A-B has Tough Third Quarter

A QUICK READ. A-B just announced that their third quarter of 2005 domestic beer sales-to-wholesalers decreased 1.4%, while wholesaler sales-to-retailers declined 1.0%, which is in-line with what most folks thought. Revs per barrel declined 1.2%.A-B said sales in late August and early September were negatively impacted by Hurricane Katrina, with sharp declines in the hurricane-affected areas. Sales trends quickly recovered in Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana with the exception of the New Orleans market.IMPACTED BY LOAD-IN. Third quarter STR comparisons with