BRAZIL: AmBev Announces Stock Split

Companhia de Bebidas das Americas -- AmBev today announced that it has called a meeting of its shareholders for October 20, 2000, to approve a five-for-one stock split of both its common shares and its preferred shares.Consequently, following the stock split, AmBev expects that its shares will trade at approximately one-fifth of the price at which they currently trade at Bolsa de Valores de Sao Paulo.On September 22, 2000, AmBev's shareholders approved a distribution of capital of R$11,9170 per lot of 1,000 common and preferred shares. That distribution will be paid following the stock split. As a result, the distribution of capital would then be R$2,3834 per lot of 1,000 common and preferred shares.