Dive Brief:
- Brazilian billionaire Jorge Paulo Lemann, of 3G Capital fame, is mulling a takeover of Diageo Plc, along with other executives, according to Lauro Jardim, a Veja columnist.
- On the report, American depositary receipts rose to $118, 8%, the largest uptick in one day since October 2008.
- 3G Capital's work often coincides with Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway, like its acquisition of H.J. Heinz and its looming merger with Kraft — not to mention its consolidation moves in the alcohol industry, like AB InBev.
Dive Insight:
With the stock rise, it appears investors would be interested in such a deal. Considering the zero-based budgeting strategy 3G has been known to employ (i.e. severe job cuts), Diageo employees may want to start looking elsewhere if the report turns out to be true.