Japan's Suntory Holdings says it has completed a $US16 billion ($A17.3 billion) buyout of the firm behind Jim Beam bourbon, creating the world's third largest high-end spirits maker.
Suntory Holdings Ltd has acquired all outstanding shares of Beam Inc for nearly $US13.9 billion while taking on $US2 billion of debts at the US firm, the company said on Thursday.
As a result of the transaction Beam has been renamed Beam Suntory Inc.
The new company intends to integrate the spirits business of Suntory Liquors Ltd of Japan before the end of this year.
"The transaction creates a company with the strong number three position in the global premium spirits market," Suntory said in a statement.
Combined sales of Beam Inc and Suntory's spirits business were $US4.6 billion in 2013, it said.
Beam Suntory will be headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois and led by chairman and chief executive officer Matt Shattock, who has been CEO of Beam since 2009.
"By combining the world leader in bourbon and Japan's leading spirits company, we have created a stronger global business with an even better premium portfolio," Shattock was quoted as saying in the statement.
Suntory, one of the Japan's biggest brewers and non-alcoholic drinks makers, is widely known in Japan for commercials featuring Hollywood movie stars including Tommy Lee Jones.
Its eponymous whiskey played a starring roll in the 2003 Bill Murray film "Lost in Translation".
