In the document registered with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Smithfield Foods said it would offer a total of 34.8 million shares priced in a range of $23 to $27 as it seeks a listing on the New York Stock Exchange. That equates to as much as $939.6m.

The country’s top pork processor reveals the size and price range of its long-rumored separation from China’s WH Group, but a date has not been chosen.

Smithfield Foods is targeting a valuation of up to US$10.73bil in its New York flotation, the biggest US pork processor says, moving closer to its US stock market return after more than a decade.

A major employer in eastern North Carolina is targeting an initial public offering with a valuation approaching $11 billion. Farmers in the state are watching Smithfield Foods as the Virginia-based company continues to invest in pork production in North Carolina.