DOJ Grants Antitrust Clearance for Molson Coors Acquisition

The U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division has cleared Anheuser-Busch InBev’s $100 billion acquisition of SABMiller and Molson Coors’ $12 billion acquisition of the divestiture assets. 

Cleary Gottlieb is antitrust counsel to Molson Coors and MillerCoors in connection with the DOJ’s investigation and the related acquisition of assets.

Both the Anheuser-Busch InBev/SABMiller transaction and the sale of the divestiture assets to Molson Coors were announced on November 11, 2015. The divestiture transaction is contingent on the completion of the ABI/SABMiller transaction. The transactions are expected to close in the second half of 2016.

The clearance is subject to certain conditions, including the divestiture of SABMiller’s interest in MillerCoors, its U.S. joint venture with Molson Coors and the global Miller brand portfolio. 

Cleary also represented Molson Coors in connection with the European Commission’s investigation of the ABI/SABMiller deal. The firm previously served as counsel to Molson Coors in connection with the formation of the MillerCoors joint venture in 2008.