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BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) - Belgian-Brazilian brewer InBev on Friday posted a 26 percent increase in net profit for 2005 as fewer sales of beer and soft drinks in Europe and North America undermined strong growth in the rest of the world.
Net profit rose to 905 million euros ($1.08 billion) in 2005, up from 719 million euros ($859.71 million) the previous year, but missing analysts' forecasts of 1.09 billion euros ($1.3 billion).
InBev's crown jewels are its three headline brands — Brazil's Brahma, Belgium's Stella Artois and Germany's Beck's — which grew by 11.6 percent in 2005, twice the pace of InBev's overall beer sales.
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