ChipMOS FURTHER IMPROVES FINANCIAL STRENGTH WITH TRANSACTION CLOSURES
HSINCHU, Taiwan, Nov. 4 /PRNewswire-Asia-FirstCall/ -- ChipMOS
TECHNOLOGIES (Bermuda) LTD. ("ChipMOS" or the "Company") (Nasdaq: IMOS) today
announced the closing of privately negotiated transactions with two investors
holding in aggregate US$54,000,000 of the Company's 1.75% convertible senior
notes due 2009 (the "2009 Notes") and the repayment at maturity of the
remaining outstanding 2009 Notes. Approximately US$2 million aggregate
principal amount plus all accrued and unpaid interest on the 2009 Notes was
paid on maturity. The repayment was financed through the Company's existing
cash from operations.
The privately negotiated transactions were first disclosed in the
Company's September 29, 2009 press release.
In the first transaction, the Company and an institutional investor
completed the exchange of US$45,000,000 in outstanding 2009 Notes for
US$15,300,000 in cash and US$15,750,000 in new convertible notes of the
Company due 2014 (the "New Notes"). The New Notes will be convertible into
common shares of the Company at a conversion price of US$1.50 per share,
subject to adjustment under certain circumstances.
In the second transaction, the Company and ThaiLin Semiconductor Corp., a
subsidiary that is 42.9% owned by the Company's wholly owned subsidiary,
ChipMOS TECHNOLOGIES INC., ("ThaiLin"), completed the exchange of US$9,000,000
in outstanding 2009 Notes for US$3,150,000 in new convertible notes with a
coupon of 10% (the "10% Notes") and US$5,580,000 in new convertible notes with
a coupon of 8% (the "8% Notes"), in both cases due 2014. The 10% Notes and 8%
Notes will be convertible into common shares of the Company at a conversion
price of US$1.50 per share and US$1.25 per share, respectively, and in both
cases, subject to adjustment under certain circumstances. In addition, the
Company and ThaiLin have also completed the purchase by ThaiLin of
US$10,000,000 of the 8% Notes at face value.
The notes issued in these exchanges and the Company's common shares
issuable pursuant to these notes have not been registered under the United
States Securities Act of 1933 and may not be offered or sold in the United
States absent registration or an applicable exemption from such registration
requirements and applicable state securities laws. This press release is not
an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor
shall it constitute an offer, solicitation, or sale in any jurisdiction in
which such offer, solicitation or sale is unlawful.
S.J. Cheng, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ChipMOS, stated, "This
is another important step for ChipMOS. These transactions are in line with
the Company's continued efforts to improve its financial strength and build on
agreements announced on April 15, 2009 that extended key repayment terms and
conditions of the Company's bank loans from Taiwan Creditors. Concurrent with
these financing efforts, we remain focused at all levels of the Company on
continuing to provide the excellent service our customers worldwide rely on
and partner with ChipMOS for."
About ChipMOS TECHNOLOGIES (Bermuda) LTD.:
ChipMOS ( http://www.chipmos.com ) is a leading independent provider of
semiconductor testing and assembly services to customers in Taiwan, Japan, and
the U.S. With advanced facilities in Hsinchu and Southern Taiwan Science Parks
in Taiwan and Shanghai, ChipMOS and its subsidiaries provide testing and
assembly services to a broad range of customers, including leading fabless
semiconductor companies, integrated device manufacturers and independent
semiconductor foundries.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements contained in this announcement may be viewed as
"forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the U.S.
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such forward-looking statements involve
known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the
actual performance, financial condition or results of operations of the
Company to be materially different from any future performance, financial
condition or results of operations implied by such forward-looking statements.
Further information regarding these risks, uncertainties and other factors is
included in the Company's most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with
the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and in the Company's
other filings with the SEC.
Contacts:
In Taiwan R.O.C.
Dr. S.K. Chen
ChipMOS TECHNOLOGIES (Bermuda) LTD.
Tel: +886-6-507-7712
Email: s.k._chen@chipmos.com
In the U.S.
David Pasquale
Global IR Partners
Tel: +1-914-337-8801
Email: dpasquale@globalirpartners.com