SABMiller Q2 Group NPR Up 2%; Says DOJ Approves Merger With AB InBev

(RTTNews) - SABMiller Plc. (SBMRY.PK, SAB.L), which is in deal to be bought by Belgian brewer Anheuser-Busch InBev NV, or AB InBev (BUD, AHBIF.PK), said its first-quarter group net producer revenue or NPR grew 2 percent, driven by price and mix realization.

Reported group NPR declined 4 percent due to the adverse translational impact on the company's results of the depreciation of its key operating currencies against the U.S. dollar.

The company said its performance in the quarter was tempered by a more challenging quarter in some markets in the rest of Africa, where volume was negatively impacted by economic volatility and challenging trading conditions. The company also continued to face trading headwinds in its associates' and joint ventures' key markets such as China, Angola and the U.S.

SABMiller said in a separate statement that the U.S. Department of Justice or DOJ has given its clearance for the proposed combination of AB InBev and SABMiller.

Meanwhile, Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD, AHBIF.PK) said it has entered into a consent decree with the U.S. Department of Justice, which clears the way for U.S. approval of its recommended combination with SABMiller. The company reaffirmed its expectation to close the global transaction in the second half of 2016.