ANSA ups offer for BHL

(Barbados Nation) The slogan on its trucks screams Grab An Ice Cold Banks Beer, but the battle for ownership of parent company Banks Holdings Limited (BHL) was anything but cold by sunset on Thursday.

In two apparently unrelated assaults on BHL and AmBev – through subsidiary SLU Beverages Limited – Trinidad giant ANSA McAL revealed on Thursday evening it was raising its offer to shareholders from Bds$6 to Bds$7 per share, shortly before a group of 15-plus small shareholders filed a class action suit in the Barbados High Court seeking to sanction BHL.

ANSA’s decision to up its offer came just four days after Brazilian competitor AmBev increased its offer to BHL shareholders from Bds$5.60 to Bds$6.20 per share.

“ANSA McAL Limited (ANSA McAL) wishes to advise all shareholders of BHL of its intention to amend its offer to purchase 100 per cent of the issued common shares in Banks Holdings Limited (BHL) to Bds$7”.