MAC Macerich Co

II.    Big Box and Anchors:

Consolidated Centers:

Unconsolidated Joint Venture Centers (at the Company's pro rata share):

Anchors

        Anchors have traditionally been a major factor in the public's identification with Regional Shopping Centers. Anchors are generally department stores whose merchandise appeals to a broad range of shoppers. Although the Centers receive a smaller percentage of their operating income from Anchors than from Mall Stores and Freestanding Stores, strong Anchors play an important part in maintaining customer traffic and making the Centers desirable locations for Mall Store and Freestanding Store tenants.

        Anchors either own their stores, the land under them and in some cases adjacent parking areas, or enter into long-term leases with an owner at rates that are lower than the rents charged to tenants of Mall Stores and Freestanding Stores. Each Anchor, that owns its own store, and certain Anchors that lease their stores, enter into reciprocal easement agreements with the owner of the Center covering, among other things, operational matters, initial construction and future expansion.

        Anchors accounted for approximately 6.9% of the Company's total minimum rent for the year ended December 31, 2009.

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        The following table identifies each Anchor, each parent company that owns multiple Anchors and the number of square feet owned or leased by each such Anchor or parent company in the Company's portfolio at December 31, 2009:

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Environmental Matters

        Each of the Centers has been subjected to an Environmental Site Assessment—Phase I (which involves review of publicly available information and general property inspections, but does not involve soil sampling or ground water analysis) completed by an environmental consultant.

        Based on these assessments, and on other information, the Company is aware of the following environmental issues that may reasonably result in costs associated with future investigation or remediation, or in environmental liability:

•

Asbestos.   The Company has conducted asbestos-containing materials ("ACM") surveys at various locations within the Centers. The surveys indicate that ACMs are present or suspected in certain areas, primarily vinyl floor tiles, mastics, roofing materials, drywall tape and joint compounds. The identified ACMs are generally non-friable, in good condition, and possess low probabilities for disturbance. At certain Centers where ACMs are present or suspected, however, some ACMs have been or may be classified as "friable," and ultimately may require removal under certain conditions. The Company has developed and implemented an operations and maintenance ("O&M") plan to manage ACMs in place.



•

Underground Storage Tanks.   Underground storage tanks ("USTs") are or were present at certain Centers, often in connection with tenant operations at gasoline stations or automotive tire, battery and accessory service centers located at such Centers. USTs also may be or have been present at properties neighboring certain Centers. Some of these tanks have either leaked or are suspected to have leaked. Where leakage has occurred, investigation, remediation, and monitoring costs may be incurred by the Company if responsible current or former tenants, or other responsible parties, are unavailable to pay such costs.



•

Chlorinated Hydrocarbons.   The presence of chlorinated hydrocarbons such as perchloroethylene ("PCE") and its degradation byproducts have been detected at certain Centers, often in connection with tenant dry cleaning operations. Where PCE has been detected, the Company may incur investigation, remediation and monitoring costs if responsible current or former tenants, or other responsible parties, are unavailable to pay such costs.

        See "Risk Factors—Possible environmental liabilities could adversely affect us."

Insurance

        Each of the Centers has comprehensive liability, fire, extended coverage and rental loss insurance with insured limits customarily carried for similar properties. The Company does not insure certain types of losses (such as losses from wars) because they are either uninsurable or not economically

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insurable. In addition, while the Company or the relevant joint venture, as applicable, further carries specific earthquake insurance on the Centers located in California, the policies are subject to a deductible equal to 5% of the total insured value of each Center, a $100,000 per occurrence minimum and a combined annual aggregate loss limit of $150 million on these Centers. The Company or the relevant joint venture, as applicable, carries specific earthquake insurance on the Centers located in the Pacific Northwest. However, the policies are subject to a deductible equal to 2% of the total insured value of each Center, a $50,000 per occurrence minimum and a combined annual aggregate loss limit of $800 million on these Centers. While the Company or the relevant joint venture also carries terrorism insurance on the Centers, the policies are subject to a $50,000 deductible and a combined annual aggregate loss of $800 million. Each Center has environmental insurance covering eligible third-party losses, remediation and non-owned disposal sites, subject to a $100,000 deductible and a $20 million five-year aggregate limit. Some environmental losses are not covered by this insurance because they are uninsurable or not economically insurable. Furthermore, the Company carries title insurance on substantially all of the Centers for less than their full value.

Qualification as a Real Estate Investment Trust

        The Company elected to be taxed as a REIT under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), commencing with its first taxable year ended December 31, 1994, and intends to conduct its operations so as to continue to qualify as a REIT under the Code. As a REIT, the Company generally will not be subject to federal and state income taxes on its net taxable income that it currently distributes to stockholders. Qualification and taxation as a REIT depends on the Company's ability to meet certain dividend distribution tests, share ownership requirements and various qualification tests prescribed in the Code.

Employees

        As of December 31, 2009, the Company and the Management Companies had 2,749 regular and temporary employees, including executive officers (9), personnel in the areas of acquisitions and business development (39), property management/marketing (419), leasing (133), redevelopment/development (98), financial services (286) and legal affairs (61). In addition, in an effort to minimize operating costs, the Company generally maintains its own security and guest services staff (1,685) and in some cases maintenance staff (19). Unions represent twenty-two of these employees. The Company primarily engages a third party to handle maintenance at the Centers. The Company believes that relations with its employees are good.

Seasonality

        For a discussion of the extent to which the Company's business may be seasonal, see "Item 7—Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Management's Overview and Summary—Seasonality."

Available Information; Website Disclosure; Corporate Governance Documents

        The Company's corporate website address is www.macerich.com . The Company makes available free-of-charge through this website its reports on Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K and all amendments thereto, as soon as reasonably practicable after the reports have been filed with, or furnished to, the SEC. These reports are available under the heading "Investing—SEC Filings", through a free hyperlink to a third-party service. Information provided on our website is not incorporated by reference into this Form 10-K.

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        The following documents relating to Corporate Governance are available on the Company's website at www.macerich.com under "Investing—Corporate Governance":

Guidelines on Corporate Governance
Code of Business Conduct and Ethics
Code of Ethics for CEO and Senior Financial Officers
Audit Committee Charter
Compensation Committee Charter
Executive Committee Charter
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee Charter

        You may also request copies of any of these documents by writing to:

Attention: Corporate Secretary
The Macerich Company
401 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 700
Santa Monica, CA 90401

ITEM 1A.    RISK FACTORS

         The following factors, among others, could cause our actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements made in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and presented elsewhere by our management from time to time. These factors, among others, may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, operating results and cash flows, and you should carefully consider them. It is not possible to predict or identify all such factors. You should not consider this list to be a complete statement of all potential risks or uncertainties, and we may update them in our future periodic reports.

We invest primarily in shopping centers, which are subject to a number of significant risks that are beyond our control.

        Real property investments are subject to varying degrees of risk that may affect the ability of our Centers to generate sufficient revenues to meet operating and other expenses, including debt service, lease payments, capital expenditures and tenant improvements, and to make distributions to us and our stockholders. For purposes of this "Risk Factor" section, Centers wholly owned by us are referred to as "Wholly Owned Centers" and Centers that are partly but not wholly owned by us are referred to as "Joint Venture Centers." A number of factors may decrease the income generated by the Centers, including:

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the national economic climate (including a continuation or worsening of the recent economic downturn and constrained capital and credit markets);



•

the regional and local economy (which may be negatively impacted by rising unemployment, declining real estate values, increased foreclosures, higher taxes, plant closings, industry slowdowns, union activity, adverse weather conditions, natural disasters, terrorist activities and other factors);



•

local real estate conditions (such as an oversupply of, or a reduction in demand for, retail space or retail goods, decreases in rental rates, declining real estate values and the availability and creditworthiness of current and prospective tenants);



•

levels of consumer spending, consumer confidence, and seasonal spending (especially during the holiday season when many retailers generate a disproportionate amount of their annual profits);



•

perceptions by retailers or shoppers of the safety, convenience and attractiveness of a Center; and



•

increased costs of maintenance, insurance and operations (including real estate taxes).

        Income from shopping center properties and shopping center values are also affected by applicable laws and regulations, including tax, environmental, safety and zoning laws.

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A continuation or worsening of recent adverse economic conditions and disruptions in the capital and credit markets could harm our business, results of operations and financial condition.

        The U.S. economy, the real estate industry as a whole, and the local markets in which our Centers are located have in recent years experienced adverse economic conditions, resulting in an economic recession as well as disruptions in the capital and credit markets. These adverse economic conditions have caused dramatic declines in the stock and housing markets, increases in foreclosures, unemployment and living costs as well as limited access to credit, which have adversely impacted consumer spending levels and the operating results of our tenants. If these conditions continue or worsen, or if similar conditions occur in the future, our tenants may also have difficulties obtaining capital at adequate or historical levels to finance their ongoing business and operations. These events could impact our tenants' ability to meet their lease obligations due to poor operating results, lack of liquidity, bankruptcy or other reasons. Our ability to lease space and negotiate rents at advantageous rates has been and, may continue to be, adversely affected in this type of economic environment, and more tenants may seek rent relief. Any of these events could harm our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Some of our Centers are geographically concentrated and, as a result, are sensitive to local economic and real estate conditions.

        A significant percentage of our Centers are located in California and Arizona, and eight Centers in the aggregate are located in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Many of these states have been more adversely affected by weak economic and real estate conditions than have other states. To the extent that weak economic or real estate conditions, including as a result of the factors described in the preceding risk factors, or other factors continue to affect or affect California, Arizona, New York, New Jersey or Connecticut (or their respective regions) more severely than other areas of the country, our financial performance could be negatively impacted.

We are in a competitive business.

        There are numerous owners and developers of real estate that compete with us in our trade areas. There are six other publicly traded mall companies in the United States and several large private mall companies, any of which under certain circumstances could compete against us for an acquisition of an Anchor or a tenant. In addition, other REITs, private real estate companies, and financial buyers compete with us in terms of acquisitions. This results in competition for both the acquisition of properties or centers and for tenants or Anchors to occupy space. Competition for property acquisitions may result in increased purchase prices and may adversely affect our ability to make suitable property acquisitions on favorable terms. The existence of competing shopping centers could have a material adverse impact on our ability to lease space and on the level of rents that can be achieved. There is also increasing competition from other retail formats and technologies, such as lifestyle centers, power centers, Internet shopping, home shopping networks, factory outlet centers, discount shopping clubs and mail-order services that could adversely affect our revenues.

Our Centers depend on tenants to generate rental revenues.

        Our revenues and funds available for distribution will be reduced if:

•

a significant number of our tenants are unable (due to poor operating results, capital constraints, bankruptcy, terrorist activities or other reasons) to meet their obligations;



•

we are unable to lease a significant amount of space in the Centers on economically favorable terms; or



•

for any other reason, we are unable to collect a significant amount of rental payments.

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        A decision by an Anchor or other significant tenant to cease operations at a Center could also have an adverse effect on our financial condition. The closing of an Anchor or other significant tenant may allow other Anchors and/or other tenants to terminate their leases, seek rent relief and/or cease operating their stores at the Center or otherwise adversely affect occupancy at the Center. In addition, Anchors and/or tenants at one or more Centers might terminate their leases as a result of mergers, acquisitions, consolidations, dispositions or bankruptcies in the retail industry. The bankruptcy and/or closure of retail stores, or sale of an Anchor or store to a less desirable retailer, may reduce occupancy levels, customer traffic and rental income, or otherwise adversely affect our financial performance. Furthermore, if the store sales of retailers operating in the Centers decline sufficiently due to adverse economic conditions or for any other reason, tenants might be unable to pay their minimum rents or expense recovery charges. In the event of a default by a lessee, the affected Center may experience delays and costs in enforcing its rights as lessor.

        Given current economic conditions, we believe there is an increased risk that store sales of Anchors and/or tenants operating in our Centers may decrease in future periods, which may negatively affect our Anchors' and/or tenants' ability to satisfy their lease obligations and may increase the possibility of consolidations, dispositions or bankruptcies of our tenants and/or closure of their stores.

Our acquisition and real estate development strategies may not be successful.

        Our historical growth in revenues, net income and funds from operations has been in part tied to the acquisition and redevelopment of shopping centers. Many factors, including the availability and cost of capital, our total amount of debt outstanding, our ability to obtain financing on attractive terms, if at all, interest rates and the availability of attractive acquisition targets, among others, will affect our ability to acquire and redevelop additional properties in the future. We may not be successful in pursuing acquisition opportunities, and newly acquired properties may not perform as well as expected. Expenses arising from our efforts to complete acquisitions, redevelop properties or increase our market penetration may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. We face competition for acquisitions primarily from other REITs, as well as from private real estate companies and financial buyers. Some of our competitors have greater financial and other resources. Increased competition for shopping center acquisitions may result in increased purchase prices and may impact adversely our ability to acquire additional properties on favorable terms. We cannot guarantee that we will be able to implement our growth strategy successfully or manage our expanded operations effectively and profitably.

        We may not be able to achieve the anticipated financial and operating results from newly acquired assets. Some of the factors that could affect anticipated results are:

•

our ability to integrate and manage new properties, including increasing occupancy rates and rents at such properties;



•

the disposal of non-core assets within an expected time frame; and



•

our ability to raise long-term financing to implement a capital structure at a cost of capital consistent with our business strategy.

        Our business strategy also includes the selective development and construction of retail properties. Any development, redevelopment and construction activities that we may undertake will be subject to the risks of real estate development, including lack of financing, construction delays, environmental requirements, budget overruns, sunk costs and lease-up. Furthermore, occupancy rates and rents at a newly completed property may not be sufficient to make the property profitable. Real estate development activities are also subject to risks relating to the inability to obtain, or delays in obtaining, all necessary zoning, land-use, building, and occupancy and other required governmental permits and authorizations. If any of the above events occur, our ability to pay dividends to our stockholders and service our indebtedness could be adversely affected.

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We may be unable to sell properties quickly because real estate investments are relatively illiquid.

        Investments in real estate are relatively illiquid, which limits our ability to adjust our portfolio in response to changes in economic or other conditions. Moreover, there are some limitations under federal income tax laws applicable to REITs that limit our ability to sell assets. In addition, because our properties are generally mortgaged to secure our debts, we may not be able to obtain a release of a lien on a mortgaged property without the payment of the associated debt and/or a substantial prepayment penalty, which restricts our ability to dispose of a property, even though the sale might otherwise be desirable. Furthermore, the number of prospective buyers interested in purchasing shopping centers is limited. Therefore, if we want to sell one or more of our Centers, we may not be able to dispose of it in the desired time period and may receive less consideration than we originally invested in the Center.

We have substantial debt that could affect our future operations.

        Our total outstanding loan indebtedness at December 31, 2009 was $6.8 billion (which includes $1.3 billion of unsecured debt and $2.3 billion of our pro rata share of joint venture debt). Approximately $247.2 million of such indebtedness matures in 2010 (excluding loans with extensions and refinancing transactions that have recently closed). As a result of this substantial indebtedness, we are required to use a material portion of our cash flow to service principal and interest on our debt, which limits the cash flow available for other business opportunities. We are also subject to the risks normally associated with debt financing, including the risk that our cash flow from operations will be insufficient to meet required debt service and that rising interest rates could adversely affect our debt service costs. In addition, our use of interest rate hedging arrangements may expose us to additional risks, including that the counterparty to the arrangement may fail to honor its obligations and that termination of these arrangements typically involves costs such as transaction fees or breakage costs. Furthermore, a majority of our Centers are mortgaged to secure payment of indebtedness, and if income from the Center is insufficient to pay that indebtedness, the Center could be foreclosed upon by the mortgagee resulting in a loss of income and a decline in our total asset value.

We are obligated to comply with financial and other covenants that could affect our operating activities.

        Our unsecured credit facilities contain financial covenants, including interest coverage requirements, as well as limitations on our ability to incur debt, make dividend payments and make certain acquisitions. These covenants may restrict our ability to pursue certain business initiatives or certain transactions that might otherwise be advantageous. In addition, failure to meet certain of these financial covenants could cause an event of default under and/or accelerate some or all of such indebtedness which could have a material adverse effect on us.

We depend on external financings for our growth and ongoing debt service requirements.

        We depend primarily on external financings, principally debt financings, to fund the growth of our business and to ensure that we can meet ongoing maturities of our outstanding debt. Our access to financing depends on the willingness of banks, lenders and other institutions to lend to us based on their underwriting criteria which can fluctuate with market conditions and on conditions in the capital markets in general. Recently, turmoil in the capital and credit markets has significantly limited access to debt and equity financing for many companies. We cannot assure you that we will be able to obtain the financing we need for future growth or to meet our debt service as obligations mature, or that the financing will be available to us on acceptable terms, or at all. Any such refinancing could also impose more restrictive terms.

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Inflation may adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

        If inflation increases in the future, we may experience any or all of the following:

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Difficulty in replacing or renewing expiring leases with new leases at higher rents;



•

Decreasing tenant sales as a result of decreased consumer spending which could adversely affect the ability of our tenants to meet their rent obligations and/or result in lower percentage rents; and



•

An inability to receive reimbursement from our tenants for their share of certain operating expenses, including common area maintenance, real estate taxes and insurance.

Certain individuals have substantial influence over the management of both us and the Operating Partnership, which may create conflicts of interest.

        Under the limited partnership agreement of the Operating Partnership, we, as the sole general partner, are responsible for the management of the Operating Partnership's business and affairs. Three of the principals of the Operating Partnership serve as executive officers of us, and each principal is a member of our board of directors. Accordingly, these principals have substantial influence over our management and the management of the Operating Partnership. As a result, certain decisions concerning our operations or other matters affecting us may present conflicts of interest for these individuals.

The tax consequences of the sale of some of the Centers and certain holdings of the principals may create conflicts of interest.

        The principals will experience negative tax consequences if some of the Centers are sold. As a result, the principals may not favor a sale of these Centers even though such a sale may benefit our other stockholders. In addition, the principals may have different interests than our stockholders because they are significant holders of the Operating Partnership.

If we were to fail to qualify as a REIT, we will have reduced funds available for distributions to our stockholders.

        We believe that we currently qualify as a REIT. No assurance can be given that we will remain qualified as a REIT. Qualification as a REIT involves the application of highly technical and complex Internal Revenue Code provisions for which there are only limited judicial or administrative interpretations. The complexity of these provisions and of the applicable income tax regulations is greater in the case of a REIT structure like ours that holds assets in partnership form. The determination of various factual matters and circumstances not entirely within our control, including determinations by our partners in the Joint Venture Centers, may affect our continued qualification as a REIT. In addition, legislation, new regulations, administrative interpretations or court decisions could significantly change the tax laws with respect to our qualification as a REIT or the U.S. federal income tax consequences of that qualification.

        If in any taxable year we were to fail to qualify as a REIT, we will suffer the following negative results:

•

we will not be allowed a deduction for distributions to stockholders in computing our taxable income; and



•

we will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on our taxable income at regular corporate rates.

        In addition, if we were to lose our REIT status, we will be prohibited from qualifying as a REIT for the four taxable years following the year during which the qualification was lost, absent relief under statutory provisions. As a result, net income and the funds available for distributions to our

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stockholders would be reduced for at least five years and the fair market value of our shares could be materially adversely affected. Furthermore, the Internal Revenue Service could challenge our REIT status for past periods, which if successful could result in us owing a material amount of tax for prior periods. It is possible that future economic, market, legal, tax or other considerations might cause our board of directors to revoke our REIT election.

        Even if we remain qualified as a REIT, we might face other tax liabilities that reduce our cash flow. Further, we might be subject to federal, state and local taxes on our income and property. Any of these taxes would decrease cash available for distributions to stockholders.

Complying with REIT requirements might cause us to forego otherwise attractive opportunities.

        In order to qualify as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes, we must satisfy tests concerning, among other things, our sources of income, the nature of our assets, the amounts we distribute to our stockholders and the ownership of our stock. We may also be required to make distributions to our stockholders at disadvantageous times or when we do not have funds readily available for distribution. Thus, compliance with REIT requirements may cause us to forego opportunities we would otherwise pursue.

        In addition, the REIT provisions of the Internal Revenue Code impose a 100% tax on income from "prohibited transactions." Prohibited transactions generally include sales of assets that constitute inventory or other property held for sale in the ordinary course of business, other than foreclosure property. This 100% tax could impact our desire to sell assets and other investments at otherwise opportune times if we believe such sales could be considered a prohibited transaction.

Complying with REIT requirements may force us to borrow or take other measures to make distributions to our stockholders.

        As a REIT, we generally must distribute 90% of our annual taxable income (subject to certain adjustments) to our stockholders. From time to time, we might generate taxable income greater than our net income for financial reporting purposes, or our taxable income might be greater than our cash flow available for distributions to our stockholders. If we do not have other funds available in these situations, we might be unable to distribute 90% of our taxable income as required by the REIT rules. In that case, we would need to borrow funds, liquidate or sell a portion of our properties or investments (potentially at disadvantageous or unfavorable prices), in certain limited cases distribute a combination of cash and stock (at our stockholders' election but subject to an aggregate cash limit established by the Company) or find another alternative source of funds. These alternatives could increase our costs or reduce our equity. In addition, to the extent we borrow funds to pay distributions, the amount of cash available to us in future periods will be decreased by the amount of cash flow we will need to service principal and interest on the amounts we borrow, which will limit cash flow available to us for other investments or business opportunities.

Outside partners in Joint Venture Centers result in additional risks to our stockholders.

        We own partial interests in property partnerships that own 47 Joint Venture Centers as well as fee title to a site that is ground-leased to a property partnership that owns a Joint Venture Center and several development sites. We may acquire partial interests in additional properties through joint venture arrangements. Investments in Joint Venture Centers involve risks different from those of investments in Wholly Owned Centers.

        We may have fiduciary responsibilities to our partners that could affect decisions concerning the Joint Venture Centers. Third parties may share control of major decisions relating to the Joint Venture Centers, including decisions with respect to sales, refinancings and the timing and amount of additional

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capital contributions, as well as decisions that could have an adverse impact on our status. For example, we may lose our management and other rights relating to the Joint Venture Centers if:

•

we fail to contribute our share of additional capital needed by the property partnerships;



•

we default under a partnership agreement for a property partnership or other agreements relating to the property partnerships or the Joint Venture Centers; or



•

with respect to certain of the Joint Venture Centers, if certain designated key employees no longer are employed in the designated positions.

        In addition, some of our outside partners control the day-to-day operations of eight Joint Venture Centers (NorthPark Center, West Acres Center, Eastland Mall, Granite Run Mall, Lake Square Mall, NorthPark Mall, South Park Mall and Valley Mall). We, therefore, do not control cash distributions from these Centers, and the lack of cash distributions from these Centers could jeopardize our ability to maintain our qualification as a REIT. Furthermore, certain Joint Venture Centers have debt that could become recourse debt to us if the Joint Venture Center is unable to discharge such debt obligation.

Our holding company structure makes us dependent on distributions from the Operating Partnership.

        Because we conduct our operations through the Operating Partnership, our ability to service our debt obligations and pay dividends to our stockholders is strictly dependent upon the earnings and cash flows of the Operating Partnership and the ability of the Operating Partnership to make distributions to us. Under the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act, the Operating Partnership is prohibited from making any distribution to us to the extent that at the time of the distribution, after giving effect to the distribution, all liabilities of the Operating Partnership (other than some non-recourse liabilities and some liabilities to the partners) exceed the fair value of the assets of the Operating Partnership. An inability to make cash distributions from the Operating Partnership could jeopardize our ability to maintain qualification as a REIT.

Possible environmental liabilities could adversely affect us.

        Under various federal, state and local environmental laws, ordinances and regulations, a current or previous owner or operator of real property may be liable for the costs of removal or remediation of hazardous or toxic substances on, under or in that real property. These laws often impose liability whether or not the owner or operator knew of, or was responsible for, the presence of hazardous or toxic substances. The costs of investigation, removal or remediation of hazardous or toxic substances may be substantial. In addition, the presence of hazardous or toxic substances, or the failure to remedy environmental hazards properly, may adversely affect the owner's or operator's ability to sell or rent affected real property or to borrow money using affected real property as collateral.

        Persons or entities that arrange for the disposal or treatment of hazardous or toxic substances may also be liable for the costs of removal or remediation of hazardous or toxic substances at the disposal or treatment facility, whether or not that facility is owned or operated by the person or entity arranging for the disposal or treatment of hazardous or toxic substances. Laws exist that impose liability for release of asbestos containing materials ("ACMs") into the air, and third parties may seek recovery from owners or operators of real property for personal injury associated with exposure to ACMs. In connection with our ownership, operation, management, development and redevelopment of the Centers, or any other centers or properties we acquire in the future, we may be potentially liable under these laws and may incur costs in responding to these liabilities.

Some of our properties are subject to potential natural or other disasters.

        Some of our Centers are located in areas that are subject to natural disasters, including our Centers in California or in other areas with higher risk of earthquakes, our Centers in flood plains or

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in areas that may be adversely affected by tornados, as well as our Centers in coastal regions that may be adversely affected by increases in sea levels or in the frequency or severity of hurricanes and tropical storms.

Uninsured losses could adversely affect our financial condition.

        Each of our Centers has comprehensive liability, fire, extended coverage and rental loss insurance with insured limits customarily carried for similar properties. We do not insure certain types of losses (such as losses from wars), because they are either uninsurable or not economically insurable. In addition, while we or the relevant joint venture, as applicable, carries specific earthquake insurance on the Centers located in California, the policies are subject to a deductible equal to 5% of the total insured value of each Center, a $100,000 per occurrence minimum and a combined annual aggregate loss limit of $150 million on these Centers. We or the relevant joint venture, as applicable, carries specific earthquake insurance on the Centers located in the Pacific Northwest. However, the policies are subject to a deductible equal to 2% of the total insured value of each Center, a $50,000 per occurrence minimum and a combined annual aggregate loss limit of $800 million on these Centers. While we or the relevant joint venture also carries terrorism insurance on the Centers, the policies are subject to a $50,000 deductible and a combined annual aggregate loss of $800 million. Each Center has environmental insurance covering eligible third-party losses, remediation and non-owned disposal sites, subject to a $100,000 deductible and a $20 million five-year aggregate limit. Some environmental losses are not covered by this insurance because they are uninsurable or not economically insurable. Furthermore, we carry title insurance on substantially all of the Centers for less than their full value.

        If an uninsured loss or a loss in excess of insured limits occurs, we could lose all or a portion of the capital we have invested in a property, as well as the anticipated future revenue from the property, but may remain obligated for any mortgage debt or other financial obligations related to the property.

An ownership limit and certain anti-takeover defenses could inhibit a change of control or reduce the value of our common stock.

        The Ownership Limit.     In order for us to maintain our qualification as a REIT, not more than 50% in value of our outstanding stock (after taking into account options to acquire stock) may be owned, directly or indirectly, by five or fewer individuals (as defined in the Internal Revenue Code to include some entities that would not ordinarily be considered "individuals") during the last half of a taxable year. Our Charter restricts ownership of more than 5% (the "Ownership Limit") of the lesser of the number or value of our outstanding shares of stock by any single stockholder or a group of stockholders (with limited exceptions for some holders of limited partnership interests in the Operating Partnership, and their respective families and affiliated entities, including all three principals). In addition to enhancing preservation of our status as a REIT, the Ownership Limit may:

•

have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control of us or other transaction without the approval of our board of directors, even if the change in control or other transaction is in the best interest of our stockholders; and



•

limit the opportunity for our stockholders to receive a premium for their common stock or preferred stock that they might otherwise receive if an investor were attempting to acquire a block of stock in excess of the Ownership Limit or otherwise effect a change in control of us.

        Our board of directors, in its sole discretion, may waive or modify (subject to limitations) the Ownership Limit with respect to one or more of our stockholders, if it is satisfied that ownership in excess of this limit will not jeopardize our status as a REIT.

        Selected Provisions of our Charter and Bylaws.     Some of the provisions of our Charter and bylaws may have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a third party from making an acquisition proposal for us and may inhibit a change in control that some, or a majority, of our stockholders might

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believe to be in their best interest or that could give our stockholders the opportunity to realize a premium over the then-prevailing market prices for our shares. These provisions include the following:

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a staggered board of directors (which will be fully declassified in 2011) and limitations on the removal of directors, which may make the replacement of incumbent directors more time-consuming and difficult;



•

advance notice requirements for stockholder nominations of directors and stockholder proposals to be considered at stockholder meetings;



•

the obligation of the directors to consider a variety of factors (in addition to maximizing stockholder value) with respect to a proposed business combination or other change of control transaction;



•

the authority of the directors to classify or reclassify unissued shares and issue one or more series of common stock or preferred stock;



•

the authority to create and issue rights entitling the holders thereof to purchase shares of stock or other securities or property from us; and



•

limitations on the amendment of our Charter and bylaws, the dissolution or change in control of us, and the liability of our directors and officers.

        Selected Provisions of Maryland Law.     The Maryland General Corporation Law prohibits business combinations between a Maryland corporation and an interested stockholder (which includes any person who beneficially holds 10% or more of the voting power of the corporation's outstanding voting stock or any affiliate or associate of ours who was the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of 10% or more of the voting power of the corporation's outstanding stock at any time within the two year period prior to the date in question) or its affiliates for five years following the most recent date on which the interested stockholder became an interested stockholder and, after the five-year period, requires the recommendation of the board of directors and two super-majority stockholder votes to approve a business combination unless the stockholders receive a minimum price determined by the statute. As permitted by Maryland law, our Charter exempts from these provisions any business combination between us and the principals and their respective affiliates and related persons. Maryland law also allows the board of directors to exempt particular business combinations before the interested stockholder becomes an interested stockholder. Furthermore, a person is not an interested stockholder if the transaction by which he or she would otherwise have become an interested stockholder is approved in advance by the board of directors.

        The Maryland General Corporation Law also provides that the acquirer of certain levels of voting power in electing directors of a Maryland corporation (one-tenth or more but less than one-third, one-third or more but less than a majority and a majority or more) is not entitled to vote the shares in excess of the applicable threshold, unless voting rights for the shares are approved by holders of two-thirds of the disinterested shares or unless the acquisition of the shares has been specifically or generally approved or exempted from the statute by a provision in our Charter or bylaws adopted before the acquisition of the shares. Our Charter exempts from these provisions voting rights of shares owned or acquired by the principals and their respective affiliates and related persons. Our bylaws also contain a provision exempting from this statute any acquisition by any person of shares of our common stock. There can be no assurance that this bylaw will not be amended or eliminated in the future. The Maryland General Corporation Law and our Charter also contain supermajority voting requirements with respect to our ability to amend our Charter, dissolve, merge, or sell all or substantially all of our assets.

ITEM 1B.    UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS

        None.

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ITEM 2.    PROPERTIES

        The following table sets forth certain information regarding the Centers and other locations that are wholly owned or partly owned by the Company:

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Mortgage Debt

        The following table sets forth certain information regarding the mortgages encumbering the Centers, including those Centers in which the Company has less than a 100% interest. The information set forth below is as of December 31, 2009 (dollars in thousands):

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ITEM 3.    LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

        None of the Company, the Operating Partnership, the Management Companies or their respective affiliates are currently involved in any material legal proceedings nor, to the Company's knowledge, are any material legal proceedings currently threatened against such entities or the Centers, other than routine litigation arising in the ordinary course of business, most of which is expected to be covered by liability insurance.

ITEM 4.    SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS

        None.

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PART II

ITEM 5.    MARKET FOR REGISTRANT'S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES

        The common stock of the Company is listed and traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "MAC". The common stock began trading on March 10, 1994 at a price of $19 per share. In 2009, the Company's shares traded at a high of $38.22 and a low of $5.45.

        As of February 16, 2010, there were approximately 754 stockholders of record. The following table shows high and low closing prices per share of common stock during each quarter in 2009 and 2008 and dividends/distributions per share of common stock declared and paid by quarter:

        At December 31, 2008, the stockholders had converted all of the Company's outstanding shares of its Series A cumulative convertible redeemable preferred stock ("Series A Preferred Stock"). There was no established public trading market for the Series A Preferred Stock. The Series A Preferred Stock was issued on February 25, 1998. Preferred stock dividends were accrued quarterly and paid in arrears. The Series A Preferred Stock was convertible on a one for one basis into common stock and paid a quarterly dividend equal to the greater of $0.46 per share, or the dividend then payable on a share of common stock. No dividends could be declared or paid on any class of common or other junior stock to the extent that dividends on Series A Preferred Stock had not been declared and/or paid. The following table shows the dividends per share of Series A Preferred Stock declared and paid by quarter in 2008:

        To maintain its qualification as a REIT, the Company is required each year to distribute to stockholders at least 90% of its net taxable income after certain adjustments. Beginning during the second quarter of 2009, the Company paid its quarterly dividends in a combination of cash and shares of common stock, with the cash limited to 10% of the total dividend. Paying all or a portion of the dividend in a combination of cash and common stock would allow the Company to satisfy its REIT taxable income distribution requirement under existing requirements of the Code, while enhancing the Company's financial flexibility and balance sheet strength. The decision to declare and pay dividends on

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common stock in the future, as well as the timing, amount and composition of future dividends, will be determined in the sole discretion of the Company's board of directors and will depend on actual and projected cash flow, financial condition, funds from operations, earnings, capital requirements, the annual REIT distribution requirements, contractual prohibitions or other restrictions, applicable law and such other factors as the board of directors deems relevant. For example, under the Company's existing financing arrangements, the Company may pay cash dividends and make other distributions based on a formula derived from funds from operations (See "Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Funds From Operations") and only if no default under the financing agreements has occurred, unless, under certain circumstances, payment of the distribution is necessary to enable the Company to continue to qualify as a REIT under the Code.

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Stock Performance Graph

        The following graph provides a comparison, from December 31, 2004 through December 31, 2009, of the yearly percentage change in the cumulative total stockholder return (assuming reinvestment of dividends) of the Company, the Standard & Poor's ("S&P") 500 Index, the S&P Midcap 400 Index and the FTSE NAREIT Equity Index, an industry index of publicly-traded REITs (including the Company). The Company is providing the S&P Midcap 400 Index since it is a company within such index.

        The graph assumes that the value of the investment in each of the Company's common stock and the indices was $100 at the beginning of the period. The graph further assumes the reinvestment of dividends.

        Upon written request directed to the Secretary of the Company, the Company will provide any stockholder with a list of the REITs included in the FTSE NAREIT Equity Index. The historical information set forth below is not necessarily indicative of future performance. Data for the FTSE NAREIT Equity Index, the S&P 500 Index and the S&P Midcap 400 Index were provided to the Company by Research Data Group, Inc.

        Copyright© 2010 S&P, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. All rights reserved.

Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities

        On December 4, 2009, the Company, as general partner of the Operating Partnership, issued 6,963 shares of common stock of the Company upon the redemption of 6,963 common partnership units of the Operating Partnership. These shares of common stock were issued in a private placement to two limited partners of the Operating Partnership, each an accredited investor, pursuant to Section 4(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

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ITEM 6.    SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA

        The following sets forth selected financial data for the Company on a historical basis. The following data should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements (and the notes thereto) of the Company and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations," each included elsewhere in this Form 10-K. All amounts are in thousands except per share data.

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ITEM 7.    MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Management's Overview and Summary

        The Company is involved in the acquisition, ownership, development, redevelopment, management and leasing of regional and community shopping centers located throughout the United States. The Company is the sole general partner of, and owns a majority of the ownership interests in, the Operating Partnership. As of December 31, 2009, the Operating Partnership owned or had an ownership interest in 72 regional shopping centers and 14 community shopping centers totaling approximately 75 million square feet of GLA. These 86 regional and community shopping centers are referred to hereinafter as the "Centers," unless the context otherwise requires. The Company is a self-administered and self-managed REIT and conducts all of its operations through the Operating Partnership and the Company's Management Companies.

        The following discussion is based primarily on the consolidated financial statements of the Company for the years ended December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007. It compares the results of operations and cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2009 to the results of operations and cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2008. Also included is a comparison of the results of operations and cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2008 to the results of operations and cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2007. This information should be read in conjunction with the accompanying consolidated financial statements and notes thereto.

Acquisitions and Dispositions:

        The financial statements reflect the following acquisitions, dispositions and changes in ownership subsequent to the occurrence of each transaction.

        On September 5, 2007, the Company purchased the remaining 50% outside ownership interest in Hilton Village, a 96,985 square foot specialty center in Scottsdale, Arizona. The total purchase price of $13.5 million was funded by cash, borrowings under the Company's line of credit and the assumption of a mortgage note payable. The Center was previously accounted for under the equity method as an investment in unconsolidated joint ventures.

        On December 17, 2007, the Company purchased a portfolio of ground leasehold interest and/or fee interests in 39 freestanding Mervyn's stores located in the Southwest United States. The purchase price of $400.2 million was funded by cash and borrowings under the Company's line of credit.

        On January 1, 2008, a subsidiary of the Operating Partnership, at the election of the holders, redeemed its 3.4 million Class A participating convertible preferred units ("PCPUs"). As a result of the redemption, the Company received the 16.32% noncontrolling interest in the portion of the Wilmorite portfolio acquired on April 25, 2005 that included Danbury Fair Mall, Freehold Raceway Mall, Great Northern Mall, Rotterdam Square, Shoppingtown Mall, Towne Mall, Tysons Corner Center and Wilton Mall, collectively, referred to as the "Non-Rochester Properties," for total consideration of $224.4 million, in exchange for the Company's ownership interest in the portion of the Wilmorite portfolio that consisted of Eastview Mall, Eastview Commons, Greece Ridge Center, Marketplace Mall and Pittsford Plaza, collectively referred to as the "Rochester Properties." Included in the redemption consideration was the assumption of the remaining 16.32% noncontrolling interest in the indebtedness of the Non-Rochester Properties, which had an estimated fair value of $106.0 million. In addition, the Company also received additional consideration of $11.8 million, in the form of a note, for certain working capital adjustments, extraordinary capital expenditures, leasing commissions, tenant allowances, and decreases in indebtedness during the Company's period of ownership of the Rochester Properties. The Company recognized a gain of $99.1 million on the exchange. This exchange is referred to herein as the "Rochester Redemption."

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        On January 10, 2008, the Company, in a 50/50 joint venture, acquired The Shops at North Bridge, a 680,933 square foot urban shopping center in Chicago, Illinois, for a total purchase price of $515.0 million. The Company's share of the purchase price was funded by the assumption of a pro rata share of the $205.0 million fixed rate mortgage on the Center and by borrowings under the Company's line of credit.

        On January 31, 2008, the Company purchased a ground leasehold interest in a freestanding Mervyn's store located in Hayward, California. The purchase price of $13.2 million was funded by cash and borrowings under the Company's line of credit.

        On February 29, 2008, the Company purchased a fee simple interest in a freestanding Mervyn's store located in Monrovia, California. The purchase price of $19.3 million was funded by cash and borrowings under the Company's line of credit.

        On May 20, 2008, the Company purchased a fee simple interest in a 161,350 square foot Boscov's department store at Deptford Mall in Deptford, New Jersey. The total purchase price of $23.5 million was funded by the assumption of the existing $15.2 million mortgage note on the property and by borrowings under the Company's line of credit. This transaction is referred to herein as the "2008 Acquisition Property."

        On June 11, 2008, the Company became a 50% owner in a joint venture that acquired One Scottsdale, which plans to develop a mixed-use property in Scottsdale, Arizona. The Company's share of the purchase price was $52.5 million, which was funded by borrowings under the Company's line of credit.

        On December 19, 2008, the Company sold a fee and/or ground leasehold interest in three freestanding Mervyn's department stores to Pacific Premier Retail Trust, one of the Company's joint ventures, for $43.4 million, resulting in a gain on sale of assets of $1.5 million. The proceeds were used to pay down the Company's line of credit.

        In June 2009, the Company recorded an impairment charge of $1.0 million, related to the anticipated loss on the sale of Village Center, a 170,801 square foot urban village property, in July 2009. The Company subsequently sold the property on July 14, 2009 for $11.9 million in total proceeds, resulting in a gain of $0.1 million related to a change in estimate in transaction costs. The Company used the proceeds from the sale to pay down the term loan and for general corporate purposes.

        On July 30, 2009, the Company sold a 49% ownership interest in Queens Center to a third party for approximately $152.7 million, resulting in a gain on sale of assets of $154.2 million. The Company used the proceeds from the sale of the ownership interest in the property to pay down the Company's term loan and for general corporate purposes. As of the date of the sale, the Company has accounted for the operations of Queens Center under the equity method of accounting.

        On September 3, 2009, the Company formed a joint venture with a third party whereby the Company sold a 75% interest in FlatIron Crossing. As part of this transaction, the Company issued three warrants for an aggregate of 1,250,000 shares of common stock of the Company (See Note 15—Stockholders' Equity in the Notes to Company's Consolidated Financial Statements.) The Company received $123.8 million in cash proceeds for the overall transaction, of which $8.1 million was attributed to the warrants. The proceeds attributable to the interest sold exceeded the Company's carrying value in the interest sold by $28.7 million. However, due to certain contractual rights afforded to the buyer of the interest in FlatIron Crossing, the Company has only recognized a gain on sale of $2.5 million. The Company used the proceeds from the sale of the ownership interest to pay down the term loan and for general corporate purposes. As of the date of the sale, the Company has accounted for the operations of FlatIron Crossing under the equity method of accounting.

        Queens Center and FlatIron Crossing are referred to herein as the "Joint Venture Centers."

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        On September 30, 2009, the Company formed a joint venture with a third party, whereby the third party acquired a 49.9% interest in Freehold Raceway Mall and Chandler Fashion Center. The Company received approximately $174.6 million in cash proceeds for the overall transaction. The Company used the proceeds from this transaction to pay down the Company's line of credit and for general corporate purposes. As part of this transaction, the Company issued a warrant for an aggregate of 935,358 shares of common stock of the Company. (See Note 15—Stockholders' Equity in the Company's Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements). The transaction has been accounted for as a profit-sharing arrangement, and accordingly the assets, liabilities and operations of the properties remain on the books of the Company and a co-venture obligation has been established for the amount of $168.2 million representing the net cash proceeds received from the third party less costs allocated to the warrant.

        During the fourth quarter of 2009, the Company sold five non-core community centers for $71.3 million, resulting in aggregate loss on sales of $16.9 million. The Company used the proceeds from these sales to pay down the Company's line of credit and for general corporate purposes.

Mervyn's:

        In July 2008, Mervyn's filed for bankruptcy protection and announced in October its plans to liquidate all merchandise, auction its store leases and wind down its business. The Company had 45 former Mervyn's stores in its portfolio. The Company owned the ground leasehold and/or fee simple interest in 44 of those stores and the remaining store was owned by a third party but is located at one of the Centers.

        In September 2008, the Company recorded a write-down of $5.2 million due to the anticipated rejection of six of the Company's leases by Mervyn's. In addition, the Company terminated its former plan to sell the 29 Mervyn's stores located at shopping centers not owned or managed by the Company. (See Note 17—Discontinued Operations in the Company's Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements). The Company's decision was based on current conditions in the credit market and the assumption that a better return could be obtained by holding and operating the assets. As a result of the change in plans to sell, the Company recorded a loss of $5.3 million in order to adjust the carrying value of these assets for depreciation expense that otherwise would have been recognized had these assets been continuously classified as held and used.

        In December 2008, Kohl's and Forever 21 assumed a total of 23 of the Mervyn's leases and the remaining 22 leases were rejected by Mervyn's under the bankruptcy laws. As a result, the Company wrote off the unamortized intangible assets and liabilities related to the rejected and unassumed leases in December 2008. The Company wrote off $27.7 million of unamortized intangible assets related to lease in place values, leasing commissions and legal costs to depreciation and amortization. Unamortized intangible assets of $14.9 million relating to above market leases and unamortized intangible liabilities of $24.5 million relating to below market leases were written off to minimum rents.

        On December 19, 2008, the Company sold a fee and/or ground leasehold interest in three former Mervyn's stores to Pacific Premier Retail Trust, one of its joint ventures, for $43.4 million, resulting in a gain on sale of assets of $1.5 million. The Company's pro rata share of the proceeds was used to pay down the Company's line of credit.

        In June 2009, the Company recorded an impairment charge of $26.0 million, as it relates to the fee and/or ground leasehold interests in five former Mervyn's stores due to the anticipated loss on the sale of these properties in July 2009. The Company subsequently sold the properties in July 2009 for $52.7 million in total proceeds, resulting in an additional $0.5 million loss related to transaction costs. The Company used the proceeds from the sales to pay down the Company's term loan and for general corporate purposes.

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        On September 29, 2009, the Company sold a leasehold interest in a former Mervyn's store for $4.5 million, resulting in a gain on sale of $4.1 million. The Company used the proceeds from the sale to pay down the Company's line of credit and for general corporate purposes.

        The Mervyn's stores acquired in 2007 and 2008 are referred to herein as the "Mervyn's Properties."

Redevelopment and Development Activity:

        Northgate Mall, the Company's 712,771 square foot regional mall in Marin County, California, opened the first phase of its redevelopment on November 12, 2009. New anchor Kohl's was joined by retailers H&M, BJ's Restaurant, Children's Place, Chipotle, Gymboree, Hot Topic, PacSun, Panera Bread, See's Candies, Sunglass Hut, Tilly's and Vans. As of December 31, 2009, the Company incurred approximately $66.5 million of redevelopment costs for this Center and is estimating it will incur approximately $12.5 million of additional costs in 2010.

        Santa Monica Place in Santa Monica, California, is scheduled to open in August 2010 with anchors Bloomingdale's and Nordstrom. The Company recently announced deals with Tony Burch, Ben Bridge Jewelers and Charles David. As of December 31, 2009, the Company incurred approximately $163.2 million of redevelopment costs for this Center and is estimating it will incur approximately $101.8 million of additional costs in 2010.

Inflation:

        In the last three years, inflation has not had a significant impact on the Company because of a relatively low inflation rate. Most of the leases at the Centers have rent adjustments periodically through the lease term. These rent increases are either in fixed increments or based on using an annual multiple of increases in the Consumer Price Index ("CPI"). In addition, about 6%-13% of the leases expire each year, which enables the Company to replace existing leases with new leases at higher base rents if the rents of the existing leases are below the then existing market rate. Additionally, historically the majority of the leases required the tenants to pay their pro rata share of operating expenses. In January 2005, the Company began entering into leases that require tenants to pay a stated amount for operating expenses, generally excluding property taxes, regardless of the expenses actually incurred at any Center. This change shifts the burden of cost control to the Company.

Seasonality:

        The shopping center industry is seasonal in nature, particularly in the fourth quarter during the holiday season when retailer occupancy and retail sales are typically at their highest levels. In addition, shopping malls achieve a substantial portion of their specialty (temporary retailer) rents during the holiday season and the majority of percentage rent is recognized in the fourth quarter. As a result of the above, earnings are generally higher in the fourth quarter.

Critical Accounting Policies

        The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

        Some of these estimates and assumptions include judgments on revenue recognition, estimates for common area maintenance and real estate tax accruals, provisions for uncollectible accounts, impairment of long-lived assets, the allocation of purchase price between tangible and intangible assets, and estimates for environmental matters. The Company's significant accounting policies are described

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in more detail in Note 2—Summary of Significant Accounting Policies in the Company's Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements. However, the following policies are deemed to be critical.

Revenue Recognition:

        Minimum rental revenues are recognized on a straight-line basis over the term of the related lease. The difference between the amount of rent due in a year and the amount recorded as rental income is referred to as the "straight line rent adjustment." Currently, 57% of the mall and freestanding leases contain provisions for CPI rent increases periodically throughout the term of the lease. The Company believes that using an annual multiple of CPI increases, rather than fixed contractual rent increases, results in revenue recognition that more closely matches the cash revenue from each lease and will provide more consistent rent growth throughout the term of the leases. Percentage rents are recognized when the tenants' specified sales targets have been met. Estimated recoveries from certain tenants for their pro rata share of real estate taxes, insurance and other shopping center operating expenses are recognized as revenues in the period the applicable expenses are incurred. Other tenants pay a fixed rate and these tenant recoveries' revenues are recognized on a straight-line basis over the term of the related leases.

Property:

        The Company capitalizes costs incurred in redevelopment and development of properties. The costs of land and buildings under development include specifically identifiable costs. The capitalized costs include pre-construction costs essential to the development of the property, development costs, construction costs, interest costs, real estate taxes, salaries and related costs and other costs incurred during the period of development. Capitalized costs are allocated to the specific components of a project that are benefited. The Company considers a construction project as completed and held available for occupancy and ceases capitalization of costs when the areas under development have been substantially completed.

        Maintenance and repair expenses are charged to operations as incurred. Costs for major replacements and betterments, which includes HVAC equipment, roofs, parking lots, etc., are capitalized and depreciated over their estimated useful lives. Gains and losses are recognized upon disposal or retirement of the related assets and are reflected in earnings.

        Property is recorded at cost and is depreciated using a straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets as follows:

Accounting for Acquisitions:

        The Company first determines the value of land and buildings utilizing an "as if vacant" methodology. The Company then assigns a fair value to any debt assumed at acquisition. The balance of the purchase price is allocated to tenant improvements and identifiable intangible assets or liabilities. Tenant improvements represent the tangible assets associated with the existing leases valued on a fair market value basis at the acquisition date prorated over the remaining lease terms. The tenant improvements are classified as an asset under property and are depreciated over the remaining lease terms. Identifiable intangible assets and liabilities relate to the value of in-place operating leases which come in three forms: (i) leasing commissions and legal costs, which represent the value associated with "cost avoidance" of acquiring in-place leases, such as lease commissions paid under terms generally experienced in the Company's markets; (ii) value of in-place leases, which represents the estimated loss of revenue and of costs incurred for the period required to lease the "assumed vacant" property to the

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occupancy level when purchased; and (iii) above or below market value of in-place leases, which represents the difference between the contractual rents and market rents at the time of the acquisition, discounted for tenant credit risks. Leasing commissions and legal costs are recorded in deferred charges and other assets and are amortized over the remaining lease terms. The value of in-place leases are recorded in deferred charges and other assets and amortized over the remaining lease terms plus an estimate of renewal of the acquired leases. Above or below market leases are classified in deferred charges and other assets or in other accrued liabilities, depending on whether the contractual terms are above or below market, and the asset or liability is amortized to minimum rents over the remaining terms of the leases.

Asset Impairment:

        The Company assesses whether there has been impairment in the value of its long-lived assets by considering factors such as expected future operating income, trends and prospects, as well as the effects of demand, competition and other economic factors. Such factors include the tenant's ability to perform their duties and pay rent under the terms of the leases. The Company may recognize impairment losses if the cash flows are not sufficient to cover its investment. Such a loss would be determined as the difference between the carrying value and the fair value of a center.

        The Company reviews its investments in unconsolidated joint ventures for a series of operating losses and other factors that may indicate that a decrease in the value of its investments has occurred which is other-than-temporary. The investment in each unconsolidated joint venture is evaluated periodically, and as deemed necessary, for recoverability and valuation declines that are other than temporary.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments:

        The fair value hierarchy distinguishes between market participant assumptions based on market data obtained from sources independent of the reporting entity and the reporting entity's own assumptions about market participant assumptions.

        Level 1 inputs utilize quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the Company has the ability to access. Level 2 inputs are inputs other than quoted prices included in Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly. Level 2 inputs may include quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets, as well as inputs that are observable for the asset or liability (other than quoted prices), such as interest rates, foreign exchange rates, and yield curves that are observable at commonly quoted intervals. Level 3 inputs are unobservable inputs for the asset or liability, which are typically based on an entity's own assumptions, as there is little, if any, related market activity. In instances where the determination of the fair value measurement is based on inputs from different levels of the fair value hierarchy, the level in the fair value hierarchy within which the entire fair value measurement falls is based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety. The Company's assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement in its entirety requires judgment, and considers factors specific to the asset or liability.

        The Company calculates the fair value of financial instruments and includes this additional information in the notes to consolidated financial statements when the fair value is different than the carrying value of those financial instruments. When the fair value reasonably approximates the carrying value, no additional disclosure is made.

Deferred Charges:

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deferred and amortized over the life of the related loan using the straight-line method, which approximates the effective interest method. In-place lease values are amortized over the remaining lease term plus an estimate of the renewal term. Leasing commissions and legal costs are amortized on a straight-line basis over the individual remaining lease years. The ranges of the terms of the agreements are as follows:

Results of Operations

        Many of the variations in the results of operations, discussed below, occurred due to the transactions described above including the 2008 Acquisition Property, the Joint Venture Centers, the Mervyn's Properties and the Redevelopment Centers. For the comparison of the year ended December 31, 2009 to the year ended December 31, 2008, the "Same Centers" include all Consolidated Centers, excluding the 2008 Acquisition Property, the Mervyn's Properties, the Joint Venture Centers and the Redevelopment Centers as defined below. For the comparison of the year ended December 31, 2008 to the year ended December 31, 2007, the "Same Centers" include all consolidated Centers, excluding the 2008 Acquisition Property, the Mervyn's Properties and the Redevelopment Centers.

        For the comparison of the year ended December 31, 2009 to the year ended December 31, 2008, the "Redevelopment Centers" include The Oaks, Northgate Mall, Santa Monica Place and Shoppingtown Mall. For the comparison of the year ended December 31, 2008 to the year ended December 31, 2007, the "Redevelopment Centers" include The Oaks, Northgate Mall, Santa Monica Place, Shoppingtown Mall, Westside Pavilion, The Marketplace at Flagstaff, SanTan Village Regional Center and Promenade at Casa Grande.

        The U.S. economy, the real estate industry as a whole, and the local markets in which the Centers are located have in recent years experienced adverse economic conditions, resulting in an economic recession as well as disruptions in the capital and credit markets. These difficult economic conditions have adversely impacted consumer spending levels and the operating results of the Company's tenants. Regional Mall sales per square foot for 2009 declined by approximately 8% from 2008 to a level of $407 per square foot, continuing the downward trend that began in 2007. Regional Mall portfolio occupancy also has declined since 2007, with occupancy at December 31, 2009 at 91.3% compared to 92.3% at December 31, 2008. The Company's ability to lease space and negotiate rents at advantageous rates has been, and may continue to be, adversely affected in this type of economic environment, and more tenants may seek rent relief. The spread between rents on executed leases and expiring leases remains positive but decreased in 2009 compared to 2008. While the Company cannot predict how long these adverse conditions will continue, a further continuation could harm the Company's business, results of operations and financial condition.

Comparison of Years Ended December 31, 2009 and 2008

Revenues:

        Minimum and percentage rents (collectively referred to as "rental revenue") decreased by $56.7 million, or 10.4%, from 2008 to 2009. The decrease in rental revenue is attributed to a decrease of $32.1 million from the Joint Venture Centers, $26.9 million from the Mervyn's Properties and $7.4 million from the Same Centers which is offset in part by an increase of $8.9 million from the Redevelopment Centers and $0.8 million from the 2008 Acquisition Property. The decrease in rental

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revenue from the Mervyn's Properties is due to the rejection of 22 leases by Mervyn's under the bankruptcy laws in 2008, offset in part by the assumption of 23 of the Mervyn's leases by Kohls and Forever 21 as well as the sale of six of the Mervyn's stores in 2009. The Company is currently seeking replacement tenants for the remainder of the vacant Mervyn's spaces. If these spaces are not leased, this trend will continue throughout 2010. The decrease in Same Centers rental revenue is primarily attributed to a decrease in occupancy, a decrease in amortization of above and below market leases and a decrease in percentage rents due to a decrease in retail sales.

        Rental revenue includes the amortization of above and below market leases, the amortization of straight-line rents and lease termination income. The amortization of above and below market leases decreased from $22.5 million in 2008 to $9.6 million in 2009. The amortization of straight-lined rents increased from $4.5 million in 2008 to $6.5 million in 2009. Lease termination income increased from $9.6 million in 2008 to $16.2 million in 2009. The decrease in the amortization of above and below market leases is primarily due to the early termination of Mervyn's leases in 2008 (See "Management's Overview and Summary—Mervyn's.").

        Tenant recoveries decreased $18.1 million, or 6.9%, from 2008 to 2009. The decrease in tenant recoveries is attributed to a decrease of $12.7 million from the Joint Venture Centers, $4.3 million from the Same Centers and $4.0 million from the Mervyn's Properties offset in part by an increase of $2.7 million from the Redevelopment Centers and $0.2 million from the 2008 Acquisition Property. The decrease in Same Centers is due to a decrease in recoverable operating expenses, utilities and property taxes.

Shopping Center and Operating Expenses:

        Shopping center and operating expenses decreased $23.4 million, or 8.3%, from 2008 to 2009. The decrease in shopping center and operating expenses is attributed to a decrease of $15.1 million from the Joint Venture Centers and $10.1 million from the Same Centers offset in part by an increase of $1.5 million from the Redevelopment Centers and $0.3 million from the 2008 Acquisition Property. The decrease in Same Centers is due to a decrease in recoverable operating expenses, utilities and property taxes.

Management Companies' Operating Expenses:

        Management Companies' operating expenses increased $2.2 million from 2008 to 2009 due to severance costs paid in connection with the implementation of the Company's workforce reduction plan in 2009.

REIT General and Administrative Expenses:

        REIT general and administrative expenses increased by $9.4 million from 2008 to 2009. The increase is primarily due to $7.3 million in transaction and other related costs relating to the Chandler Fashion Center and Freehold Raceway Mall transaction (See "Management Overview and Summary—Acquisitions and Dispositions") and $1.5 million in other compensation costs incurred in 2009.

Depreciation and Amortization:

        Depreciation and amortization decreased $7.9 million from 2008 to 2009. The decrease in depreciation and amortization is primarily attributed to a decrease of $11.4 million from the Mervyn's Properties and $8.5 million from the Joint Venture Centers offset in part by an increase of $4.6 million from the Same Centers, $2.9 million from the Redevelopment Centers and $0.3 million from the 2008 Acquisition Property. Included in the decrease of depreciation and amortization of Mervyn's Properties is the write-off of intangible assets as a result of the early termination of Mervyn's leases in 2008 (See "Management's Overview and Summary—Mervyn's.")

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Interest Expense:

        Interest expense decreased $28.0 million from 2008 to 2009. The decrease in interest expense was primarily attributed to a decrease of $12.1 million from the Senior Notes, $10.9 million from the Joint Venture Centers, $10.8 million from borrowings under the Company's line of credit and $9.0 million from the term loan offset in part by an increase of $8.5 million from the Redevelopment Centers, $5.7 million from the Same Centers and $0.6 million from the 2008 Acquisition Property.

        The decrease in interest expense on the Senior Notes is due to a reduction of weighted average outstanding principal balance from 2008 to 2009. The decrease in interest expense on the Company's line of credit was due to a decrease in average outstanding borrowings during 2009, due in part, to the proceeds from sale of the 2009 joint venture transactions (See "Management's Overview and Summary—Acquisitions and Dispositions") and the equity offering in 2009. (See "Liquidity and Capital Resources".)

        The above interest expense items are net of capitalized interest, which decreased from $33.3 million in 2008 to $21.3 million in 2009 due to a decrease in redevelopment activity in 2009 and a reduction in the cost of borrowing.

Gain on Early Extinguishment of Debt:

        Gain on early extinguishment of debt decreased from $84.1 million in 2008 to $29.2 million in 2009. The reduction in gain reflects a decrease in the amount of Senior Notes repurchased in 2009 compared to 2008. (See "Liquidity and Capital Resources").

Equity in Income of Unconsolidated Joint Ventures:

        Equity in income of unconsolidated joint ventures decreased $25.7 million from 2008 to 2009. The decrease in equity in income from joint ventures is primarily attributed to $9.1 million of termination fee income received in 2008 and $7.6 million related to a write-down of assets at certain joint venture Centers in 2009.

Gain (loss) on Sale or Write-down of Assets:

        The gain (loss) on sale or write-down of assets increased from a loss of $30.9 million in 2008 to a gain of $161.9 million in 2009. The gain is primarily attributed to the gain of $156.7 million related to the sale of ownership interests in the Joint Venture Centers (See "Management's Overview and Summary—Acquisitions and Dispositions"), the impairment charge of $19.2 million in 2008 to reduce the carrying value of land held for development and a $5.3 million adjustment in 2008 to reduce the carrying value of Mervyn's stores that the Company had previously classified as held for sale (See "Management's Overview and Summary—Mervyn's").

Discontinued Operations:

        The Company recorded a loss from discontinued operations of $35.6 million in 2009 compared to income of $108.4 million in 2008. The reduction in income is primarily attributed to the $99.1 million gain from the Rochester Redemption in 2008 (See "Management's Overview and Summary—Acquisitions and Dispositions") and the loss on sale or write-down of assets of $40.2 million in 2009.

Net Income Attributable to Noncontrolling Interests:

        Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests decreased from $29.0 million in 2008 to $18.5 million in 2009. The decrease in net income from noncontrolling interests is attributable to $16.3 million from the Rochester Redemption in 2008 and an increase in income from continuing operations.

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Funds From Operations:

        Primarily as a result of the factors mentioned above, FFO—diluted decreased 25.4% from $461.5 million in 2008 to $344.1 million in 2009. For disclosure of net income, the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure, for the periods and a reconciliation of FFO and FFO—diluted to net income available to common stockholders, see "Funds from Operations."

Operating Activities:

        Cash provided by operations decreased from $251.9 million in 2008 to $120.9 million in 2009. The decrease was primarily due to changes in assets and liabilities in 2008 compared to 2009, an increase in accounts payable and other accrued liabilities and the results at the Centers as discussed above.

Investing Activities:

        Cash from investing activities increased from a deficit of $559.0 million in 2008 to a surplus of $302.4 million in 2009. The increase in cash provided by investing activities was primarily due to an increase in proceeds from the sale of assets of $370.3 million, a decrease in capital expenditures of $337.8 million, a decrease in contributions to unconsolidated joint ventures of $110.7 million and an increase in distributions from unconsolidated joint ventures of $27.4 million.

        The increase in proceeds from the sale of assets is due to the sale of the ownership interests in the Joint Venture Centers. The decrease in capital expenditures is primarily due to the purchase of a ground leasehold and fee simple interest in two Mervyn's stores in 2008 and the decrease in development activity in 2009. The decrease in contributions to unconsolidated joint ventures is primarily due to the Company's purchase of a pro rata share of The Shops at North Bridge for $155.0 million in 2008. See "Management's Overview and Summary—Acquisitions and Dispositions" for a discussion of the acquisition of The Shops at North Bridge, the Joint Venture Centers and Mervyn's.

Financing Activities:

        Cash flows from financing activities decreased from a surplus of $288.3 million in 2008 to a deficit of $396.5 million in 2009. The decrease in cash from financing activities was primarily attributed to decreases in cash provided by mortgages, bank and other notes payable of $1.3 billion and cash payments on mortgages, bank and other notes payable of $177.8 million offset in part by the net proceeds from the common stock offering in 2009 of $343.5 million, the decrease in dividends and distributions (See "Liquidity and Capital Resources") of $179.0 million and the contribution from a co-venture partner of $168.2 million. (See "Management's Overview and Summary—Acquisitions and Dispositions.")

Comparison of Years Ended December 31, 2008 and 2007

Revenues:

        Rental revenue increased by $55.6 million, or 11.3%, from 2007 to 2008. The increase in rental revenue is attributed to an increase of $37.4 million from the Mervyn's Properties, $13.9 million from the Redevelopment Centers, $3.0 million from the Same Centers and $1.3 million from the 2008 Acquisition Property. The increase in the revenues from the Same Centers is primarily due to rent escalations and lease renewals at higher rents, which was offset by decreases in lease termination income, amortization of straight-line rents and amortization of above and below market leases. The increase in the revenues from the Same Centers was also offset by a decrease of $6.3 million in percentage rents due to a decrease in retail sales.

        The amortization of above and below market leases increased from $10.3 million in 2007 to $22.5 million in 2008. The amortization of straight-lined rents decreased from $6.7 million in 2007 to

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$4.5 million in 2008. Lease termination income decreased from $9.7 million in 2007 to $9.6 million in 2008. The increase in above and below market leases is primarily due to the early termination of Mervyn's leases in 2008 (See "Management's Overview and Summary—Mervyn's").

        Tenant recoveries increased $20.2 million, or 8.4%, from 2007 to 2008. The increase in tenant recoveries is attributed to an increase of $9.7 million from the Same Centers, $5.5 million from the Mervyn's Properties, $4.7 from the Redevelopment Centers and $0.3 million from the 2008 Acquisition Property.

        Management Companies' revenues increased by $1.0 million from 2007 to 2008, primarily due to increased management fees received from the joint ventures, additional third party management contracts and increased development fees from joint ventures.

Shopping Center and Operating Expenses:

        Shopping center and operating expenses increased $28.4 million, or 11.2%, from 2007 to 2008. The increase in shopping center and operating expenses is attributed to an increase of $13.1 million from the Same Centers, $10.0 million from the Mervyn's Properties, $5.0 million from the Redevelopment Centers and $0.3 million from the 2008 Acquisition Property. The increase in Same Centers is primarily due to an increase in recoverable utility expenses and property taxes and a $2.0 million increase in bad debt expense.

Management Companies' Operating Expenses:

        Management Companies' operating expenses increased $3.3 million from 2007 to 2008, in part as a result of the additional costs of managing the joint ventures and third party managed properties.

REIT General and Administrative Expenses:

        REIT general and administrative expenses decreased by $0.1 million from 2007 to 2008. The decrease is primarily due to a decrease in share and unit-based compensation expense in 2008.

Depreciation and Amortization:

        Depreciation and amortization increased $60.8 million from 2007 to 2008. The increase in depreciation and amortization is primarily attributed to an increase of $37.7 million from the Mervyn's Properties, $12.0 million from the Redevelopment Centers, $6.8 million from the Same Centers and $0.6 million from the 2008 Acquisition Property. Included in the increase of depreciation and amortization of Mervyn's Properties is the write-off of $32.9 million of intangible assets as a result of the early termination of Mervyn's leases. (See "Management's Overview and Summary—Mervyn's".)

Interest Expense:

        Interest expense increased $34.2 million from 2007 to 2008. The increase in interest expense was primarily attributed to an increase of $17.9 million from borrowings under the Company's line of credit, $7.8 million from the Senior Notes, $6.3 million from the Redevelopment Centers, and $5.5 million from the Same Centers. The increase in interest expense was offset in part by a decrease of $3.8 million from term loans.

        The increase in interest expense on the Company's line of credit was due to an increase in average outstanding borrowings during 2008, in part, because of the purchase of The Shops at North Bridge, the Mervyn's Properties and the 2008 Acquisition Property and the repurchase and retirement of Senior Notes in 2008, which is offset in part by lower LIBOR rates and spreads. The increase in interest expense on the Senior Notes is due to a full year of interest expense in 2008 compared to

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2007. The decrease in interest expense on term loans was due to the repayment of the $250 million loan in 2007.

        The above interest expense items are net of capitalized interest, which increased from $32.0 million in 2007 to $33.3 million in 2008 due to an increase in redevelopment activity in 2008.

(Gain) Loss on Early Extinguishment of Debt:

        The Company recorded a gain of $84.1 million on the early extinguishment of $222.8 million of the Senior Notes in 2008. In 2007, the Company recorded a $0.9 million loss from the early extinguishment of the $250 million term loan (See "Liquidity and Capital Resources").

Equity in Income of Unconsolidated Joint Ventures:

        The equity in income of unconsolidated joint ventures increased $12.4 million from 2007 to 2008. The increase in equity in income of unconsolidated joint ventures is due in part to commission income of $6.5 million earned in 2008 from a joint venture, $3.6 million relating to the acquisition of The Shops at North Bridge in 2008, and $2.0 million relating to a loss on the sale of assets in the SDG Macerich Properties, L.P. joint venture in 2007.

(Loss) Gain on Sale or Write-down of Assets:

        The Company recorded a loss on sale or write down of assets of $30.9 million in 2008 relating to an $8.7 million write-off of development costs on projects the Company has determined not to pursue, a $19.2 million impairment charge to reduce the carrying value of land held for development and a $5.3 million adjustment to reduce the carrying value of Mervyn's stores that the Company had previously classified as held for sale (See "Management's Overview and Summary—Mervyn's"). The gain on sale or write-down of assets in 2007 of $12.1 million is primarily related to gains on sales of land.

Discontinued Operations:

        Income from discontinued operations increased $82.8 million from 2007 to 2008. The increase is primarily due to the $99.1 million gain from the Rochester Redemption in 2008. See "Management's Overview and Summary—Acquisitions and Dispositions." As a result of the Rochester Redemption, the Company classified the results of operations for these properties to discontinued operations for all periods presented.

Net Income Attributable to Noncontrolling Interests:

        Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests decreased from $29.8 million in 2007 to $29.0 million in 2008. The decrease in income from noncontrolling interests is attributable to $16.3 million from the Rochester Redemption and $0.6 million related to the consolidated joint ventures offset in part by an increase of $16.0 million from the Operating Partnership. The increase in net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership is due to an increase in net income from $106.1 million in 2007 to $195.0 million in 2008 offset in part by a decrease in the weighted average interest of the Operating Partnership not owned by the Company from 15.0% in 2007 compared to 14.4% in 2008. The decrease in the weighted average interest in the Operating Partnership not owned by the Company is primarily attributed to the conversion of 3,067,131 preferred shares into common shares in 2008 (See Note 14—Cumulative Convertible Redeemable Preferred Stock in the Company's Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements) and the repurchase of 807,000 shares in 2007 (See Note 15—Stockholders Equity—Stock Repurchase Program in the Company's Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements).

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Funds From Operations:

        Primarily as a result of the factors mentioned above, FFO—diluted increased 16.4% from $396.6 million in 2007 to $461.5 million in 2008. For disclosure of net income, the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure, for the periods and a reconciliation of FFO and FFO—diluted to net income available to common stockholders, see "Funds from Operations."

Operating Activities:

        Cash flow from operations decreased from $326.1 million in 2007 to $251.9 million in 2008. The decrease was primarily due to changes in assets and liabilities in 2007 compared to 2008, an increase in distributions of income from unconsolidated joint ventures and the results at the Centers as discussed above.

Investing Activities:

        Cash used in investing activities decreased from $865.3 million in 2007 to $559.0 million in 2008. The decrease in cash used in investing activities was primarily due to a decrease in capital expenditures of $507.7 million and acquisition deposits of $51.9 million offset by a decrease in distributions from unconsolidated joint ventures of $132.5 million and an increase in contributions to unconsolidated joint ventures. The decrease in capital expenditures is primarily due to the purchase of the Mervyn's portfolio for $400.2 million in 2007. The decrease in acquisition deposits and the increase in contributions to unconsolidated joint ventures is primarily due to the Company's purchase of a pro rata share of The Shops at North Bridge for $155.0 million in 2008 (See "Management's Overview and Summary—Acquisitions and Dispositions".) The decrease in distributions from unconsolidated joint ventures is due to the receipt of the Company's pro rata share of loan proceeds from the refinance transactions at various unconsolidated joint ventures in 2007.

Financing Activities:

        Cash flow provided by financing activities decreased from $355.1 million in 2007 to $288.3 million in 2008. The decrease in cash provided by financing activities was primarily attributed to the issuance of $950 million of Senior Notes in 2007, the repurchase of $222.8 million of Senior Notes in 2008 (See "Liquidity and Capital Resources") and the purchase of the Capped Calls in connection with the issuance of the Senior Notes in 2007.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

        The Company anticipates meeting its liquidity needs for its operating expenses and debt service and dividend requirements through cash generated from operations, working capital reserves and/or borrowings under its unsecured line of credit. Additional liquidity will be provided if the Company decides to continue to pay a portion of its dividends in stock throughout 2010. For example, the Company announced that payment of a portion of its next quarterly dividend will be in stock, which is payable on March 22, 2010. The form, timing and or amount of future dividends will be at the discretion of the Company's Board of Directors. The completion of the Company's stock offering in October 2009, which raised net proceeds of approximately $383.4 million, as well as the closing of three joint venture transactions during the third quarter of 2009, which raised proceeds of approximately $434.0 million, provided the Company with additional liquidity in 2009. (See Item 1. Business—Recent Developments—"Acquisitions and Dispositions" and "Financing Activity.") Furthermore, by reducing the Company's quarterly dividend to $0.60 per share and paying 90% of that dividend in equity in 2009, the Company reduced the cash amount of its dividends and distributions by $212.5 million and funded these dividends and distributions from cash flow provided by operations.

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        The following tables summarize capital expenditures and lease acquisition costs incurred at the Centers for the years ended December 31:

        Management expects levels to be incurred in future years for tenant allowances and deferred leasing charges to be comparable or less than 2009 and that capital for those expenditures will be available from working capital, cash flow from operations, borrowings on property specific debt or unsecured corporate borrowings. The Company expects to incur between $150 million and $200 million in 2010 for development, redevelopment, expansion and renovations. Capital for these major expenditures, developments and/or redevelopments has been, and is expected to continue to be, obtained from a combination of equity or debt financings, which include borrowings under the Company's line of credit and construction loans. In addition, the Company has generated additional liquidity in the past through joint venture transactions and the sale of non-core assets, and may continue to do so in the future, as evidenced by the non-core asset sales in 2009 and the recent sale of ownership interests in Queens Center, FlatIron Crossing, Freehold Raceway Mall and Chandler Fashion Center, to joint venture partners.

        Recent turmoil in the capital and credit markets, however, has significantly limited access to debt and equity financing for many companies. As demonstrated by the Company's recent activity, including its October 2009 equity offering, the Company was able to access capital throughout 2009; however, there is no assurance the Company will be able to do so in future periods or on similar terms and conditions. Many factors impact the Company's ability to access capital, such as its overall debt level, interest rates, interest coverage ratios and prevailing market conditions. As a result of the current state of the capital and commercial lending markets, the Company may be required to finance more of its business activities with borrowings under its line of credit rather than with public and private unsecured debt and equity securities, fixed-rate mortgage financing and other traditional sources. In addition, in the event that the Company has significant tenant defaults as a result of the overall economy and general market conditions, the Company could have a decrease in cash flow from operations, which could create further borrowings under its line of credit. These events could result in an increase in the Company's proportion of variable-rate debt, which would cause it to be subject to interest rate fluctuations in the future. (See "Risk Factors—We depend on external financings for our growth and ongoing debt service requirements" included in Part I, Item 1A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K).

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        The Company's total outstanding loan indebtedness at December 31, 2009 was $6.8 billion (including $1.3 billion of unsecured debt and $2.3 billion of its pro rata share of joint venture debt). The majority of the Company's debt consists of fixed-rate conventional mortgages payable collateralized by individual properties. Approximately $247.2 million of the Company's indebtedness matures in 2010 (excluding loans with extensions and refinancing transactions that have recently closed). The Company expects that all 2010 debt maturities will be refinanced, extended and/or paid off from the Company's line of credit.

        On March 16, 2007, the Company issued $950 million in Senior Notes that mature on March 15, 2012. The Senior Notes bear interest at 3.25%, payable semiannually, are senior to unsecured debt of the Company and are guaranteed by the Operating Partnership. During the year ended December 31, 2009, the Company repurchased and retired $89.1 million of the Senior Notes and as a result recorded a gain of $29.8 million on early extinguishment of debt. The repurchases were funded by additional borrowings on the Company's line of credit. The carrying value of the Senior Notes at December 31, 2009 was $614.2 million. See Note 11—Bank and Other Notes Payable in the Company's Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

        The Company has a $1.5 billion revolving line of credit that matures on April 25, 2010. The Company is in the process of exercising the available one-year extension option under this facility that will extend the maturity date through April 25, 2011. The interest rate on the line of credit fluctuates between LIBOR plus 0.75% to LIBOR plus 1.10% depending on the Company's overall leverage. The Company has an interest rate swap agreement that effectively fixed the interest rate on $400.0 million of the outstanding balance of the line of credit at 6.08% until maturity. In addition, the Company has another interest rate swap agreement that effectively fixed the interest rate on $255.0 million of the line of credit at 6.13% until April 15, 2010. As of December 31, 2009, borrowings outstanding were $655.0 million at an average interest rate, of 6.10%. The Company has access to the remaining balance of its $1.5 billion line of credit.

        On April 25, 2005, the Company obtained a five year, $450.0 million term loan bearing interest at LIBOR plus 1.50%. The term loan was repaid during the year ended December 31, 2009 from the proceeds of the sales of interests in Queens Center and FlatIron Crossing (See "Management's Overview and Summary—Acquisitions and Dispositions,") and through additional borrowings under the Company's line of credit.

        On October 27, 2009, the Company completed an offering of 12,000,000 newly issued shares of its common stock, as well as an additional 1,800,000 newly issued shares of common stock in connection with the underwriters' exercise of its over-allotment option. The net proceeds of the offering, after giving effect to the issuance and sale of all 13,800,000 shares of common stock at an initial price to the public of $29.00 per share, were approximately $383.4 million after deducting underwriting discounts, commissions and other transaction costs. The Company used the net proceeds of the offering to pay down the line of credit.

        At December 31, 2009, the Company was in compliance with all applicable loan covenants.

        At December 31, 2009, the Company had cash and cash equivalents available of $93.3 million.

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

        The Company has an ownership interest in a number of unconsolidated joint ventures as detailed in Note 4 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements included herein. The Company accounts for those investments that it does not have a controlling interest in or is not the primary beneficiary using the equity method of accounting and those investments are reflected on the Consolidated Balance Sheets of the Company as "Investments in Unconsolidated Joint Ventures." A pro rata share of the mortgage debt on these properties is shown in "Item 2. Properties—Mortgage Debt."

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        In addition, certain joint ventures also have debt that could become recourse debt to the Company or its subsidiaries, in excess of the Company's pro rata share, should the joint ventures be unable to discharge the obligations of the related debt. The following reflects the maximum amount of debt principal under those joint ventures that could recourse to the Company at December 31, 2009 (in thousands):

        Additionally, as of December 31, 2009, the Company is contingently liable for $26.4 million in letters of credit guaranteeing performance by the Company of certain obligations relating to the Centers. The Company does not believe that these letters of credit will result in a liability to the Company.

Contractual Obligations

        The following is a schedule of contractual obligations as of December 31, 2009 for the consolidated Centers over the periods in which they are expected to be paid (in thousands):

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Funds From Operations

        The Company uses FFO in addition to net income to report its operating and financial results and considers FFO and FFO—diluted as supplemental measures for the real estate industry and a supplement to GAAP measures. NAREIT defines FFO as net income (loss) computed in accordance with GAAP, excluding gains (or losses) from extraordinary items and sales of depreciated operating properties, plus real estate related depreciation and amortization and after adjustments for unconsolidated partnerships and joint ventures. Adjustments for unconsolidated partnerships and joint ventures are calculated to reflect FFO on the same basis. The Company also adjusts FFO for the noncontrolling interest due to redemption value on the Rochester Properties. (See Note 17—Discontinued Operations in the Company's Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements.)

        FFO and FFO on a fully-diluted basis are useful to investors in comparing operating and financial results between periods. This is especially true since FFO excludes real estate depreciation and amortization as the Company believes real estate values fluctuate based on market conditions rather than depreciating in value ratably on a straight-line basis over time. In addition, consistent with the key objective of FFO as a measure of operating performance, the adjustment of FFO for the noncontrolling interest in redemption value provides a more meaningful measure of the Company's operating performance between periods without reference to the non-cash charge related to the adjustment in noncontrolling interest due to redemption value. The Company believes that such a presentation also provides investors with a more meaningful measure of its operating results in comparison to the operating results of other REITS. Further, FFO on a fully diluted basis is one of the measures investors find most useful in measuring the dilutive impact of outstanding convertible securities.

        FFO does not represent cash flow from operations as defined by GAAP, should not be considered as an alternative to net income as defined by GAAP and is not indicative of cash available to fund all cash flow needs. The Company also cautions that FFO, as presented, may not be comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other real estate investment trusts. The reconciliation of FFO and FFO—diluted to net income available to common stockholders is provided below.

        Management compensates for the limitations of FFO by providing investors with financial statements prepared according to GAAP, along with this detailed discussion of FFO and a reconciliation of FFO and FFO-diluted to net income available to common stockholders. Management believes that to further understand the Company's performance, FFO should be compared with the Company's reported net income and considered in addition to cash flows in accordance with GAAP, as presented in the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements.

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        The following reconciles net income (loss) available to common stockholders to FFO and FFO—diluted (dollars and shares in thousands):

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ITEM 7A.   QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK

        The Company's primary market risk exposure is interest rate risk. The Company has managed and will continue to manage interest rate risk by (1) maintaining a ratio of fixed rate, long-term debt to total debt such that floating rate exposure is kept at an acceptable level, (2) reducing interest rate exposure on certain long-term floating rate debt through the use of interest rate caps and/or swaps with appropriately matching maturities, (3) using treasury rate locks where appropriate to fix rates on anticipated debt transactions, and (4) taking advantage of favorable market conditions for long-term debt and/or equity.

        The following table sets forth information as of December 31, 2009 concerning the Company's long term debt obligations, including principal cash flows by scheduled maturity, weighted average interest rates and estimated fair value ("FV") (dollars in thousands):

        The consolidated Centers' total fixed rate debt at December 31, 2009 and 2008 was $3.7 billion and $4.3 billion, respectively. The average interest rate on fixed rate debt at December 31, 2009 and 2008 was 6.27% and 6.00%, respectively. The consolidated Centers' total floating rate debt at December 31, 2009 and 2008 was $840.5 million and $1.6 billion, respectively. The average interest rate on floating rate debt at December 31, 2009 and 2008 was 2.96% and 3.32%, respectively.

        The Company's pro rata share of the Joint Venture Centers' fixed rate debt at December 31, 2009 and 2008 was $2.0 billion and $1.8 billion, respectively. The average interest rate on fixed rate debt at December 31, 2009 and 2008 was 6.18% and 5.83%, respectively. The Company's pro rata share of the Joint Venture Centers' floating rate debt at December 31, 2009 and 2008 was $271.1 million and $181.5 million, respectively. The average interest rate on the floating rate debt at December 31, 2009 and 2008 was 2.10% and 2.36%, respectively.

        The Company uses derivative financial instruments in the normal course of business to manage or hedge interest rate risk and records all derivatives on the balance sheet at fair value (See Note 5—Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities in the Company's Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements).

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        The following are outstanding derivatives at December 31, 2009 (amounts in thousands):

        Interest rate cap agreements ("Cap") offer protection against floating rates on the notional amount from exceeding the rates noted in the above schedule, and interest rate swap agreements ("Swap") effectively replace a floating rate on the notional amount with a fixed rate as noted above.

        In addition, the Company has assessed the market risk for its floating rate debt and believes that a 1% increase in interest rates would decrease future earnings and cash flows by approximately $11.1 million per year based on $1.1 billion outstanding of floating rate debt at December 31, 2009.

        The fair value of the Company's long-term debt is estimated based on a present value model utilizing interest rates that reflect the risks associated with long-term debt of similar risk and duration. In addition, the method of computing fair value for mortgage notes payable included a credit value adjustment based on the estimated value of the property that serves as collateral for the underlying debt (See Note 10—Mortgage Notes Payable in the Company's Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements).

ITEM 8.    FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

        Refer to the Index to Financial Statements and Financial Statement Schedules for the required information appearing in Item 15.

ITEM 9.    CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE

        None.

ITEM 9A.    CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES

Conclusion Regarding Effectiveness of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

        As required by Rule 13a-15(b) under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), management carried out an evaluation, under the supervision and participation of the Company's Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of the Company's disclosure controls and procedures as of the end of the period covered by this Annual Report on

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Form 10-K. Based on their evaluation as of December 31, 2009, the Company's Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer have concluded that the Company's disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act were effective to ensure that the information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is (a) recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC's rules and forms and (b) accumulated and communicated to the Company's management, including its Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

Management's Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

        The Company's management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Exchange Act. The Company's management assessed the effectiveness of the Company's internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2009. In making this assessment, the Company's management used the criteria set forth by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission in Internal Control—Integrated Framework. The Company's management concluded that, as of December 31, 2009, its internal control over financial reporting was effective based on this assessment.

        Deloitte & Touche LLP, the independent registered public accounting firm that audited the Company's consolidated financial statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, has issued an attestation report on the Company's internal control over financial reporting which follows below.

Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

        There were no changes in the Company's internal control over financial reporting during the quarter ended December 31, 2009 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company's internal control over financial reporting.

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REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of
The Macerich Company
Santa Monica, California

        We have audited the internal control over financial reporting of The Macerich Company and subsidiaries (the "Company") as of December 31, 2009, based on criteria established in Internal Control—Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. The Company's management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in the accompanying Management's Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company's internal control over financial reporting based on our audit.

        We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk, and performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

        A company's internal control over financial reporting is a process designed by, or under the supervision of, the company's principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, and effected by the company's board of directors, management, and other personnel to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company's internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company's assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

        Because of the inherent limitations of internal control over financial reporting, including the possibility of collusion or improper management override of controls, material misstatements due to error or fraud may not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. Also, projections of any evaluation of the effectiveness of the internal control over financial reporting to future periods are subject to the risk that the controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

        In our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2009, based on the criteria established in Internal Control—Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission.

        We have also audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the consolidated financial statements and financial statement schedule as of and for the year ended December 31, 2009, of the Company and our report dated February 26, 2010, expressed an unqualified opinion on those financial statements and financial statement schedule.

/s/ DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP

Los Angeles, California
February 26, 2010

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ITEM 9B.    OTHER INFORMATION

        None.

PART III

ITEM 10.    DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

        There is hereby incorporated by reference the information which appears under the captions "Information Regarding Nominees and Directors," "Executive Officers," "Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance," "Audit Committee Matters" and "Codes of Ethics" in the Company's definitive proxy statement for its 2010 Annual Meeting of Stockholders that is responsive to the information required by this Item.

        During 2009, there were no material changes to the procedures described in the Company's proxy statement relating to the 2009 Annual Meeting of Stockholders by which stockholders may recommend nominees to the Company.

ITEM 11.    EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

        There is hereby incorporated by reference the information which appears under the caption "Election of Directors" in the Company's definitive proxy statement for its 2010 Annual Meeting of Stockholders that is responsive to the information required by this Item. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Compensation Committee Report set forth therein shall not be incorporated by reference herein, in any of the Company's prior or future filings under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, except to the extent the Company specifically incorporates such report by reference therein and shall not be otherwise deemed filed under either of such Acts.

ITEM 12.    SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS

        There is hereby incorporated by reference the information which appears under the captions "Principal Stockholders," "Information Regarding Nominees and Directors," "Executive Officers" and "Equity Compensation Plan Information" in the Company's definitive proxy statement for its 2010 Annual Meeting of Stockholders that is responsive to the information required by this Item.

ITEM 13.    CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE

        There is hereby incorporated by reference the information which appears under the captions "Certain Transactions" and "The Board of Directors and its Committees" in the Company's definitive proxy statement for its 2010 Annual Meeting of Stockholders that is responsive to the information required by this Item.

ITEM 14.    PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES

        There is hereby incorporated by reference the information which appears under the captions "Principal Accountant Fees and Services" and "Audit Committee Pre-Approval Policy" in the Company's definitive proxy statement for its 2010 Annual Meeting of Stockholders that is responsive to the information required by this Item.

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PART IV

ITEM 15.    EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES

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REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of
The Macerich Company
Santa Monica, California

        We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of The Macerich Company and subsidiaries (the "Company") as of December 31, 2009 and 2008, and the related consolidated statements of operations, equity, and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2009. Our audits also included the financial statement schedule listed in the Index at Item 15. These financial statements and financial statement schedule are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the financial statements and financial statement schedule based on our audits.

        We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

        In our opinion, such consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of The Macerich Company and subsidiaries as of December 31, 2009 and 2008, and the results of their operations and their cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2009, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. Also, in our opinion, such financial statement schedule, when considered in relation to the basic consolidated financial statements taken as a whole, presents fairly, in all material respects, the information set forth therein.

        We have also audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the Company's internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2009, based on the criteria established in Internal Control—Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission and our report dated February 26, 2010 expressed an unqualified opinion on the Company's internal control over financial reporting based on our audit.

/s/ DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP  

Deloitte & Touche LLP
Los Angeles, California

February 26, 2010

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THE MACERICH COMPANY

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(Dollars in thousands, except par value)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

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THE MACERICH COMPANY

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(Dollars in thousands, except per share amounts)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

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THE MACERICH COMPANY

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EQUITY

(Dollars in thousands, except per share data)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

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THE MACERICH COMPANY

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EQUITY (Continued)

(Dollars in thousands, except per share data)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

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THE MACERICH COMPANY

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EQUITY (Continued)

(Dollars in thousands, except per share data)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

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THE MACERICH COMPANY

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(Dollars in thousands)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

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THE MACERICH COMPANY

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (Continued)

(Dollars in thousands)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

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THE MACERICH COMPANY

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Dollars in thousands, except per share amounts)

1. Organization:

        The Macerich Company (the "Company") is involved in the acquisition, ownership, development, redevelopment, management and leasing of regional and community shopping centers (the "Centers") located throughout the United States.

        The Company commenced operations effective with the completion of its initial public offering on March 16, 1994. As of December 31, 2009, the Company was the sole general partner of and held an 89% ownership interest in The Macerich Partnership, L.P. (the "Operating Partnership"). The interests in the Operating Partnership are known as OP Units. OP Units not held by the Company are redeemable, at the election of the holder, on a one-for-one basis for the Company's stock or cash at the Company's option. The 11% limited partnership interest of the Operating Partnership not owned by the Company is reflected in these consolidated financial statements as noncontrolling interests in permanent equity. The Company was organized to qualify as a real estate investment trust ("REIT") under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

        The property management, leasing and redevelopment of the Company's portfolio is provided by the Company's management companies, Macerich Property Management Company, LLC ("MPMC, LLC"), a single member Delaware limited liability company, Macerich Management Company ("MMC"), a California corporation, Westcor Partners, L.L.C., a single member Arizona limited liability company, Macerich Westcor Management LLC, a single member Delaware limited liability company, Westcor Partners of Colorado, LLC, a Colorado limited liability company, MACW Mall Management, Inc., a New York corporation, and MACW Property Management, LLC, a single member New York limited liability company. These last two management companies are collectively referred to herein as the "Wilmorite Management Companies." The three Westcor management companies are collectively referred to herein as the "Westcor Management Companies." All seven of the management companies are collectively referred to herein as the "Management Companies."

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies:

Basis of Presentation:

        These consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") in the United States of America. The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and the Operating Partnership. Investments in entities that are controlled by the Company or meet the definition of a variable interest entity in which an enterprise absorbs the majority of the entity's expected losses, receives a majority of the entity's expected residual returns, or both, as a result of ownership, contractual or other financial interests in the entity are consolidated; otherwise they are accounted for under the equity method and are reflected as "Investments in Unconsolidated Joint Ventures." All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in the consolidated financial statements.

        The Company allocates net income of the Operating Partnership based on the weighted average ownership interest during the period. The net income of the Operating Partnership that is not attributable to the Company is reflected in the consolidated statements of operations as noncontrolling interests. The Company adjusts the noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership at the end of each period to reflect its ownership interest in the Company. The Company had an 89% and 87% ownership interest in the Operating Partnership as of December 31, 2009 and 2008, respectively. The

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THE MACERICH COMPANY

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(Dollars in thousands, except per share amounts)

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies: (Continued)

remaining 11% and 13% limited partnership interest as of December 31, 2009 and 2008, respectively, was owned by certain of the Company's executive officers and directors, certain of their affiliates, and other third party investors in the form of OP Units. The OP Units may be redeemed for shares of stock or cash, at the Company's option. The redemption value for each OP Unit as of any balance sheet date is the amount equal to the average of the closing price per share of the Company's common stock, par value $0.01 per share, as reported on the New York Stock Exchange for the ten trading days ending on the respective balance sheet date. Accordingly, as of December 31, 2009 and 2008, the aggregate redemption value of the then-outstanding OP Units not owned by the Company was $422,074 and $227,091, respectively.

Cash and Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash:

        The Company considers all highly liquid investments with an original maturity of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents, for which cost approximates fair value. Restricted cash includes impounds of property taxes and other capital reserves required under the loan agreements.

Tenant and Other Receivables, net:

        Included in tenant and other receivables, net is an allowance for doubtful accounts of $5,943 and $3,754 at December 31, 2009 and 2008, respectively. Also included in tenant and other receivables, net are accrued percentage rents of $4,912 and $6,546 at December 31, 2009 and 2008, respectively.

        Included in tenant and other receivables, net are the following notes receivable:

        On March 31, 2006, the Company received a note receivable that is secured by a deed of trust, bears interest at 5.5% and matures on March 31, 2031. At December 31, 2009 and 2008, the note had a balance of $9,227 and $9,450, respectively.

        On January 1, 2008, as part of the Rochester Redemption (See Note 17—Discontinued Operations), the Company received an unsecured note receivable that bears interest at 9.0% and matures on June 30, 2011. The balance on the note at December 31, 2009 and 2008 was $11,763.

Revenues:

        Minimum rental revenues are recognized on a straight-line basis over the term of the related lease. The difference between the amount of rent due in a year and the amount recorded as rental income is referred to as the "straight-line rent adjustment." Rental revenue was increased by $6,525, $4,545 and $6,671 due to the straight-line rent adjustment during the years ended December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007, respectively. Percentage rents are recognized and accrued when tenants' specified sales targets have been met.

        Estimated recoveries from certain tenants for their pro rata share of real estate taxes, insurance and other shopping center operating expenses are recognized as revenues in the period the applicable expenses are incurred. Other tenants pay a fixed rate and these tenant recoveries are recognized into revenue on a straight-line basis over the term of the related leases.

        The Management Companies provide property management, leasing, corporate, development, redevelopment and acquisition services to affiliated and non-affiliated shopping centers. In

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THE MACERICH COMPANY

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(Dollars in thousands, except per share amounts)

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies: (Continued)

consideration for these services, the Management Companies receive monthly management fees generally ranging from 1.5% to 5% of the gross monthly rental revenue of the properties managed.

Property:

        Costs related to the development, redevelopment, construction and improvement of properties are capitalized. Interest incurred on development, redevelopment and construction projects is capitalized until construction is substantially complete.

        Maintenance and repairs expenses are charged to operations as incurred. Costs for major replacements and betterments, which includes HVAC equipment, roofs, parking lots, etc., are capitalized and depreciated over their estimated useful lives. Gains and losses are recognized upon disposal or retirement of the related assets and are reflected in earnings.

        Property is recorded at cost and is depreciated using a straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets as follows:

Acquisitions:

        The Company first determines the value of the land and buildings utilizing an "as if vacant" methodology. The Company then assigns a fair value to any debt assumed at acquisition. The balance of the purchase price is allocated to tenant improvements and identifiable intangible assets or liabilities. Tenant improvements represent the tangible assets associated with the existing leases valued on a fair market value basis at the acquisition date prorated over the remaining lease terms. The tenant improvements are classified as an asset under property and are depreciated over the remaining lease terms. Identifiable intangible assets and liabilities relate to the value of in-place operating leases which come in three forms: (i) leasing commissions and legal costs, which represent the value associated with "cost avoidance" of acquiring in-place leases, such as lease commissions paid under terms generally experienced in the Company's markets; (ii) value of in-place leases, which represents the estimated loss of revenue and of costs incurred for the period required to lease the "assumed vacant" property to the occupancy level when purchased; and (iii) above or below market value of in-place leases, which represents the difference between the contractual rents and market rents at the time of the acquisition, discounted for tenant credit risks. Leasing commissions and legal costs are recorded in deferred charges and other assets and are amortized over the remaining lease terms. The value of in-place leases are recorded in deferred charges and other assets and amortized over the remaining lease terms plus an estimate of renewal of the acquired leases. Above or below market leases are classified in deferred charges and other assets or in other accrued liabilities, depending on whether the contractual terms are above or below market, and the asset or liability is amortized to rental revenue over the remaining terms of the leases.

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THE MACERICH COMPANY

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(Dollars in thousands, except per share amounts)

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies: (Continued)

Marketable Securities:

        The Company accounts for its investments in marketable securities as held-to-maturity debt securities as the Company has the intent and the ability to hold these securities until maturity. Accordingly, investments in marketable securities are carried at their amortized cost. The discount on marketable securities is amortized into interest income on a straight-line basis over the term of the notes, which approximates the effective interest method.

Deferred Charges:

        Costs relating to obtaining tenant leases are deferred and amortized over the initial term of the agreement using the straight-line method. Costs relating to financing of shopping center properties are deferred and amortized over the life of the related loan using the straight-line method, which approximates the effective interest method. In-place lease values are amortized over the remaining lease term plus an estimate of renewal. Leasing commissions and legal costs are amortized on a straight-line basis over the individual lease years.

        The range of the terms of the agreements is as follows:

Accounting for Impairment:

        The Company assesses whether there has been impairment in the value of its long-lived assets by considering expected future operating income, trends and prospects, as well as the effects of demand, competition and other economic factors. Such factors include the tenants' ability to perform their duties and pay rent under the terms of the leases. The determination of recoverability is made based upon the estimated undiscounted future net cash flows, excluding interest expense. The amount of impairment loss, if any, is determined by comparing the fair value, as determined by a discounted cash flows analysis, with the carrying value of the related assets. Long-lived assets classified as held for sale are measured at the lower of the carrying amount or fair value less cost to sell.

        The Company reviews its investments in unconsolidated joint ventures for a series of operating losses and other factors that may indicate that a decrease in the value of its investments has occurred which is other-than-temporary. The investment in each unconsolidated joint venture is evaluated periodically, and as deemed necessary, for recoverability and valuation declines that are other than temporary.

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THE MACERICH COMPANY

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(Dollars in thousands, except per share amounts)

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies: (Continued)

Fair Value of Financial Instruments:

        The fair value hierarchy distinguishes between market participant assumptions based on market data obtained from sources independent of the reporting entity and the reporting entity's own assumptions about market participant assumptions.

        Level 1 inputs utilize quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the Company has the ability to access. Level 2 inputs are inputs other than quoted prices included in Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly. Level 2 inputs may include quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets, as well as inputs that are observable for the asset or liability (other than quoted prices), such as interest rates, foreign exchange rates, and yield curves that are observable at commonly quoted intervals. Level 3 inputs are unobservable inputs for the asset or liability, which is typically based on an entity's own assumptions, as there is little, if any, related market activity. In instances where the determination of the fair value measurement is based on inputs from different levels of the fair value hierarchy, the level in the fair value hierarchy within which the entire fair value measurement falls is based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety. The Company's assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement in its entirety requires judgment, and considers factors specific to the asset or liability.

        The Company calculates the fair value of financial instruments and includes this additional information in the notes to consolidated financial statements when the fair value is different than the carrying value of those financial instruments. When the fair value reasonably approximates the carrying value, no additional disclosure is made.

Concentration of Risk:

        The Company maintains its cash accounts in a number of commercial banks. Accounts at these banks are guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation ("FDIC") up to $250. At various times during the year, the Company had deposits in excess of the FDIC insurance limit.

        No Center or tenant generated more than 10% of total revenues during 2009, 2008 or 2007.

Management Estimates:

        The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements Adopted:

        In June 2009, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Statement of Financial Accounting Standards ("SFAS") No. 168, "The FASB Accounting Standards Codification ("FASB Codification") and the Hierarchy of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles." This pronouncement establishes the FASB Codification as the source of authoritative GAAP recognized by the FASB to be

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THE MACERICH COMPANY

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(Dollars in thousands, except per share amounts)

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies: (Continued)

applied by nongovernmental entities. The Company adopted this pronouncement on July 1, 2009 and has updated its references to specific GAAP literature to reflect the codification.

        The following are recent accounting pronouncements adopted on April 1, 2009:

        SFAS No. 165, "Subsequent Events," which was superseded by the FASB Codification and is now included in Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") 855, establishes principles and requirements for evaluating and reporting subsequent events and distinguishes which subsequent events should be recognized in the financial statements versus which subsequent events should be disclosed in the financial statements. The adoption of this pronouncement did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

        FASB Staff Position ("FSP") SFAS 141(R)-1, "Accounting for Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed in a Business Combination That Arise from Contingencies," which was superseded by the FASB Codification and is now included in ASC 805-20, addresses application issues on the accounting for contingencies in a business combination. The adoption of this pronouncement did not have any impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

        The following are recent accounting pronouncements adopted on January 1, 2009:

        FSP SFAS No. 157-4, "Determining Fair Value When the Volume and Level of Activity for the Asset or Liability Have Significantly Decreased and Identifying Transactions That Are Not Orderly," which was superseded by the FASB Codification and is now included in ASC 820-10, reaffirmed the need to use judgment to ascertain if a formerly active market has become inactive and in determining fair values when markets have become inactive. The adoption of this pronouncement did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

        SFAS No. 141(R), "Business Combinations," which was superseded by the FASB Codification and is now included in ASC 805, requires an acquiring entity to recognize acquired assets and assumed liabilities in a transaction at fair value as of the acquisition date and changes the accounting treatment for certain items, including acquisition costs, which will be required to be expensed as incurred. The adoption of this pronouncement did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

        SFAS No. 161, "Disclosures about Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities, an amendment of FASB Statement No. 133," which was superseded by the FASB Codification and is now included in ASC 815-10, requires qualitative disclosures about objectives and strategies for using derivatives and quantitative disclosures about the fair value of and gains and losses on derivative instruments. As a result of the Company's adoption of this pronouncement, the Company has expanded its disclosures concerning its derivative instruments and hedging activities in Note 5—Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities.

        Emerging Issues Task Force ("EITF") No. 07-5, "Determining Whether an Instrument (or Embedded Feature) Is Indexed to an Entity's Own Stock," which was superseded by the FASB Codification and is now included in ASC 815-40, provides a two-step model to be applied in determining whether a financial instrument or an embedded feature is indexed to an issuer's own stock and thus able to qualify for the scope exception for classification as a derivative. The adoption of this pronouncement did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

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THE MACERICH COMPANY

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)

(Dollars in thousands, except per share amounts)

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies: (Continued)

        FSP Accounting Principles Board ("APB") 14-1, "Accounting for Convertible Debt Instruments That May Be Settled In Cash Upon Conversion (Including Partial Cash Settlement)," which was superseded by the FASB Codification and is now included in ASC 470, requires the initial proceeds from convertible debt that may be settled in cash to be bifurcated between a liability component and an equity component. On January 1, 2009, the Company adopted this guidance and was required to retrospectively allocate the initial proceeds from the issuance of the Senior Notes (See Note 11—Bank and Other Notes Payable) between a liability component and an equity component based on the fair value calculated based on the present value of contractual cash flows discounted at an appropriate comparable non-convertible debt borrowing rate at the date of issuance of the Senior Notes. As a result, the Company allocated $869,351 of the initial $940,500 proceeds to the liability component and the remaining $71,149 of proceeds to the equity component at the date of issuance of the Senior Notes.

        SFAS No. 160, "Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Financial Statements—An Amendment of ARB No. 51," which was superseded by the FASB Codification and is now included in ASC 810-10-45, requires that noncontrolling interests be presented as a component of stockholders' equity and eliminates "minority interest accounting" such that the amount of net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests will be presented as part of consolidated net income on the consolidated statements of operations. As a result of the adoption of this guidance on January 1, 2009, the Company classified its redeemable equity interest in one of its consolidated joint ventures as temporary equity due to the possibility that the Company could be required to redeem this interest for cash upon the occurrence of certain events outside the control of the Company. The carrying amount of the redeemable equity interest is equal to its liquidation value, which is the amount payable upon the occurrence of such event.

        In addition, the Company reclassified the OP Units and the common and preferred units of MACWH, LP to permanent equity. The OP Units and the common and preferred units of MACWH, LP are redeemable at the election of the holder and the Company may redeem them for cash or shares of stock of the Company at the Company's election. In addition, the Company reclassified outside ownership interests in various consolidated joint ventures to permanent equity.

        Further, as a result of the adoption, net income attributable to noncontrolling interests is now excluded from the determination of consolidated net income. In addition, the individual components of other comprehensive income are now presented in the aggregate, with the portion attributable to noncontrolling interests deducted from comprehensive income attributable to common stockholders. Corresponding changes have also been made to the accompanying consolidated statements of cash flows.

        FSP EITF No. 03-6-1, "Determining Whether Instruments Granted in Share-Based Payment Transactions Are Participating Securities," which was superseded by the FASB Codification and is now included in ASC 260-10-45, provides that instruments granted in share-based payment transactions are participating securities prior to vesting and, therefore, need to be included in the earnings allocation in computing earnings per share under the two-class method. The adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

        FSP SFAS 107-1 and APB 28-1, "Interim Disclosures about Fair Value of Financial Instruments," which was superseded by the FASB Codification and is now included in ASC 825-10-50, requires

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(Dollars in thousands, except per share amounts)

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies: (Continued)

disclosures on a quarterly basis that provide qualitative and quantitative information about fair value estimates for all those financial instruments not measured on the balance sheet at fair value. The Company has provided these disclosures in Note 10—Mortgage Notes Payable and Note 11—Bank and Other Notes Payable.

        FSP SFAS No. 115-2 and SFAS No. 124-2, "Recognition and Presentation of Other-Than-Temporary Impairments," which was superseded by the FASB Codification and is now included in ASC 320-10-35, requires increased and more timely disclosures regarding expected cash flows, credit losses, and an aging of securities with unrealized losses. The adoption of this pronouncement did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

        The following are recent accounting pronouncements adopted on January 1, 2010:

        SFAS No. 166, "Accounting for Transfers of Financial Assets—an amendment of FASB No. 140," which was superseded by the FASB Codification and is now included in ASC 860, removes the concept of a qualifying special-purpose entity and requires a transferor to consider all arrangements or agreements made contemporaneously with, or in contemplation of, a transfer of a financial asset in order to determine whether a transferor and all of the entities included in the transferor's financial statements being presented have surrendered control of the transferred financial asset. The adoption of this pronouncement is not expected to have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

        SFAS No. 167, "Amendments to FASB Interpretation No. 46(R)," which was superseded by the FASB Codification and is now included in ASC 810, provides guidance for determining whether an entity is the primary beneficiary in a variable interest entity. It also requires ongoing reassessments and additional disclosures about an entity's involvement in variable interest entities. The adoption of this pronouncement is not expected to have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

        In January 2010, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2010-01, which provided updated guidance on accounting for distributions to stockholders with components of stock and cash. The guidance clarifies that in calculating earnings per share, an entity should account for the stock portion of the distribution as a stock issuance and not as a stock dividend. The adoption of this accounting update did not have an impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

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(Dollars in thousands, except per share amounts)

3. Earnings per Share ("EPS"):

        The following table reconciles the numerator and denominator used in the computation of earnings per share for the years ended December 31 (shares in thousands except per share amounts):

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(Dollars in thousands, except per share amounts)

3. Earnings per Share ("EPS"): (Continued)

        The noncontrolling interests of the Operating Partnership as reflected in the Company's consolidated statements of operations has been allocated for EPS calculations as follows for the years ended December 31:

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(Dollars in thousands, except per share amounts)