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Pandemic Turns Simon’s Mall-Merger Math Upside-Down

(Bloomberg Opinion) -- Malls have been falling out of favor with Americans for years. But the calculus surrounding which have the best chances of surviving and which are destined for decline was flipped on its head by the coronavirus pandemic. That helps explain the news on Wednesday that mall giant Simon Property Group Inc. wants to call off its planned purchase of Taubman Centers Inc.A portfolio of higher-end malls in urban areas that cater to domestic and international tourism was one reason Simon agreed to pay a 70% premium for rival Taubman in February. Those same outposts are now a liability as the pandemic turns consumers off from crowded indoor venues and grinds travel to a halt. And that may give Simon the argument it needs to successfully walk away from the merger. Simon said Wednesday it’s seeking to terminate the $3.6 billion deal, arguing that Taubman had experienced a “material adverse event” amid the pandemic and had breached its...