Hong Kong-based WH Group (0288), the world's largest pork producer, is spinning off Smithfield Foods into a US listed company with a valuation of up to US$10.73 billion (HK$83.7 billion), as it looks to create a separate fundraising platform for its US and Mexico businesses.

Smithfield and WH Group are each offering 17.4 million shares, priced between US$23 and US$27 each, to raise up to US$939.6 million in the IPO.

The proposed valuation target is roughly double Smithfield's net asset value of about US$5.38 billion as of September 30.

WH Group said last year the IPO was expected to value the Virginia-based company at US$5.38 billion or more.

Smithfield, whose rivals include Tyson Foods and Hormel Foods, was founded in 1936 in its namesake town by the Luter family as a small meat-packing company.

A series of acquisitions starting in the 1980s hoisted Smithfield as the largest US pork producer.

The company produces packaged meats and pork products under brands, including John Morrell, Cook's and Gwaltney.

Smithfield, which carved out its European business last year, traded on the New York Stock Exchange from 1999 until 2013, when it was acquired by WH Group for US$4.7 billion — then the biggest Chinese takeover of a US firm.

The company's customers include retail behemoth Walmart, fast-food giant McDonald's and food distributor Sysco.

WH Group will maintain control of Smithfield after the offering. The company plans to use the IPO proceeds to beef up infrastructure, automation and capacity expansion.

Morgan Stanley, BofA Securities and Goldman Sachs are the lead underwriters.

Smithfield will list on the Nasdaq under the symbol "SFD."

(Staff reporter and Reuters)

WH Group spinning off Smithfield at US$10.7 billion valuation in US IPO