All about business

On some level, we always knew it: Every company has its price. If someone is willing to pony up enough cash, a reluctant company can be forced to give up and sell.

We knew this.

And yet, it still shocked us a year ago Monday, when Anheuser-Busch’s board of directors — after a month of stiff resistance — yielded to a hostile takeover bid by Belgian brewer InBev.

One year later, St. Louis is still coming to terms with the takeover deal, which became official after shareholders approved the offer last November.

The loss of St. Louis icons wasn’t new. TWA was purchased by American Airlines. Ralston Purina became a unit of Nestl