FOURTH AMENDMENT TO AMENDED AND RESTATED LOAN AND SECURITY AGREEMENT

EX-10.44 7 d211280dex1044.htm FOURTH AMENDMENT TO AMENDED AND RESTATED LOAN AND SECURITY AGREEMENT Fourth Amendment to Amended and Restated Loan and Security Agreement

Exhibit 10.44

FOURTH AMENDMENT TO AMENDED AND RESTATED

LOAN AND SECURITY AGREEMENT

This Fourth Amendment to Amended and Restated Loan and Security Agreement (this “Amendment”) is entered into as of November 4, 2011, by and between COMERICA BANK (“Bank”) and GCT SEMICONDUCTOR, INC. (“Borrower”).

RECITALS

Borrower and Bank are parties to that certain Amended and Restated Loan and Security Agreement dated as of April 4, 2011, as it may be amended from time to time, including without limitation by that certain First Amendment to Loan and Security Agreement and Waiver dated as of June 22, 2011, that certain Second Amendment to Loan and Security Agreement dated as of July 28, 2011 and that certain Third Amendment to Loan and Security Agreement and Waiver dated as of September 2, 2011 (collectively, the “Agreement”). The parties desire to amend the Agreement as set forth below.

NOW, THEREFORE, the parties agree as follows:

1. Exhibit A of the Agreement is amended by amending and restating the following defined terms to read in their entirety as follows:

“‘Eligible Foreign Accounts’ means Accounts which meet all of the requirements to be an Eligible Account except with respect to which the account debtor does not have its principal place of business in the United States and is not located in an OFAC sanctioned country. All Eligible Foreign Accounts must be calculated in U.S. Dollars.”

“‘Liquidity’ means the sum of Borrower’s Cash at Bank plus Eligible Accounts.”

“‘Revolving Line’ means a Credit Extension of up to Fifteen Million Dollars ($15,000,000) (inclusive of the aggregate face amount of Letters of Credit issued under the Letter of Credit Sublimit and the aggregate limits of the corporate credit cards issued to Borrower and merchant credit card processing reserves under the Credit Card Services Sublimit).”

“‘Revolving Maturity Date’ means November 4, 2013.”

2. Clause (d) of the definition of “Eligible Accounts” set forth in Exhibit A of the Agreement is amended and restated to read in its entirety as follows:

“(d) Accounts with respect to (i) an account debtor (other than LG Electronics and its Affiliates), including Subsidiaries and Affiliates of such account debtor, whose total obligations to Borrower exceed twenty five percent (25%) of all Accounts, but only to the extent such obligations exceed the aforementioned percentage, except as approved in writing by Bank, and (ii) LG Electronics and its Affiliates whose total obligations to Borrower exceed seventy five percent (75%) of all Accounts, but only to the extent such obligations exceed the aforementioned percentage, except as approved in writing by Bank;”

3. The defined term “Profitability” set forth in Exhibit A of the Agreement is deleted.

4. The reference to “twenty (20) days” in Section 6.2(d) of the Agreement is deleted and replaced with “thirty (30) days”.

5. Section 6.7 of the Agreement is amended and restated to read in its entirety as follows:

6.7 Financial Covenant. Borrower shall maintain the following financial covenant:

(a) Bank Debt Liquidity Coverage; Cash at Bank. Maintained at all times and reported on the last day of each calendar month, a ratio of Liquidity to all Indebtedness to Bank of at least 1.50 to 1.00.


In addition, Borrower shall maintain Cash at Bank of no less than Four Million Dollars ($4,000,000) at all times.”

6. Exhibits D and E of the Agreement are deleted and replaced with Exhibits D and E attached hereto.

7. Schedule 7.12 of the Agreement is deleted and replaced with Schedule 7.12 attached hereto.

8. Borrower waives, discharges, and forever releases Bank, Bank’s employees, officers, directors, attorneys, stockholders, and their successors and assigns, from and of any and all claims, causes of action, allegations or assertions that Borrower has or may have had at any time up through and including the date of this Amendment, against any or all of the foregoing, regardless of whether any such claims, causes of action, allegations or assertions are known to Borrower or whether any such claims, causes of action, allegations or assertions arose as result of Bank’s actions or omissions in connection with the Agreement, the Loan Documents, or any amendments, extensions or modifications thereto, or Bank’s administration of the Obligations or otherwise. BORROWER WAIVES THE PROVISIONS OF CALIFORNIA CIVIL CODE SECTION 1542, AS IT MAY BE AMENDED FROM TIME TO TIME, WHICH STATES:

A GENERAL RELEASE DOES NOT EXTEND TO CLAIMS WHICH THE CREDITOR DOES NOT KNOW OR SUSPECT TO EXIST IN HIS OR HER FAVOR AT THE TIME OF EXECUTING THE RELEASE, WHICH IF KNOWN BY HIM OR HER MUST HAVE MATERIALLY AFFECTED HIS OR HER SETTLEMENT WITH THE DEBTOR.

9. No course of dealing on the part of Bank or its officers, nor any failure or delay in the exercise of any right by Bank, shall operate as a waiver thereof, and any single or partial exercise of any such right shall not preclude any later exercise of any such right. Bank’s failure at any time to require strict performance by Borrower of any provision shall not affect any right of Bank thereafter to demand strict compliance and performance. Any suspension or waiver of a right must be in writing signed by an officer of Bank.

10. Unless otherwise defined, all initially capitalized terms in this Amendment shall be as defined in the Agreement. The Agreement, as amended hereby, shall be and remain in full force and effect in accordance with its respective terms and hereby is ratified and confirmed in all respects. Except as expressly set forth herein, the execution, delivery, and performance of this Amendment shall not operate as a waiver of, or as an amendment of, any right, power, or remedy of Bank under the Agreement, as in effect prior to the date hereof.

11. Borrower represents and warrants that the representations and warranties contained in the Agreement are true and correct in all material respects as of the date of this Amendment except to the extent such representation or warranty expressly relates to an earlier date, and that no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing.

12. As a condition to the effectiveness of this Amendment, Bank shall have received, in form and substance satisfactory to Bank, the following:

 

  (a) this Amendment, duly executed by Borrower;

 

  (b) a Certificate of the Secretary of Borrower with respect to incumbency and resolutions authorizing the execution and delivery of this Amendment;

 

  (c) a Prime Referenced Rate Addendum to Loan and Security Agreement;

 

  (d) a Subordination Agreement, duly executed by Keyeong Ho Lee, together with a copy of the subordinated note with legend;

 

  (e) a nonrefundable commitment fee in the amount of $10,000, which may be debited from any of Borrower’s accounts;

 

  (f) all reasonable Bank Expenses incurred through the date of this Amendment, which may be debited from any of Borrower’s accounts; and

 

2


  (g) such other documents, and completion of such other matters, as Bank may reasonably deem necessary or appropriate.

13. This Amendment may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one instrument.

[Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank]

 

3


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this Amendment as of the first date above written.

 

GCT SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
By:   /s/ Gene W. Kulzer
Title:   Chief Financial and Administrative Officer

 

COMERICA BANK
By:   /s/ Benjamin Yu
Title:   V.P.


Prime Referenced Rate Addendum To

Loan and Security Agreement

This Prime Referenced Rate Addendum to Loan and Security Agreement (this “Addendum”) is entered into as of November 4, 2011, by and between Comerica Bank (“Bank”) and GCT Semiconductor, Inc. (“Borrower”). This Addendum supplements the terms of the Amended and Restated Loan and Security Agreement dated as of April 4, 2011 (as the same may be amended, modified, supplemented, extended or restated from time to time, collectively, the “Agreement”).

1. Definitions. As used in this Addendum, the following terms shall have the following meanings. Initially capitalized terms used and not defined in this Addendum shall have the meanings ascribed thereto in the Agreement.

a. “Applicable Margin” means three quarters percent (0.75%) per annum.

b. “Business Day” means any day, other than a Saturday, Sunday or any other day designated as a holiday under Federal or applicable State statute or regulation, on which Bank is open for all or substantially all of its domestic and international business (including dealings in foreign exchange) in San Jose, California, and, in respect of notices and determinations relating the Daily Adjusting LIBOR Rate, also a day on which dealings in dollar deposits are also carried on in the London Interbank market and on which banks are open for business in London, England.

c. “Change in Law” means the occurrence, after the date hereof, of any of the following: (i) the adoption or introduction of, or any change In any applicable law, treaty, rule or regulation (whether domestic or foreign) now or hereafter in effect and whether or not applicable to Bank on such date, or (ii) any change in interpretation, administration or implementation thereof of any such law, treaty, rule or regulation by any Governmental Authority, or (iii) the issuance, making or implementation by any Governmental Authority of any interpretation, administration, request, regulation, guideline, or directive (whether or not having the force of law), including any risk-based capital guidelines. For purposes of this definition, (x) a change in law, treaty, rule, regulation, interpretation, administration or implementation shall include, without limitation, any change made or which becomes effective on the basis of a law, treaty, rule, regulation, interpretation administration or implementation then in force, the effective date of which change is delayed by the terms of such law, treaty, rule, regulation, interpretation, administration or implementation, and (y) the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Pub. L. 111-203, H.R. 4173) and all requests, rules, regulations, guidelines, interpretations or directives promulgated thereunder or issued in connection therewith shall be deemed to be a “Change in Law”, regardless of the date enacted, adopted, issued or promulgated, whether before or after the date hereof, and (z) all requests, rules, guidelines or directives promulgated by the Bank for International Settlements, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (or any successor or similar authority) or the United States regulatory authorities, in each case pursuant to Basel 111, shall each be deemed to be a “Change In Law”, regardless of the date enacted, adopted, issued or implemented.

d. “Daily Adjusting LIBOR Rate” means, for any day, a per annum interest rate which is equal to the quotient of the following:

 

  (1)

for any day, the per annum rate of interest determined on the basis of the rate for deposits in United States Dollars for a period equal to one (1) month appearing on Page BBAM of the Bloomberg Financial Markets Information Service as of 8:00 a.m. (California time) (or as soon thereafter as practical) on such day, or if such day is not a Business Day, on the immediately preceding Business Day. In the event that such rate does not appear on Page BBAM of the Bloomberg Financial Markets Information Service (or otherwise on such Service) on any day, the “Daily Adjusting LIBOR Rate” for such day shall be determined by reference to such other publicly available service for displaying eurodollar rates as may be reasonably selected by Bank, or in the absence of such other service, the “Daily Adjusting LIBOR Rate” for such day shall, instead, be determined based upon the average of the rates at which Bank is offered dollar deposits at or about 8:00 a.m. (California time) (or as soon thereafter as practical), on such day, or if such day is not a Business Day, on the immediately preceding Business Day, in the interbank eurodollar


  market in an amount comparable to the outstanding principal amount of the Obligations and for a period equal to one (1) month;

 

       divided by

 

  (2) 1.00 minus the maximum rate (expressed as a decimal) on such day at which Bank is required to maintain reserves on “Euro-currency Liabilities” as defined in and pursuant to Regulation D of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or, if such regulation or definition is modified, and as long as Bank is required to maintain reserves against a category of liabilities which includes eurodollar deposits or includes a category of assets which includes eurodollar loans, the rate at which such reserves are required to be maintained on such category.

e. “Governmental Authority” means the government of the United States of America or any other nation, or of any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government (including, without limitation, any supranational bodies such as the European Union or the European Central Bank).

f. “LIBOR Lending Office” means Bank’s office located in the Cayman Islands, British West Indies, or such other branch of Bank, domestic or foreign, as it may hereafter designate as its LIBOR Lending Office by notice to Borrower.

g. “Prime Rate” means the per annum interest rate established by Bank as its prime rate for its borrowers, as such rate may vary from time to time, which rate is not necessarily the lowest rate on loans made by Bank at any such time.

h. “Prime Referenced Rate” means, for any day, a per annum interest rate which is equal to the Prime Rate in effect on such day, but in no event and at no time shall the Prime Referenced Rate be less than the sum of the Daily Adjusting LIBOR Rate for such day plus two and one-half percent (2.50%) per annum. If, at any time, Bank determines that it is unable to determine or ascertain the Daily Adjusting LIBOR Rate for any day, the Prime Referenced Rate for each such day shall be the Prime Rate in effect at such time, but not less than two and one-half percent (2.50%) per annum.

2. Interest Rate. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Addendum, the Obligations under the Agreement shall bear interest at the Prime Referenced Rate plus the Applicable Margin.

3. Payment of Interest. Accrued and unpaid interest on the unpaid balance of the Obligations outstanding under the Agreement shall be payable monthly, in arrears, on the first day of each month, until maturity (whether as stated herein, by acceleration, or otherwise). In the event that any payment under this Addendum becomes due and payable on any day which is not a Business Day, the due date thereof shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day, and, to the extent applicable, interest shall continue to accrue and be payable thereon during such extension at the rates set forth in this Addendum. Interest accruing hereunder shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days, and shall be assessed for the actual number of days elapsed, and in such computation, effect shall be given to any change in the applicable interest rate as a result of any change in the Prime Referenced Rate on the date of each such change.

4. Bank’s Records. The amount and date of each advance under the Agreement, its applicable Interest rate, and the amount and date of any repayment shall be noted on Bank’s records, which records shall be conclusive evidence thereof, absent manifest error; provided, however, any failure by Bank to make any such notation, or any error in any such notation, shall not relieve Borrower of its obligations to repay Bank all amounts payable by Borrower to Bank under or pursuant to this Addendum and the Agreement, when due in accordance with the terms hereof.

 

- 2 -


5. Default Interest Rate. From and after the occurrence of any Event of Default, and so long as any such Event of Default remains unremedied or uncured thereafter, the Obligations outstanding under the Agreement shall bear interest at a per annum rate of five percent (5%) above the otherwise applicable interest rate hereunder, which interest shall be payable upon demand. In addition to the foregoing, a late payment charge equal to five percent (5%) of each late payment hereunder may be charged on any payment not received by Bank within ten (10) calendar days after the payment due date therefor, but acceptance of payment of any such charge shall not constitute a waiver of any Event of Default under the Agreement. In no event shall the interest payable under this Addendum and the Agreement at any time exceed the maximum rate permitted by law.

6. Prepayment. Borrower may prepay all or part of the outstanding balance of any Obligations at any time without premium or penalty. Any prepayment hereunder shall also be accompanied by the payment of all accrued and unpaid interest on the amount so prepaid. Borrower hereby acknowledges and agrees that the foregoing shall not, in any way whatsoever, limit, restrict, or otherwise affect Bank’s right to make demand for payment of all or any part of the Obligations under the Agreement due on a demand basis in Bank’s sole and absolute discretion.

7. Regulatory Developments or Other Circumstances Relating to the Daily Adjusting LIBOR Rate.

a. If any Change in Law shall (a) subject Bank (or its LIBOR Lending Office) to any tax, duty or other charge with respect to this Addendum or any Obligations under the Agreement, or shall change the basis of taxation of payments to Bank (or its LIBOR Lending Office) of the principal of or interest under this Addendum or any other amounts due under this Addendum in respect thereof (except for changes in the rate of tax on the overall net income of Bank or its LIBOR Lending Office imposed by the jurisdiction in which Bank’s principal executive office or LIBOR Lending Office is located); or (b) shall impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve (including, without limitation, any imposed by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System), special deposit or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended by Bank (or its LIBOR Lending Office), or shall impose on Bank (or its LIBOR Lending Office) or the foreign exchange and interbank markets any other condition affecting this Addendum or the Obligations; and the result of any of the foregoing is to increase the cost to Bank of maintaining any part of the Obligations or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by Bank under this Addendum by an amount deemed by the Bank to be material, then Borrower shall pay to Bank, within fifteen (15) days of Borrower’s receipt of written notice from Bank demanding such compensation, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate Bank for such increased cost or reduction. A certificate of Bank, prepared in good faith and in reasonable detail by Bank and submitted by Bank to Borrower, setting forth the basis for determining such additional amount or amounts necessary to compensate Bank shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.

b. In the event that any Change in Law affects or would affect the amount of capital required or expected to be maintained by Bank (or any corporation controlling Bank), and Bank determines that the amount of such capital is increased by or based upon the existence of any obligations of Bank hereunder or the maintaining of any Obligations, and such increase has the effect of reducing the rate of return on Bank’s (or such controlling corporation’s) capital as a consequence of such obligations or the maintaining of such Obligations to a level below that which Bank (or such controlling corporation) could have achieved but for such circumstances (taking into consideration its policies with respect to capital adequacy), then Borrower shall pay to Bank, within fifteen (15) days of Borrower’s receipt of written notice from Bank demanding such compensation, additional amounts as are sufficient to compensate Bank (or such controlling corporation) for any increase in the amount of capital and reduced rate of return which Bank reasonably determines to be allocable to the existence of any obligations of the Bank hereunder or to maintaining any Obligations. A certificate of Bank as to the amount of such compensation, prepared in good faith and in reasonable detail by the Bank and submitted by Bank to the undersigned, shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes absent manifest error.

8. Legal Effect. Except as specifically modified hereby, all of the terms and conditions of the Agreement remain in full force and effect.

9. Conflicts. As to the matters specifically the subject of this Addendum, in the event of any conflict between this Addendum and the Agreement, the terms of this Addendum shall control.

 

- 3 -


10. Amendment and Restatement. This Addendum amends, restates and replaces in its entirety that certain Prime Referenced Rate Addendum to Loan and Security Agreement dated as of April 4, 2011.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have agreed to the foregoing as of the date first set forth above.

 

COMERICA BANK     GCT SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
By:   /s/ Benjamin Yu     By:   /s/ Gene W. Kulzer
Name:   Benjamin Yu     Name:   Gene W. Kulzer
Title:   Vice President     Title:   Chief Financial & Administrative Officer

 


SUBORDINATION AGREEMENT

This Subordination Agreement (“Agreement”) is made as of November 4, 2011 by and between Kyeong Ho Lee (in his capacity as a creditor, and not an officer, of Borrower, the “Creditor”), and Comerica Bank (“Bank”).

Recitals

A. GCT Semiconductor, Inc. (the “Borrower”), has requested and/or obtained certain loans or other credit accommodations from Bank which are or may be from time to time secured by assets and property of Borrower.

B. Creditor has extended loans or other credit accommodations to Borrower, and/or may extend loans or other credit accommodations to Borrower from time to time.

C. In order to induce Bank to extend credit to Borrower and, at any time or from time to time, at Bank’s option, to make such further loans, extensions of credit, or other accommodations to or for the account of Borrower, or to purchase or extend credit upon any instrument or writing in respect of which Borrower may be liable in any capacity, or to grant such renewals or extension of any such loan, extension of credit, purchase, or other accommodation as Bank may deem advisable, Creditor is willing to subordinate: (i) Borrower’s indebtedness and obligations to Creditor, whether presently existing or arising in the future, evidenced by that certain promissory note, dated December 15, 2003, made in the original principal amount of $1,000,000 by Borrower payable Creditor (the “Subordinated Debt”) to all of Borrower’s indebtedness and obligations to Bank; and (ii) all of Creditor’s security interests, if any, to all of Bank’s security interests in the Borrower’s property.

NOW, THEREFORE, THE PARTIES AGREE AS FOLLOWS:

(h) Creditor subordinates to Bank any security interest or lien that Creditor may have in any property of Borrower. Notwithstanding the respective dates of attachment or perfection of the security interest of Creditor and the security interest of Bank, the security interest of Bank in the Collateral, as defined in that certain Amended and Restated Loan and Security Agreement between Borrower and Bank, dated as of April 4, 2011 (as amended from time to time, the “Loan Agreement”), shall at all times be prior to any security interest of Creditor.

(i) All Subordinated Debt is subordinated in right of payment to all obligations of Borrower to Bank now existing or hereafter arising, together with all costs of collecting such obligations (including attorneys’ fees), including, without limitation, all interest accruing after the commencement by or against Borrower of any bankruptcy, reorganization or similar proceeding, and all obligations under the Loan Agreement (the “Senior Debt”).

(j) Creditor will not demand or receive from Borrower (and Borrower will not pay to Creditor) all or any part of the Subordinated Debt, by way of payment, prepayment, setoff, lawsuit or otherwise, nor will Creditor exercise any remedy with respect to the Collateral, nor will Creditor commence, or cause to commence, prosecute or participate in any administrative, legal or equitable action against Borrower, for so long as any portion of the Senior Debt remains outstanding.

(k) Creditor shall promptly deliver to Bank in the form received (except for endorsement or assignment by Creditor where required by Bank) for application to the Senior Debt any payment, distribution, security or proceeds received by Creditor with respect to the Subordinated Debt other than in accordance with this Agreement.

(l) In the event of Borrower’s insolvency, reorganization or any case or proceeding under any bankruptcy or insolvency law or laws relating to the relief of debtors, these provisions shall remain in full force and effect, and Bank’s claims against Borrower and the estate of Borrower shall be paid in full before any payment is made to Creditor with respect to the Subordinated Debt.


(m) For so long as any of the Senior Debt remains unpaid, Creditor irrevocably appoints Bank as Creditor’s attorney in fact, and grants to Bank a power of attorney with full power of substitution, in the name of Creditor or in the name of Bank, for the use and benefit of Bank, without notice to Creditor, to perform at Bank’s option the following acts in any bankruptcy, insolvency or similar proceeding involving Borrower:

 

  (a) To file the appropriate claim or claims in respect of the Subordinated Debt on behalf of Creditor if Creditor does not do so prior to 20 days before the expiration of the time to file claims in such proceeding and if Bank elects, in its sole discretion, to file such claim or claims.

(n) Creditor shall not support or vote in favor of any plan of reorganization (and shall be deemed to have voted to reject any plan of reorganization) unless such plan either (i) results in the Senior Debt being paid in full on terms and conditions acceptable to Bank (and provided that all commitments by Bank to extend credit to Borrower have been terminated), (ii) is accepted by Bank or (iii) incorporates this Agreement by reference and continues the rights and priorities of Bank and Creditor in the Collateral subsequent to the effective date of such plan.

(o) For so long as any of the Senior Debt remains unpaid, Creditor agrees that it will not object to or oppose (i) the sale of the Borrower, or (ii) the sale or other disposition of any property of the Borrower, if Bank has consented to such sale of the Borrower or sale or disposition of any property of the Borrower. If requested by Bank, Creditor shall affirmatively consent to such sale or disposition and shall take all necessary actions and execute such documents and instruments as Bank may reasonably request in connection with and to facilitate such sale or disposition.

(p) Creditor shall immediately affix a legend to the instruments evidencing the Subordinated Debt stating that the instruments are subject to the terms of this Agreement. No amendment of the documents evidencing or relating to the Subordinated Debt shall directly or indirectly modify the provisions of this Agreement in any manner which might terminate or impair the subordination of the Subordinated Debt or the subordination of the security interest or lien that Creditor may have in any property of Borrower. By way of example, such instruments shall not be amended to (i) increase the rate of interest with respect to the Subordinated Debt, or (ii) accelerate the payment of the principal or interest or any other portion of the Subordinated Debt.

(q) This Agreement shall remain effective for so long as Borrower owes any amounts to Bank under the Loan Agreement or otherwise. If, at any time after payment in full of the Senior Debt any payments of the Senior Debt must be disgorged by Bank for any reason (including, without limitation, the bankruptcy of Borrower), this Agreement and the relative rights and priorities set forth herein shall be reinstated as to all such disgorged payments as though such payments had not been made and Creditor shall immediately pay over to Bank all payments received with respect to the Subordinated Debt to the extent that such payments would have been prohibited hereunder. At any time and from time to time, without notice to Creditor, Bank may take such actions with respect to the Senior Debt as Bank, in its sole discretion, may deem appropriate, including, without limitation, terminating advances to Borrower, increasing the principal amount, extending the time of payment, increasing applicable interest rates, renewing, compromising or otherwise amending the terms of any documents affecting the Senior Debt and any collateral securing the Senior Debt, and enforcing or failing to enforce any rights against Borrower or any other person. No such action or inaction shall impair or otherwise affect Bank’s rights hereunder. Creditor waives the benefits, if any, of Civil Code sections 2799, 2808, 2809, 2810, 2815, 2819, 2820, 2821, 2822, 2838, 2839, 2845, 2847, 2848, 2849, 2850, 2899 and 3433.

(r) This Agreement shall bind any successors or assignees of Creditor and shall benefit any successors or assigns of Bank. This Agreement is solely for the benefit of Creditor and Bank and not for the benefit of Borrower or any other party. Creditor further agrees that if Borrower is in the process of refinancing a portion of the Senior Debt with a new lender, and if Bank makes a request of Creditor, Creditor shall agree to enter into a new subordination agreement with the new lender on substantially the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

(s) This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original and all of which together shall constitute one instrument.

 

2


(t) This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California, without giving effect to conflicts of laws principles. Each of Creditor and Bank hereby submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and Federal courts located in California. THE UNDERSIGNED ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IS A CONSTITUTIONAL ONE, BUT THAT IT MAY BE WAIVED UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES. TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, EACH PARTY, AFTER CONSULTING (OR HAVING HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONSULT) WITH COUNSEL OF ITS, HIS OR HER CHOICE, KNOWINGLY AND VOLUNTARILY, AND FOR THE MUTUAL BENEFIT OF ALL PARTIES, WAIVES ANY RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER DOCUMENT, INSTRUMENT OR AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE UNDERSIGNED PARTIES.

(u) JUDICIAL REFERENCE PROVISION.

(a) In the event the Jury Trial Waiver set forth above is not enforceable, the parties elect to proceed under this Judicial Reference Provision.

(b) With the exception of the items specified in clause (c), below, any controversy, dispute or claim (each, a “Claim”) between the parties arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any other document, instrument or agreement between the undersigned parties (collectively in this Section, the “Loan Documents”), will be resolved by a reference proceeding in California in accordance with the provisions of Sections 638 et seq. of the California Code of Civil Procedure (“CCP”), or their successor sections, which shall constitute the exclusive remedy for the resolution of any Claim, including whether the Claim is subject to the reference proceeding. Except as otherwise provided in the Loan Documents, venue for the reference proceeding will be in the Superior Court in the County where the real property involved in the action, if any, is located or in a County where venue is otherwise appropriate under applicable law (the “Court”).

(c) The matters that shall not be subject to a reference are the following: (i) nonjudicial foreclosure of any security interests in real or personal property, (ii) exercise of selfhelp remedies (including, without limitation, set-off), (iii) appointment of a receiver and (iv) temporary, provisional or ancillary remedies (including, without limitation, writs of attachment, writs of possession, temporary restraining orders or preliminary injunctions). This Agreement does not limit the right of any party to exercise or oppose any of the rights and remedies described in clauses (i) and (ii) or to seek or oppose from a court of competent jurisdiction any of the items described in clauses (iii) and (iv). The exercise of, or opposition to, any of those items does not waive the right of any party to a reference pursuant to this Agreement.

(d) The referee shall be a retired Judge or Justice selected by mutual written agreement of the parties. If the parties do not agree within ten (10) days of a written request to do so by any party, then, upon request of any party, the referee shall be selected by the Presiding Judge of the Court (or his or her representative). A request for appointment of a referee may be heard on an ex parte or expedited basis, and the parties agree that irreparable harm would result if ex parte relief is not granted.

(e) The parties agree that time is of the essence in conducting the reference proceedings. Accordingly, the referee shall be requested, subject to change in the time periods specified herein for good cause shown, to (i) set the matter for a status and trial-setting conference within fifteen (15) days after the date of selection of the referee, (ii) if practicable, try all issues of law or fact within one hundred twenty (120) days after the date of the conference and (iii) report a statement of decision within twenty (20) days after the matter has been submitted for decision.

(f) The referee will have power to expand or limit the amount and duration of discovery. The referee may set or extend discovery deadlines or cutoffs for good cause, including a party’s failure to provide requested discovery for any reason whatsoever. Unless otherwise ordered based upon good cause shown, no party shall be entitled to “priority” in conducting discovery, depositions may be taken by either party upon seven (7) days written notice, and all other discovery shall be responded to within fifteen (15) days after service. All disputes relating to discovery which cannot be resolved by the parties shall be submitted to the referee whose decision shall be final and binding.

 

3


(g) Except as expressly set forth in this Agreement, the referee shall determine the manner in which the reference proceeding is conducted including the time and place of hearings, the order of presentation of evidence, and all other questions that arise with respect to the course of the reference proceeding. All proceedings and hearings conducted before the referee, except for trial, shall be conducted without a court reporter, except that when any party so requests, a court reporter will be used at any hearing conducted before the referee, and the referee will be provided a courtesy copy of the transcript. The party making such a request shall have the obligation to arrange for and pay the court reporter. Subject to the referee’s power to award costs to the prevailing party, the parties will equally share the cost of the referee and the court reporter at trial.

(h) The referee shall be required to determine all issues in accordance with existing case law and the statutory laws of the State of California. The rules of evidence applicable to proceedings at law in the State of California will be applicable to the reference proceeding. The referee shall be empowered to enter equitable as well as legal relief, enter equitable orders that will be binding on the parties and rule on any motion which would be authorized in a court proceeding, including without limitation motions for summary judgment or summary adjudication. The referee shall issue a decision at the close of the reference proceeding which disposes of all claims of the parties that are the subject of the reference. Pursuant to CCP § 644, such decision shall be entered by the Court as a judgment or an order in the same manner as if the action had been tried by the Court and any such decision will be final, binding and conclusive. The parties reserve the right to appeal from the final judgment or order or from any appealable decision or order entered by the referee. The parties reserve the right to findings of fact, conclusions of laws, a written statement of decision, and the right to move for a new trial or a different judgment, which new trial, if granted, is also to be a reference proceeding under this provision.

(i) If the enabling legislation which provides for appointment of a referee is repealed (and no successor statute is enacted), any dispute between the parties that would otherwise be determined by reference procedure will be resolved and determined by arbitration. The arbitration will be conducted by a retired judge or Justice, in accordance with the California Arbitration Act §1280 through §1294.2 of the CCP as amended from time to time. The limitations with respect to discovery set forth above shall apply to any such arbitration proceeding.

(j) THE PARTIES RECOGNIZE AND AGREE THAT ALL CONTROVERSIES, DISPUTES AND CLAIMS RESOLVED UNDER THIS REFERENCE PROVISION WILL BE DECIDED BY A REFEREE AND NOT BY A JURY. AFTER CONSULTING (OR HAVING HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONSULT) WITH COUNSEL OF ITS, HIS OR HER OWN CHOICE, EACH PARTY KNOWINGLY AND VOLUNTARILY, AND FOR THE MUTUAL BENEFIT OF ALL PARTIES, AGREES THAT THIS REFERENCE PROVISION WILL APPLY TO ANY CONTROVERSY, DISPUTE OR CLAIM BETWEEN OR AMONG THEM ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY RELATED TO, THIS AGREEMENT OR THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS.

(v) This Agreement represents the entire agreement with respect to the subject matter hereof, and supersedes all prior negotiations, agreements and commitments. Creditor is not relying on any representations by Bank or Borrower in entering into this Agreement, and Creditor has kept and will continue to keep itself fully apprised of the financial and other condition of Borrower. This Agreement may be amended only by written instrument signed by Creditor and Bank.

(w) In the event of any legal action to enforce the rights of a party under this Agreement, the party prevailing in such action shall be entitled, in addition to such other relief as may be granted, all reasonable costs and expenses, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, incurred in such action.

[Remainder of page left intentionally blank; Signature page follows.]

 

4


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this Agreement as of the date first above written.

 

“Creditor”
KYEONG HO LEE
/s/ Kyeong Ho Lee
SIGNATURE OF KYEONG HO LEE

 

“Bank”
COMERICA BANK
By:   /s/ Benjamin Yu
Name:   Benjamin Yu
Title:   V.P.

 

The undersigned approves of the terms of this Agreement.

 

“Borrower”
GCT SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
By:   /s/ Gene W. Kulzer
Name:   Gene W. Kulzer
Title:   Chief Financial and Administrative Officer

 

5