HONG KONG – WH Group Ltd., the parent company of Smithfield Foods Inc., confirmed in a recent stock exchange filing that it intends to list up to 20% of the Smithfield shares on the New York Stock Exchange or NASDAQ.

A proposed spin-off emerged in July when WH Group announced its interest in listing Smithfield on American markets. 

WH Group confirmed in its filing that the final structure of the proposed spin-off and listing of Smithfield shares was subject to a few regulatory measures, including approval from the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). 

The company did not provide a timeline for when the stock would be listed. 

“Shareholders and potential investors of the company should be aware that there is no assurance that the proposed spin-off and the listing of the Smithfield shares will take place, and if so, when they may take place,” WH Group said in its statement. “Shareholders and potential investors of the company should exercise caution when dealing in or investing in the securities of the company.”

WH Group acquired Smithfield Foods for $4.7 billion in 2013, which became one of the largest takeovers of an American business by a Chinese company at the time. Smithfield was eventually delisted from the New York Stock Exchange.

Over time, the company raised more than $2.3 billion and went public in the Hong Kong market in 2014.

In recent years, shares for WH Group traded around record lows due to several factors, including the African swine fever outbreak in China. The world pork producer looks to move on to a US listing to improve its valuation.

Another major meat company recently proposed a US listing. JBS S.A. shared its plans during July to make shares available on the São Paulo Stock Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange.