22nd Mar 2006 09:00
SABMiller PLC22 March 2006 Ref 11/2006 SABMILLER COMPLETES ACQUISITION OF 48.4% OF TOPVAR BREWERY IN SLOVAKIA London and Johannesburg, 22 March 2006. SABMiller plc announces that, followingreceipt of approval from the Slovak Anti-Monopoly Office on Monday 13th March2006, it has acquired 48.4% of the Slovakian brewer Topvar, a.s. ("Topvar" orthe "Company"). Under the terms of the agreement, the controlling shareholders will sell furthershares ("the Additional Shares") to enable SABMiller to increase its interest inTopvar to at least 67% by the end of September 2006. The remaining shares heldby the controlling shareholders are subject to put and call arrangementsexercisable within 18 months of SABMiller acquiring the Additional Shares. Ends Notes to editors SABMiller SABMiller plc is one of the world's largest brewers with brewing interests ordistribution agreements in over 60 countries across five continents. The group'sbrands include premium international beers such as Miller Genuine Draft, PeroniNastro Azzurro and Pilsner Urquell, as well as an exceptional range of marketleading local brands. Outside the USA, SABMiller plc is also one of the largestbottlers of Coca-Cola products in the world. In the year ended 31 March 2005, the group reported US$2,194 million pre-taxprofit and a turnover of US$14,543 million on a UK GAAP basis. SABMiller plc islisted on the London and Johannesburg stock exchanges. This announcement is available on the company website: www.sabmiller.com High resolution images are available for the media to view and download free ofcharge from: www.vismedia.co.uk Enquiries: SABMiller plc Tel: +44 20 7659 0100 Sue Clark Director of Corporate Affairs Tel: +44 20 7659 0184 Gary Leibowitz Senior Vice President, Investor Tel: +44 20 7659 0174 Relations James Crampton Media Relations Manager Tel: +44 20 7659 0172 This announcement does not constitute an offer to sell or issue or thesolicitation of an offer to buy or acquire securities of SABMiller plc (the"Company") or any of its affiliates in any jurisdiction or an inducement toenter into investment activity. This document includes "forward-looking statements". These statements maycontain the words "anticipate", "believe", "intend", "estimate", "expect" andwords of similar meaning. All statements other than statements of historicalfacts included in this announcement, including, without limitation, thoseregarding the Company's financial position, business strategy, plans andobjectives of management for future operations (including development plans andobjectives relating to the Company's products and services) are forward-lookingstatements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks,uncertainties and other important factors that could cause the actual results,performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different fromfuture results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by suchforward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based onnumerous assumptions regarding the Company's present and future businessstrategies and the environment in which the Company will operate in the future.These forward-looking statements speak only as at the date of this announcement. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to disseminateany updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained in thisannouncement to reflect any change in the Company's expectations with regardthereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any suchstatement is based. Any information contained in this announcement on the price at which theCompany's securities have been bought or sold in the past, or on the yield onsuch securities, should not be relied upon as a guide to future performance. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock ExchangeRelated Shares:
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