SUNNYVALE, USA: Spansion Inc. announced that it has been exploring strategic alternatives, including, but not limited to, opportunities to merge with or sell to similar US or foreign businesses.

These strategic alternatives would be designed to build on Spansion's position as a leading supplier of NOR flash memory by creating significantly greater scale and to provide Spansion's customers with a broader range of more cost effective memory solutions.

Spansion has engaged Barclays Capital to assist the company in exploring these strategic alternatives.

Spansion also announced that in connection with the exploration of strategic alternatives it has initiated discussions to begin an organized process of potential balance sheet restructuring opportunities.

In anticipation of this process, Spansion has decided to delay making the interest payment on its outstanding 11.25 percent Senior Notes due 2016, which is due January 15, 2009. Under the indenture governing the 11.25 percent Notes, a failure to make an interest payment is subject to a 30-day cure period.