Coca-Cola Co. will buy a 16.7 percent stake in Monster Beverage in a deal that includes the companies swapping ownership of some products. Coke will make a net cash payment of $2.15 billion to Monster, whose shares spiked as much as 36 percent in after-hours trading. Under terms of the deal, Coke will transfer its energy drink businesses, including NOS and Burn, to Monster. In turn, Monster will transfer its non-energy businesses to Coke, including Hansen's Natural Sodas. Coke will get two seats on Monster's board. "Our equity investment in Monster is a capital efficient way to bolster our participation in the fast-growing and attractive global energy drinks category," Coke CEO Muhtar Kent said in a statement. The deal is expected to close late this year or early next.
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