Mall giants Simon Property Group (NYSE: SPG) and Taubman Centers (NYSE: TCO) have reached an agreement on a revised acquisition deal. The two companies originally announced their merger in February, with Taubman agreeing to be acquired by Simon in a deal that would allow the Taubman family to retain a stake in its malls.
The original deal between the two firms had Simon former paying $52.50 a share to acquire Taubman, a merger that was valued at $3.6 billion. The deal fell through after Simon invoked a contractual right to terminate the agreement, citing Taubman's pandemic related difficulties with its properties. According to Simon, Taubman was suffering more than some of its contemporaries.
The two companies were set out to the courts to settle the mounting dispute but managed to come to an agreement that saved the deal and avoided further litigation. Simon will now acquire its rival for $800 million less, reflecting a revised price of $43 a share. The Taubman family will still retain a 20% stake in the soon-to-be subsidiary as part of the new deal.
The revival of the deal may be a beacon of hope for the retail industry, which has been struggling immensely amid the coronavirus pandemic. Simon, as one of the largest REITs in the country, as well as the largest mall operator, is showing confidence in its retail operations by pursuing the deal despite initial reservations about the performance of Taubman's properties. With coronavirus cases surging throughout the United States and fears mounting of a second round of shutdowns, especially with a more pandemic-focused presidential administration soon to take office, a show of confidence by a massive mall operator could help drive other companies to take similar measures to bolster their retail operations.
Simon's confidence in Taubman's properties' future success also handed both companies a bump in share prices on Monday following the deal's announcement. Simon's and Taubman's are currently over 5% and 17% respectively for their 5-Day returns.