Mall REITs post strong gains in second quarter of 2026

Investing.com -- Mall real estate investment trusts returned 22.4% in the second quarter of 2026, outpacing the broader REIT sector's 12.2% gain, according to a Stifel report released Monday.

The sector ranked as the third-best performing REIT category during the quarter after lagging in the first quarter with a 2.1% return versus 4.8% for the broader market.

Macerich (NYSE: MAC) led the group with a 34.2% total return in the quarter. The company made progress on its balance sheet and portfolio optimization while completing an acquisition during the period. Management provided an update on its Path Forward Plan version 3.0.

Simon Property Group (NYSE: SPG) returned 21.2% in the quarter, while Tanger Inc (NYSE: SKT) posted a 17.1% gain. All three mall REITs outperformed the broader REIT sector.

Short interest in mall REITs increased 78.1% during the second quarter to 5.8% of the float. Macerich saw the largest increase at 89.1%, following a forward equity offering during the period. Tanger had the smallest increase at 47.6%. Days to cover for the group decreased to 3.5 from 5.0.

Macerich maintained the highest short interest as a percentage of float at 9.2%. Simon Property Group had the lowest short interest in the group at 3.4% of float.

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