DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

Beer giant Anheuser-Busch Inbev NV (BUD, ABI.BT) and food and beverage giant PepsiCo Inc. (PEP) agreed to jointly purchase goods and services for their U.S. operations to get more competitive prices.

The purchases may include information-technology hardware, office supplies, travel services, transportation, and maintenance, repair and operating supplies.

A team of procurement experts for each company will focus on common areas of spending and negotiate purchases on behalf of both companies.

Anheuser-Busch Inbev's shares fell 0.2% to $47.46 in after-hours trading while PepsiCo's rose 1 cent to $60.61.

-By Kathy Shwiff, Dow Jones Newswires; 212-416-2357; Kathy.Shwiff@dowjones.com