheuser-Busch stock rose sharply early today on news that the Belgium-based InBev is working on a $46 billion bid for the St. Louis brewer.
There have been rumors of InBev's interest in Anheuser-Busch for months and Smith, Moore and Company analyst Juli Niemann says the move makes sense.
"This is a highly competitive industry. We've got huge costs. Costs basically are going through the roof . Packaging costs are enormous. Transportation costs are enormous. And it's all about getting the costs out. InBev is a master at getting the costs out. So, basically this would be a very good fit for them," she said.
Neither Anheuser-Busch nor InBev are commenting on the takeover report, which surfaced on a blog run by the Financial Times of London.
© Copyright 2012, St. Louis Public Radio
