UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(Amendment No. )
Filed by the Registrant x Filed by a Party other than the Registrant ¨
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o | Preliminary Proxy Statement | |||
o | Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2)) | |||
o | Definitive Proxy Statement | |||
o | Definitive Additional Materials | |||
x | Soliciting Material under §240.14a-12 | |||
SMITHFIELD FOODS, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
(Name of person(s) filing proxy statement, if other than the registrant)
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts:
Investors
Keira Lombardo
Smithfield Foods, Inc.
(757) 365-3050
keiralombardo@smithfieldfoods.com
Media
Andrew Siegel / Annabelle Rinehart / Erin Kurtz
Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher
(212) 355-4449
SMITHFIELD FOODS ANNOUNCES EXPIRATION OF HSR WAITING PERIOD FOR SHUANGHUI-SMITHFIELD TRANSACTION
SMITHFIELD, Virginia (July 12, 2013)-Smithfield Foods, Inc. (NYSE:SFD) announced today that the required waiting period has expired under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 (“HSR”) in connection with the Company's previously announced transaction with Shuanghui International Holdings Limited. Shuanghui International is a Hong Kong based privately held company that is the majority shareholder of China's largest meat processing company, Henan Shuanghui Investment & Development Co. (SZSE:000895). In addition, the Company announced that it has received foreign antitrust or anti-competition approvals in Mexico and Poland. Smithfield expects the transaction to close in the second half of 2013.
As previously announced on May 29, 2013, Smithfield has entered into a definitive merger agreement with Shuanghui International. Under the terms of the agreement, at the effective time of the merger, Smithfield shareholders will receive $34.00 per share in cash for each share of Smithfield common stock that they own. The transaction remains subject to certain conditions, including, among others, approval by Smithfield's shareholders, the receipt of approval under certain specified other foreign merger clearance laws, review by The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States and other customary closing conditions.
More information about Shuanghui International can be found at http://www.shuanghui-international.com.
About Smithfield Foods
Smithfield Foods is a $13 billion global food company and the world's largest pork processor and hog producer. In the United States, the company is also the leader in numerous packaged meats categories with popular brands including Smithfield®, Eckrich®, Farmland®, Armour®, Cook's®, Gwaltney®, John Morrell®, Kretschmar®, Curly's®, Carando®, Margherita®, and Healthy Ones®. Smithfield Foods is committed to providing good food in a responsible way and maintains robust animal care, community involvement, employee safety, environmental, and food safety and quality programs. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com and www.smithfieldcommitments.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking” statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. The forward-looking statements include statements concerning our outlook for the future, as well as other statements of beliefs, future plans and strategies or anticipated events, and similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. Our forward-looking information and statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the merger agreement; the failure to receive, on a timely basis or otherwise, approval of the merger proposal by the Company's shareholders or the approval of government
or regulatory agencies with regard to the merger; the failure of one or more conditions to the closing of the merger agreement to be satisfied; the failure of Shuanghui International Holdings Limited to obtain the necessary financing in connection with the merger agreement; the amount of the costs, fees, expenses and charges related to the merger agreement or merger; risks arising from the merger's diversion of management's attention from the Company's ongoing business operations; risks that our stock price may decline significantly if the merger is not completed; the ability of the Company to retain and hire key personnel and maintain relationships with customers, suppliers and other business partners pending the completion of the merger; the availability and prices of live hogs, feed ingredients (including corn), raw materials, fuel and supplies; food safety; livestock disease; live hog production costs; product pricing; the competitive environment and related market conditions; risks associated with the Company's indebtedness, including cost increases due to rising interest rates or changes in debt ratings or outlook; hedging risk; adverse weather conditions; operating efficiencies; changes in foreign currency exchange rates; access to capital; the cost of compliance with and changes to regulations and laws, including changes in accounting standards, tax laws, environmental laws, agricultural laws and occupational, health and safety laws; adverse results from litigation; actions of domestic and foreign governments; labor relations issues; credit exposure to large customers; the ability to make effective acquisitions and successfully integrate newly acquired businesses into existing operations, and other risks and uncertainties described under Part I, Item 1A. “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended April 28, 2013.
Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements because actual results may differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, the forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement that we make speaks only as of the date of such statement, and we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Comparisons of results for current and any prior periods are not intended to express any future trends or indications of future performance, unless expressed as such, and should only be viewed as historical data.
Additional Information and Where to Find It
In connection with the proposed merger transaction, the Company will file with the SEC and furnish to the Company's shareholders a proxy statement and other relevant documents. This press release does not constitute a solicitation of any vote or approval. Shareholders are urged to read the proxy statement when it becomes available and any other documents to be filed with the SEC in connection with the proposed merger or incorporated by reference in the proxy statement because they will contain important information about the proposed merger.
Investors will be able to obtain a free copy of documents filed with the SEC at the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov. In addition, investors may obtain a free copy of the Company's filings with the SEC from the Company's website at http://investors.smithfieldfoods.com or by directing a request to: Smithfield Foods, Inc., 200 Commerce Street, Smithfield, Virginia 23430, Attn: Investor Relations, (757) 365-3050, keiralombardo@smithfieldfoods.com.
The directors, executive officers and certain other members of management and employees of the Company may be deemed “participants” in the solicitation of proxies from shareholders of the Company in favor of the proposed merger. Information regarding the persons who may, under the rules of the SEC, be considered participants in the solicitation of the shareholders of the Company in connection with the proposed merger will be set forth in the proxy statement and the other relevant documents to be filed with the SEC. You can find information about the Company's executive officers and directors in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended April 28, 2013 and in its preliminary proxy statement filed with the SEC on Schedule 14A on June 18, 2013.
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