AB InBev and SABMiller agree new $104b takeover proposal

Anheuser-Busch InBev NV has agreed to buy SABMiller Plc for about 68 billion pounds ($104 billion), raising its bid after several rejections, to clinch a record industry deal that will bring one out of every three beers sold worldwide under a single company.

The Budweiser maker will pay 44 pounds a share in cash for a majority of the shares in its nearest competitor, the companies said in a statement on Tuesday, gaining brands such as Peroni and Grolsch and giving it control of about half the industry's profit.

The price is 50 percent above SABMiller's closing value on Sept 14, the day before speculation of a deal surfaced.