The Macerich Company MAC is leaning on premium mall quality to support steadier earnings growth. Its Path Forward plan combines leasing, anchor replacements, redevelopment, acquisitions and capital recycling.
The key question is whether those gains can keep offsetting tenant churn, e-commerce pressure, rent timing and elevated leverage.
Macerich Company (The) Price and EPS Surprise
Macerich Company (The) price-eps-surprise | Macerich Company (The) Quote
MAC Builds on Premium Mall Strength
Macerich owns high-quality retail centers in dense U.S. markets, with a notable presence in California, the Pacific Northwest, Phoenix/Scottsdale and the Metro New York-to-Washington, D.C. corridor. Roughly 90% of its go-forward net operating income comes from Class A properties.
The operating base remains healthy. As of March 31, 2026, portfolio leased occupancy was 93.4%, while Go-Forward Portfolio Center leased occupancy was 94.5%. Tenant sales for spaces below 10,000 square feet reached $899 per square foot, with go-forward portfolio sales at $941.
Peers reinforce the broader retail real estate context. Simon Property Group SPG owns premier shopping, dining, entertainment and mixed-use destinations, making it a key comparison for Class A mall demand. Tanger Inc. SKT, focused on outlet and open-air retail centers, provides a different read on tenant appetite across value-oriented retail formats.
MAC Leasing Pipeline Drives Future NOI
For Macerich, the signed-not-open pipeline is central to the earnings bridge. New store leases are expected to produce roughly $116 million of incremental gross revenues at the company’s share compared with 2024 revenues from prior uses in those same spaces.
Management expects about 80% of that revenues to flow through to net operating income over time. The pipeline is more than a near-term leasing statistic; it is intended to support net operating income growth through 2028 as tenants open and begin paying rent.
Anchor replacement is another part of the same bridge. Macerich’s Path Forward plan targeted 30 anchor and big-box replacements, and all 30 are now committed. These locations total 2.9 million square feet and are expected to generate approximately $750 million in annual tenant sales.
MAC Uses Capital to Reset the Portfolio
Capital recycling remains a major part of the portfolio reset. Under Path Forward, Macerich targets roughly $2 billion of total dispositions, with about $1.3 billion completed and another $300 million to $400 million expected by the end of 2026.
Outparcel and land sales are also contributing capital. The company completed $14.5 million of such sales in the first quarter of 2026, including a land parcel at Washington Square for $13 million.
The Annapolis Mall acquisition adds another Class A asset. Macerich acquired the mall for $260 million, plus $12 million for the adjacent 13.1-acre vacant Sears parcel, aiming to extend its platform in a strong East Coast trade area.
Key Risks Continue to Limit MAC’s Upside
The upside case still carries execution risk. Tenant bankruptcies involving Express, Forever 21 and Claire’s are expected to continue to affect 2026 results, and future filings could disrupt occupancy, rent commencement and tenant allowance needs.
E-commerce remains a structural threat, even for better malls. Macerich’s focus on restaurants, experiential uses and higher-traffic anchors may help protect destination value, but some retail categories remain vulnerable to online migration.
Balance sheet risk also matters. Net debt to adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization was 7.76X as of March 31, 2026. Property-level loan issues add uncertainty, including the Twenty Ninth Street loan, which was in default as of Feb. 6, 2026.
How MAC Signals Fit a Neutral Setup
Macerich’s setup looks balanced. The portfolio quality, leasing pipeline and committed anchor replacements support a credible path to better net operating income, but the timing of rent conversion and leverage improvement still needs proof.
The stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). This suggests a neutral near-term stance rather than a clear positive or negative signal. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
The Style Scores add caution. MAC has a VGM Score of D, with a Value Score of C, Growth Score of D and Momentum Score of D. Since stronger Style Scores generally point to better expected performance characteristics, these grades reinforce why investors may want clearer evidence of durable per-share growth before taking a more constructive view.
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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).
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