Belgian shareholder families de Spoelberch, Van Damme, and de Mevius have sold approximately 10 million shares in AB InBev for EUR 731 million. The transaction was executed through their Luxembourg-based holding company Eugénie Patri Sébastien (EPS), which priced the shares at EUR 73.10 each.
The block trade represents roughly 0.5 percent of the world's largest brewer's total outstanding share capital. Following the announcement of the stake reduction, the company's share price dropped by approximately 2.7 percent to EUR 73.28. The divestment comes at a time when the brewer's stock has seen a strong recovery of around 35 percent, largely driven by increased beverage sales surrounding the 2026 FIFA World Cup (inside.beer, 11.06.2026).
The EPS holding vehicle serves as a core legacy structure managing the interests of the Belgian founding families. These families have built their position through decades of historical brewing mergers, including the combination of Belgium's Interbrew with Brazil's Ambev and the subsequent takeover of Anheuser-Busch. EPS controls slightly more than 20 percent of the brewing giant, primarily structured via the Dutch administrative office Stichting Administratiekantoor (STAK). The Belgian legacy owners are currently ranked among the wealthiest families globally, although they experienced reduced dividend payouts during previous market challenges (inside.beer, 12.06.2020). The recent stake sale also aligns with broader capital allocation maneuvers by the corporation, which recently completed multiple share buyback programs and acquisitions to manage its long-term balance sheet.
