INBEV POSTS 2ND-QUARTER RESULTS

InBev’s full year pre-tax earnings rose 15.5% and revenues increased 7.2% despite staggering sales in western Europe, their second biggest market. Second half profit went up 1.6% while sales gained 27% thanks to the 2004 acquisition of Brazil’s Cia De Bebidas das Americas. "Volume decrease in western Europe was expected. And although volumes fell, they improved a bit in the second half. Compared with its competitors, Inbev is actually not doing that badly," said Alexandra Oldroyd, analyst at Morgan Stanley.