USA: Constellation Brands offers to buy Jack Daniel's owner - report

Constellation Brands Inc, maker of Corona and Modelo beers, has offered to buy Jack Daniel's owner Brown-Forman Corp, CNBC reported on May 23, citing people with knowledge of the matter.

Brown-Forman is not interested in selling, but has informed the board of Constellation Brands' interest, the report said, citing sources.

Shares of Brown-Forman, which has a market cap of about $22 billion, fell 3.8 percent to $54.93 in late afternoon trading on May 23. Constellation slipped 1.3 percent to $181.72.

The Brown family, fifth-generation owners of Brown-Forman, control a majority of voting shares and have historically indicated that they do not want to sell the company, according to the report.

Brown-Forman declined to comment, while Constellation Brands said it was company policy to not comment on rumors or speculation regarding any transaction.

Jack Daniel's is a brand of Tennessee whiskey and the top selling American whiskey in the world.

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