WH Group’s US pork-processing unit Smithfield files for Nasdaq listing

The Chinese company took Smithfield private in a US$4.7 billion deal in 2013, terminating its 14-year listing on the NYSE

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Smithfield is the largest pork processing company in the US. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 3:52pm, 7 Jan 2025Updated: 4:37pm, 7 Jan 2025

Smithfield Foods, the largest US pork processor and subsidiary of WH Group, has applied for a Nasdaq listing, as the Chinese parent moves to complete the spin-off announced six months ago.

Smithfield has applied to trade on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the stock code SFD in a filing submitted to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Monday, its Chinese parent company said in a statement to the Hong Kong stock exchange.

The US unit has decided neither on the fundraising amount nor the number of new shares it plans to sell. WH first unveiled the spin-off plan in July last year.

“The Smithfield offering is expected to commence as market conditions permit and is subject to the SEC declaring such registration statement effective,” WH Group said. “The proposed spin-off and the listing of the Smithfield shares are subject to the approval of relevant authorities, market conditions and other considerations.”

Smithfield aims to list on the Nasdaq under the SFD stock code. Photo: Reuters

Spin-off listings of overseas units have become a popular approach among Chinese companies to expand globally at a time when domestic business is stagnating amid a slowdown in consumer spending.