Anheuser-Busch Cos., Inc. Announces 12.8 Percent Dividend Increase And New Dividend Policy Targeting Higher Growth

     
BW20030723002155  20030724T060307Z UTC


( BW)(ANHEUSER-BUSCH)(AHB) Anheuser-Busch Cos., Inc. Announces 12.8
Percent Dividend Increase And New Dividend Policy Targeting Higher Growth

    Business Editors
    UK REGULATORY NEWS

    ST. LOUIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 24, 2003--

Patrick Stokes, president and chief executive officer of
Anheuser-Busch Cos., Inc., (NYSE:BUD) today announced that the Board
of Directors has increased the regular quarterly dividend on the
company's common stock to 22 cents, from 19 1/2 cents per share, an
increase of 12.8 percent. This marks the 27th consecutive year of
Anheuser-Busch dividend increases. The new dividend rate is payable
September 9, 2003, to shareholders of record on August 11, 2003.

Anheuser-Busch's average annual dividend per share increase during the
past five years was 8.4 percent, which represented top quartile
dividend per share growth among S&P 500 companies. The higher dividend
increase in 2003 reflects a change in Anheuser-Busch's dividend
policy. It is now the Board of Directors' intent to increase dividends
per share in line with the company's earnings per share growth, versus
a prior policy of increasing dividends per share somewhat less than
the growth in earnings per share. This policy change reflects the
recent reduction in the federal tax rate on corporate dividends.

Based in St. Louis, Anheuser-Busch Cos., Inc. is the world's largest
brewer and one of the largest theme park operators in the United
States. The company is also a major manufacturer of aluminum cans and
the world's largest recycler of aluminum beverage containers.

   Short Name: Anheuser-Busch Cos
   Category Code: MSC
   Sequence Number: 00007497
   Time of Receipt (offset from UTC): 20030723T150809+0100

    --30--DH/na* KO/uk

    CONTACT: Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc.             

    KEYWORD: MISSOURI UNITED KINGDOM INTERNATIONAL EUROPE
    INDUSTRY KEYWORD: FOODS/BEVERAGES 
    SOURCE: Anheuser-Busch Cos

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