CBL & ASSOCIATES PROPERTIES INC - Annual Report: 2019 (Form 10-K)

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2019

Or

FOR THE TRANSITION PERIOD FROM _ TO _

COMMISSION FILE NO. 1-12494 (CBL & ASSOCIATES PROPERTIES, INC.)

COMMISSION FILE NO. 333-182515-01 (CBL & ASSOCIATES LIMITED PARTNERSHIP)

CBL & ASSOCIATES PROPERTIES, INC.

CBL & ASSOCIATES LIMITED PARTNERSHIP

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:    423.855.0001

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

CBL & Associates Properties, Inc.:

Securities registered under Section 12(b) of the Act:

CBL & Associates Limited Partnership: None

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:

CBL & Associates Properties, Inc.: None

CBL & Associates Limited Partnership: None 

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act.

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and "emerging growth company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).

The aggregate market value of the 169,176,047 shares of CBL & Associates Properties, Inc.'s common stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant as of June 30, 2019 was $ 175,943,089, based on the closing price of $1.04 per share on the New York Stock Exchange on June 28, 2019. (For this computation, the registrant has excluded the market value of all shares of its common stock reported as beneficially owned by executive officers and directors of the registrant; such exclusion shall not be deemed to constitute an admission that any such person is an “affiliate” of the registrant.)

As of February 28, 2020, 175,633,044 shares of common stock were outstanding.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Portions of CBL & Associates Properties, Inc.’s Proxy Statement for the 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders are incorporated by reference in Part III .

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This report combines the annual reports on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 of CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. and CBL & Associates Limited Partnership. Unless stated otherwise or the context otherwise requires, references to the "Company" mean CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. and its subsidiaries. References to the "Operating Partnership" mean CBL & Associates Limited Partnership and its subsidiaries. The terms "we," "us" and "our" refer to the Company or the Company and the Operating Partnership collectively, as the context requires.

The Company is a real estate investment trust ("REIT") whose stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange. The Company is the 100% owner of two qualified REIT subsidiaries, CBL Holdings I, Inc. and CBL Holdings II, Inc. At December 31, 2019, CBL Holdings I, Inc., the sole general partner of the Operating Partnership, owned a 1.0% general partner interest in the Operating Partnership and CBL Holdings II, Inc. owned an 86.0% limited partner interest for a combined interest held by the Company of 87.0%.

As the sole general partner of the Operating Partnership, the Company's subsidiary, CBL Holdings I, Inc., has exclusive control of the Operating Partnership's activities. Management operates the Company and the Operating Partnership as one business. The management of the Company consists of the same individuals that manage the Operating Partnership. The Company's only material asset is its indirect ownership of partnership interests of the Operating Partnership. As a result, the Company conducts substantially all its business through the Operating Partnership as described in the preceding paragraph. The Company also issues public equity from time to time and guarantees certain debt of the Operating Partnership. The Operating Partnership holds all of the assets and indebtedness of the Company and, through affiliates, retains the ownership interests in the Company's joint ventures. Except for the net proceeds of offerings of equity by the Company, which are contributed to the Operating Partnership in exchange for partnership units on a one-for-one basis, the Operating Partnership generates all remaining capital required by the Company's business through its operations and its incurrence of indebtedness.

We believe that combining the two annual reports on Form 10-K for the Company and the Operating Partnership provides the following benefits:

To help investors understand the differences between the Company and the Operating Partnership, this report provides separate consolidated financial statements for the Company and the Operating Partnership. Noncontrolling interests, shareholders' equity and partners' capital are the main areas of difference between the consolidated financial statements of the Company and those of the Operating Partnership. A single set of notes to consolidated financial statements is presented that includes separate discussions for the Company and the Operating Partnership, when applicable. A combined Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations section is also included that presents combined information and discrete information related to each entity, as applicable.

In order to highlight the differences between the Company and the Operating Partnership, this report includes the following sections that provide separate financial and other information for the Company and the Operating Partnership:

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements  

Certain statements included or incorporated by reference in this Annual Report on Form 10-K may be deemed “forward looking statements” within the meaning of the federal securities laws.  All statements other than statements of historical fact should be considered to be forward-looking statements. In many cases, these forward looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as “will,” “may,” “should,” “could,” “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “estimates,” “intends,” “projects,” “goals,” “objectives,” “targets,” “predicts,” “plans,” “seeks,” and variations of these words and similar expressions.  Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the factors discussed throughout this report. 

Although we believe the expectations reflected in any forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance or results and we can give no assurance that these expectations will be attained.  It is possible that actual results may differ materially from those indicated by these forward-looking statements due to a variety of known and unknown risks and uncertainties. In addition to the risk factors discussed in Part I, Item 1A of this report, such known risks and uncertainties include, without limitation:

This list of risks and uncertainties is only a summary and is not intended to be exhaustive.  We disclaim any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect actual results or changes in the factors affecting the forward-looking information.

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PART I

ITEM 1. BUSINESS  

Background

CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. (“CBL”) was organized on July 13, 1993, as a Delaware corporation, to acquire substantially all of the real estate properties owned by CBL & Associates, Inc., which was formed by Charles B. Lebovitz in 1978, and by certain of its related parties.  On November 3, 1993, CBL completed an initial public offering (the “Offering”). Simultaneously with the completion of the Offering, CBL & Associates, Inc., its shareholders and affiliates and certain senior officers of the Company (collectively, “CBL’s Predecessor”) transferred substantially all of their interests in its real estate properties to CBL & Associates Limited Partnership (the “Operating Partnership”) in exchange for common units of limited partner interest in the Operating Partnership. The interests in the Operating Partnership contain certain conversion rights that are more fully described in Note 9 to the consolidated financial statements. The terms “we,” “us” and “our” refer to the Company or the Company and the Operating Partnership collectively, as the context requires. 

The Company’s Business

We are a self-managed, self-administered, fully integrated REIT. We own, develop, acquire, lease, manage, and operate regional shopping malls, open-air and mixed-use centers, outlet centers, associated centers, community centers, office and other properties. Our Properties are located in 26 states, but are primarily in the southeastern and midwestern United States. We have elected to be taxed as a REIT for federal income tax purposes.

We conduct substantially all of our business through CBL & Associates Limited Partnership (the "Operating Partnership"), which is a variable interest entity ("VIE"). We are the 100% owner of two qualified REIT subsidiaries, CBL Holdings I, Inc. and CBL Holdings II, Inc. CBL Holdings I, Inc. is the sole general partner of the Operating Partnership. At December 31, 2019, CBL Holdings I, Inc. owned a 1.0% general partner interest and CBL Holdings II, Inc. owned an 86.0% limited partner interest in the Operating Partnership, for a combined interest held by us of 87.0%.

See Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements for information on our Properties as of December 31, 2019. As of December 31, 2019, we owned mortgages on four Properties, each of which is collateralized by either a first mortgage, a second mortgage or by assignment of 100% of the ownership interests in the underlying real estate and related improvements (the “Mortgages”). The Malls, All Other Properties ("Associated Centers, Community Centers, Office Buildings and Self-storage Facilities"), Properties under development ("Construction Properties") and Mortgages are collectively referred to as the “Properties” and individually as a “Property.”

We conduct our property management and development activities through CBL & Associates Management, Inc. (the “Management Company”) to comply with certain requirements of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Internal Revenue Code").  The Operating Partnership owns 100% of the Management Company’s outstanding preferred stock and common stock.

The Management Company manages all but 14 of the Properties. Governor’s Square and Governor’s Square Plaza in Clarksville, TN, Kentucky Oaks Mall in Paducah, KY, Fremaux Town Center in Slidell, LA, Ambassador Town Center in Lafayette, LA, EastGate Mall - Self-Storage in Cincinnati, OH, Mid Rivers – Self-Storage in St. Peters, MO, Hamilton Place – Self-Storage in Chattanooga, TN, Parkdale – Self-Storage in Beaumont, TX, The Outlet Shoppes at El Paso in El Paso, TX, The Outlet Shoppes at Atlanta in Woodstock, GA and The Outlet Shoppes of the Bluegrass in Simpsonville, KY are all owned by unconsolidated joint ventures and are managed by a property manager that is affiliated with the third-party partner, which receives a fee for its services. The third-party partner of each of these Properties controls the cash flow distributions, although our approval is required for certain major decisions.  The Outlet Shoppes at Gettysburg in Gettysburg, PA and The Outlet Shoppes at Laredo in Laredo, TX are owned by consolidated joint ventures and managed by a property manager that is affiliated with the third-party partner, which receives a fee for its services.

Rental revenues are primarily derived from leases with retail tenants and generally include fixed minimum rents, percentage rents based on tenants’ sales volumes and reimbursements from tenants for expenditures related to real estate taxes, insurance, common area maintenance ("CAM") and other recoverable operating expenses, as well as certain capital expenditures. We also generate revenues from management, leasing and development fees, sponsorships, sales of peripheral land at the Properties and from sales of operating real estate assets when it is determined that we can realize an appropriate value for the assets. Proceeds from such sales are generally used to retire related indebtedness or reduce outstanding balances on our credit facility. 

The following terms used in this Annual Report on Form 10-K will have the meanings described below:

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Significant Markets and Tenants  

Top Five Markets

Our top five markets, based on percentage of total revenues, were as follows for the year ended December 31, 2019:

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Top 25 Tenants

Our top 25 tenants based on percentage of total revenues were as follows for the year ended December 31, 2019:

Operating Strategy

Our objective is to achieve stabilization in same-center net operating income ("NOI") and reduce our overall cost of debt and equity by maximizing total earnings before income taxes, depreciation and amortization for real estate ("EBITDA re ") and cash flows through a variety of methods as further discussed below.

Same-center NOI is a non-GAAP measure. For a description of same-center NOI, a reconciliation from net income (loss) to same-center NOI, and an explanation of why we believe this is a useful performance measure, see Non-GAAP Measure - Same-center Net Operating Income in “Results of Operations.”

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Leasing, Management and Marketing  

Our objective is to maximize cash flows from our existing Properties through:

Redevelopments  

Redevelopments represent situations where we capitalize on opportunities to increase the productivity of previously occupied space through aesthetic upgrades, retenanting and/or changing the use of the space. We may use all or only a portion of the prior-tenant square footage. Many times, redevelopments result from acquiring or regaining possession of Anchor space (such as former Sears and Bon-Ton stores) and subdividing it into multiple spaces.

Renovations

Renovations usually include remodeling and upgrading existing facades, uniform signage, new entrances and floor coverings, updating interior décor, resurfacing parking areas and improving the lighting of interiors and parking areas. Renovations can result in attracting new retailers, increased rental rates, sales and occupancy levels and maintaining the Property's market dominance.

Shadow Redevelopment Pipeline

We are continually pursuing redevelopment opportunities and have projects in various stages of pre-development. Our shadow pipeline consists of projects for Properties on which we have completed initial analysis and design but which have not commenced construction as of December 31, 2019.

See "Liquidity and Capital Resources" section for information on the projects completed during 2019 and under construction at December 31, 2019.

Acquisitions

We believe there is opportunity for growth through acquisitions of retail centers and anchor stores that complement our portfolio. We selectively acquire properties we believe can appreciate in value by increasing NOI through our development, leasing and management expertise. However, our primary focus at this time is on opportunities to acquire anchors at our Properties for future redevelopment uses.

Environmental Matters

A discussion of the current effects and potential impacts on our business and Properties of compliance with federal, state and local environmental regulations is presented in Item 1A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K under the subheading “Risks Related to Real Estate Investments.”

Competition

The Properties compete with various shopping facilities in attracting retailers to lease space. In addition, retailers at our Properties face competition from discount shopping centers, outlet centers, wholesale clubs, direct mail, television shopping networks, the internet and other retail shopping developments. The extent of the retail competition varies from market to market. We work aggressively to attract customers through marketing promotions and social media campaigns. Many of our retailers have adopted an omni-channel approach which leverages sales through both digital and traditional retailing channels.

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Seasonality

The shopping center business is, to some extent, seasonal in nature with tenants typically achieving the highest levels of sales during the fourth quarter due to the holiday season, which generally results in higher percentage rent income in the fourth quarter. Additionally, the Malls earn most of their “temporary” rents (rents from short-term tenants) during the holiday period. Thus, occupancy levels and revenue production are generally the highest in the fourth quarter of each year. Results of operations realized in any one quarter may not be indicative of the results likely to be experienced over the course of our fiscal year.

Equity

Common Stock and Common Units

Our authorized common stock consists of 350,000,000 shares at $0.01 par value per share. We had 174,115,111 and 172,656,458 shares of common stock issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively. The Operating Partnership had 200,189,077 and 199,414,863 common units outstanding as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

Preferred Stock

Our authorized preferred stock consists of 15,000,000 shares at $0.01 par value per share. See Note 9 to the consolidated financial statements for a description of our outstanding cumulative redeemable preferred stock.

Financial Information about Segments

See Note 12 to the consolidated financial statements for information about our reportable segments.

Employees

CBL does not have any employees other than its statutory officers.  Our Management Company had 493 full-time and 101 part-time employees as of December 31, 2019. None of our employees are represented by a union.

Corporate Offices

Our principal executive offices are located at CBL Center, 2030 Hamilton Place Boulevard, Suite 500, Chattanooga, Tennessee, 37421 and our telephone number is (423) 855-0001.

Available Information

There is additional information about us on our web site at cblproperties.com . Electronic copies of our Annual Report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K, as well as any amendments to those reports, are available free of charge by visiting the “invest” section of our web site. These reports are posted as soon as reasonably practical after they are electronically filed with, or furnished to, the SEC. The information on our web site is not, and should not be considered, a part of this Form 10-K. 

ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS  

Set forth below are certain factors that may adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.  Any one or more of the following factors may cause our actual results for various financial reporting periods to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements made by us, or on our behalf. See “Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” contained herein on page 1 . 

RISKS RELATED TO REAL ESTATE INVESTMENTS

Real property investments are subject to various risks, many of which are beyond our control, which could cause declines in the operating revenues and/or the underlying value of one or more of our Properties.

A number of factors may decrease the income generated by a retail shopping center property, including: 

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In addition, other factors may adversely affect the value of our Properties without affecting their current revenues, including:

Illiquidity of real estate investments could significantly affect our ability to respond to adverse changes in the performance of our Properties and harm our financial condition.

Substantially all of our consolidated assets consist of investments in real properties. Because real estate investments are relatively illiquid, our ability to quickly sell one or more Properties in our portfolio in response to changing economic, financial and investment conditions is limited. The real estate market is affected by many factors, such as general economic conditions, availability of financing, interest rates and other factors, including supply and demand for space, that are beyond our control. We cannot predict whether we will be able to sell any Property for the price or on the terms we set, or whether any price or other terms offered by a prospective purchaser would be acceptable to us. We also cannot predict the length of time needed to find a willing purchaser and to close the sale of a Property. In addition, current economic and capital market conditions might make it more difficult for us to sell Properties or might adversely affect the price we receive for Properties that we do sell, as prospective buyers might experience increased costs of debt financing or other difficulties in obtaining debt financing.

Moreover, there are some limitations under federal income tax laws applicable to REITs that limit our ability to sell assets. In addition, because many of our Properties are 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, or transfer of debt to a buyer, 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 Properties, 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 Property.

Before a Property can be sold, we may be required to make expenditures to correct defects or to make improvements. We cannot assure you that we will have funds available to correct those defects or to make those improvements, and if we cannot do so, we might not be able to sell the Property, or might be required to sell the Property on unfavorable terms. In acquiring a property, we might agree to provisions that materially restrict us from selling that property for a period of time or impose other restrictions, such as limitations on the amount of debt that can be placed or repaid on

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that property. These factors and any others that would impede our ability to respond to adverse changes in the performance of our Properties could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

We may elect not to proceed with certain developments, redevelopments or expansion projects once they have been undertaken, resulting in charges that could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations for the period in which the charge is taken.

We intend to pursue developments, redevelopments and expansion activities as opportunities arise. In connection with any developments, redevelopments or expansion, we will incur various risks, including the risk that developments, redevelopments or expansion opportunities explored by us may be abandoned for various reasons including, but not limited to, credit disruptions that require the Company to conserve its cash until the capital markets stabilize or alternative credit or funding arrangements can be made. Developments, redevelopments or expansions also include the risk that construction costs of a project may exceed original estimates, possibly making the project unprofitable. Other risks include the risk that we may not be able to refinance construction loans which are generally with full recourse to us, the risk that occupancy rates and rents at a completed project will not meet projections and will be insufficient to make the project profitable, and the risk that we will not be able to obtain Anchor, mortgage lender and property partner approvals for certain expansion activities.

When we elect not to proceed with a development opportunity, the development costs ordinarily are charged against income for the then-current period. Any such charge could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations for the period in which the charge is taken.

Certain of our Properties are subject to ownership interests held by third parties, whose interests may conflict with ours and thereby constrain us from taking actions concerning these Properties which otherwise would be in the best interests of the Company and our stockholders.

We own partial interests in 13 malls, 7 associated centers, 6 community centers, 2 office buildings, a hotel development, a residential development and 4 self-storage facilities. We have interests in 5 malls, 1 associated center, 2 community centers and four self-storage facilities that are all owned by unconsolidated joint ventures and are managed by a property manager that is affiliated with the third-party partner, which receives a fee for its services. The third-party partner of each of these Properties controls the cash flow distributions, although our approval is required for certain major decisions. We have interests in two malls that are owned by consolidated joint ventures and managed by a property manager that is affiliated with the third-party partner, which receives a fee for its services.

Where we serve as managing general partner (or equivalent) of the entities that own our Properties, we may have certain fiduciary responsibilities to the other owners of those entities. In certain cases, the approval or consent of the other owners is required before we may sell, finance, expand or make other significant changes in the operations of such Properties. To the extent such approvals or consents are required, we may experience difficulty in, or may be prevented from, implementing our plans with respect to expansion, development, financing or other similar transactions with respect to such Properties.

With respect to those Properties for which we do not serve as managing general partner (or equivalent), we do not have day-to-day operational control or control over certain major decisions, including leasing and the timing and amount of distributions, which could result in decisions by the managing entity that do not fully reflect our interests. This includes decisions relating to the requirements that we must satisfy in order to maintain our status as a REIT for tax purposes. However, decisions relating to sales, expansion and disposition of all or substantially all of the assets and financings are subject to approval by the Operating Partnership.

Bankruptcy of joint venture partners could impose delays and costs on us with respect to the jointly owned retail Properties.

In addition to the possible effects on our joint ventures of a bankruptcy filing by us, the bankruptcy of one of the other investors in any of our jointly owned shopping centers could materially and adversely affect the relevant Property or Properties. Under the bankruptcy laws, we would be precluded from taking some actions affecting the estate of the other investor without prior approval of the bankruptcy court, which would, in most cases, entail prior notice to other parties and a hearing in the bankruptcy court. At a minimum, the requirement to obtain court approval may delay the actions we would or might want to take. If the relevant joint venture through which we have invested in a Property has incurred recourse obligations, the discharge in bankruptcy of one of the other investors might result in our ultimate liability for a greater portion of those obligations than we would otherwise bear. 

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We may be unable to lease space in our properties on favorable terms, or at all.

Our results of operations depend on our ability to continue to lease space in our properties, including vacant space and re-leasing space in properties where leases are expiring, optimizing our tenant mix, or leasing properties on economically favorable terms. Because we have leases expiring annually, we are continually focused on leasing our properties. Similarly, we are pursuing a strategy of replacing expiring short-term leases with long-term leases. For more information on lease expirations see Mall Lease Expirations and Other Property Type Lease Expirations .

There can be no assurance that our leases will be renewed or that vacant space will be re-let at rates equal to or above the current average net effective rental rates or that substantial rent abatements, tenant improvements, early termination rights or below market renewal options will not be offered to attract new tenants or retain existing tenants. If the rental rates decrease, if our existing tenants do not renew their leases or if we do not re-let a significant portion of our available space and space for which leases will expire, our financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.

We may incur significant costs related to compliance with environmental laws, which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, cash flows and the funds available to us to pay dividends.

Under various federal, state and local laws, ordinances and regulations, a current or previous owner or operator of real estate may be liable for the costs of removal or remediation of petroleum, certain hazardous or toxic substances on, under or in such real estate. Such laws typically impose such liability without regard to whether the owner or operator knew of, or was responsible for, the presence of such substances. The costs of remediation or removal of such substances may be substantial. The presence of such substances, or the failure to promptly remove or remediate such substances, may adversely affect the owner's or operator's ability to lease or sell such real estate or to borrow using such real estate as collateral. Persons who arrange for the disposal or treatment of hazardous or toxic substances may also be liable for the costs of removal or remediation of such substances at the disposal or treatment facility, regardless of whether such facility is owned or operated by such person. Certain laws also impose requirements on conditions and activities that may affect the environment or the impact of the environment on human health. Failure to comply with such requirements could result in the imposition of monetary penalties (in addition to the costs to achieve compliance) and potential liabilities to third parties. Among other things, certain laws require abatement or removal of friable and certain non-friable asbestos-containing materials in the event of demolition or certain renovations or remodeling. Certain laws regarding asbestos-containing materials require building owners and lessees, among other things, to notify and train certain employees working in areas known or presumed to contain asbestos-containing materials. Certain laws also impose liability for release of asbestos-containing materials into the air and third parties may seek recovery from owners or operators of real properties for personal injury or property damage associated with asbestos-containing materials. In connection with the ownership and operation of properties, we may be potentially liable for all or a portion of such costs or claims.

All of our Properties (but not properties for which we hold an option to purchase but do not yet own) have been subject to Phase I environmental assessments or updates of existing Phase I environmental assessments. Such assessments generally consisted of a visual inspection of the Properties, review of federal and state environmental databases and certain information regarding historic uses of the Property and adjacent areas and the preparation and issuance of written reports. Some of the Properties contain, or contained, underground storage tanks used for storing petroleum products or wastes typically associated with automobile service or other operations conducted at the Properties. Certain Properties contain, or contained, dry-cleaning establishments utilizing solvents. Where believed to be warranted, samplings of building materials or subsurface investigations were undertaken. At certain Properties, where warranted by the conditions, we have developed and implemented an operations and maintenance program that establishes operating procedures with respect to asbestos-containing materials. The cost associated with the development and implementation of such programs was not material. We have also obtained environmental insurance coverage at certain of our Properties.

We believe that our Properties are in compliance in all material respects with all federal, state and local ordinances and regulations regarding the handling, discharge and emission of hazardous or toxic substances. As of December 31, 2019, we have recorded in our consolidated financial statements a liability of $3.0 million related to potential future asbestos abatement activities at our Properties which are not expected to have a material impact on our financial condition or results of operations. We have not been notified by any governmental authority, and are not otherwise aware, of any material noncompliance, liability or claim relating to hazardous or toxic substances in connection with any of our present or former Properties. Therefore, we have not recorded any liability related to hazardous or toxic substances. Nevertheless, it is possible that the environmental assessments available to us do not reveal all potential environmental liabilities. It is also possible that subsequent investigations will identify material contamination, that adverse environmental conditions have arisen subsequent to the performance of the environmental assessments, or that there are material environmental liabilities of which management is unaware. Moreover, no assurances can be given that (i) future laws, ordinances or regulations will

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not impose any material environmental liability or (ii) the current environmental condition of the Properties has not been or will not be affected by tenants and occupants of the Properties, by the condition of properties in the vicinity of the Properties or by third parties unrelated to us, the Operating Partnership or the relevant Property's partnership.

Possible terrorist activity or other acts of violence could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

Future terrorist attacks in the United States, and other acts of violence, including terrorism or war, might result in declining consumer confidence and spending, which could harm the demand for goods and services offered by our tenants and the values of our Properties, and might adversely affect an investment in our securities. A decrease in retail demand could make it difficult for us to renew or re-lease our Properties at lease rates equal to or above historical rates and, to the extent our tenants are affected, could adversely affect their ability to continue to meet obligations under their existing leases. Terrorist activities also could directly affect the value of our Properties through damage, destruction or loss. Furthermore, terrorist acts might result in increased volatility in national and international financial markets, which could limit our access to capital or increase our cost of obtaining capital.

We face possible risks associated with climate change.

We cannot determine with certainty whether global warming or cooling is occurring and, if so, at what rate. To the extent climate change causes changes in weather patterns, our properties in certain markets and regions could experience increases in storm intensity and rising sea levels. Over time, these conditions could result in volatile or decreased demand for retail space at certain of our Properties or, in extreme cases, our inability to operate the Properties at all. Climate change may also have indirect effects on our business by increasing the cost of (or making unavailable) insurance on favorable terms and increasing the cost of energy and snow removal at our Properties. Moreover, compliance with new laws or regulations related to climate change, including compliance with "green" building codes, may require us to make improvements to our existing Properties or increase taxes and fees assessed on us or our Properties. At this time, there can be no assurance that climate change will not have a material adverse effect on us.

RISKS RELATED TO OUR BUSINESS AND THE MARKET FOR OUR STOCK

The loss of one or more significant tenants, due to bankruptcies or as a result of consolidations in the retail industry, could adversely affect both the operating revenues and value of our Properties.

We could be adversely affected by the bankruptcy, early termination, sales performance, or closing of tenants and Anchors. Certain of our lease agreements include co-tenancy and/or sales-based kick-out provisions which allow a tenant to pay a reduced rent amount and, in certain instances, terminate the lease, if we fail to maintain certain occupancy levels or retain specified named Anchors, or if the tenant does not achieve certain specified sales targets. If occupancy or tenant sales do not meet or fall below certain thresholds, rents we are entitled to receive from our retail tenants could be reduced. The bankruptcy of a tenant could result in the termination of its lease, which would lower the amount of cash generated by that Property. Replacing tenants with better performing, emerging retailers may take longer than our historical experience of re-tenanting due to their lack of infrastructure and limited experience in opening stores as well as the significant competition for such emerging brands. In addition, if a department store operating as an Anchor at one of our Properties were to cease operating, we may experience difficulty and delay and incur significant expense in replacing the Anchor, re-tenanting, or otherwise re-merchandising the use of the Anchor space. This difficulty could be exacerbated if the Anchor space is owned by a third party and we are not able to acquire the space, if the third party’s plans to lease or redevelop the space do not align with our interests or the third party does not act in a timely manner to lease or redevelop the space. In addition, the Anchor’s closing may lead to reduced customer traffic and lower mall tenant sales. As a result, we may also experience difficulty or delay in leasing spaces in areas adjacent to the vacant Anchor space. The early termination or closing of tenants or Anchors for reasons other than bankruptcy could have a similar impact on the operations of our Properties, although in the case of early terminations we may benefit in the short-term from lease termination income.

Most recently, certain traditional department stores have experienced challenges including limited opportunities for new investment/openings, declining sales, and store closures. Department stores' market share is declining, and their ability to drive traffic has substantially decreased. Despite our Malls traditionally being driven by department store Anchors, in the event of a need for replacement, it has become necessary to consider non-department store Anchors. Certain of these non-department store Anchors may demand higher allowances than a standard mall tenant due to the nature of the services/products they provide.

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Clauses in leases with certain tenants in our properties frequently may include inducements, such as reduced rent and tenant allowance payments, which can reduce our rents and Funds From Operations (“FFO”) , and adversely impact our financial condition and results of operation.

The leases for a number of the tenants in our properties have co-tenancy clauses that allow those tenants to pay reduced rent until occupancy at the respective property regains certain thresholds and/or certain named co-tenants open stores at the respective property. Additionally, some tenants may have rent abatement clauses that delay rent commencement for a prolonged period of time after initial occupancy. The effect of these clauses reduces our rents and FFO while they are applicable. We expect to continue to offer co-tenancy and rent abatement clauses in the future to attract tenants to our properties. As a result, our financial condition and results of operations may be adversely impacted.

Additionally, the prevalence and volume of such leases is likely to increase at an unpredictable rate in light of the recent proliferation of bankruptcy filings and closures by retailers occupying “big box”, anchor or other traditionally large spaces which can have an adverse impact on our financial condition and results of operations.

We may not be able to raise capital through financing activities.

Many of our assets are encumbered by property-level indebtedness; therefore, we may be limited in our ability to raise additional capital through property level or other financings.  In addition, our ability to raise additional capital could be limited to refinancing existing secured mortgages before their maturity date which may result in yield maintenance or other prepayment penalties to the extent that the mortgage is not open for prepayment at par.

The market price of our common stock or other securities may fluctuate significantly.

The market price of our common stock or other securities may fluctuate significantly in response to many factors, including: 

Many of the factors listed above are beyond our control. Those factors may cause the market price of our common stock or other securities to decline significantly, regardless of our financial performance and condition and prospects. It is impossible to provide any assurance that the market price of our common stock or other securities will not fall in the future, and it may be difficult for holders to sell such securities at prices they find attractive, or at all.

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We are in a competitive business.

There are numerous shopping facilities that compete with our Properties in attracting retailers to lease space. Our ability to attract tenants to our Properties and lease space is important to our success, and difficulties in doing so can materially impact our Properties' performance. The existence of competing shopping centers could have a material adverse impact on our ability to develop or operate Properties, lease space to desirable Anchors and tenants, and on the level of rents that can be achieved. In addition, retailers at our Properties face continued competition from shopping through various means and channels, including via the internet, lifestyle centers, value and outlet centers, wholesale and discount shopping clubs, and television shopping networks. Competition of this type could adversely affect our revenues and cash available for distribution to shareholders.

As new technologies emerge, the relationship among customers, retailers, and shopping centers are evolving on a rapid basis and we may not be able to adapt to such new technologies and relationships on a timely basis. Our relative size may limit the capital and resources we are willing to allocate to invest in strategic technology to enhance the mall experience, which may make our Malls relatively less desirable to anchors, mall tenants, and consumers. Additionally, a small but increasing number of tenants utilize our Malls as showrooms or as part of an omni-channel strategy (allowing customers to shop seamlessly through various sales channels). As a result, customers may make purchases through other sales channels during or immediately after visiting our Malls, with such sales not being captured currently in our tenant sales figures or monetized in our minimum or overage rents.

We compete with other major real estate investors with significant capital for attractive investment opportunities. These competitors include other REITs, investment banking firms, and private and institutional investors, some of whom have greater financial resources or have different investment criteria than we do. In particular, there is competition to acquire, develop, or redevelop highly productive retail properties. This could become even more severe as competitors gain size and economies of scale as a result of merger and consolidation activity. This competition may impair our ability to acquire, develop, or redevelop suitable properties, and to attract key retailers, on favorable terms in the future.

Increased operating expenses, decreased occupancy rates and tenants converting to gross leases may not allow us to recover the majority of our CAM, real estate taxes and other operating expenses from our tenants, which could adversely affect our financial position, results of operations and funds available for future distributions.

Energy costs, repairs, maintenance and capital improvements to common areas of our Properties, janitorial services, administrative, property and liability insurance costs and security costs are typically allocable to our Properties' tenants. Our lease agreements typically provide that the tenant is liable for a portion of the CAM and other operating expenses. While historically our lease agreements provided for variable CAM provisions, the majority of our current leases require an equal periodic tenant reimbursement amount for our cost recoveries which serves to fix our tenants' CAM contributions to us. In these cases, a tenant will pay a fixed amount, or a set expense reimbursement amount, subject to annual increases, regardless of the actual amount of operating expenses. The tenant's payment remains the same regardless of whether operating expenses increase or decrease, causing us to be responsible for any excess amounts or to benefit from any declines. As a result, the CAM and tenant reimbursements that we receive may or may not allow us to recover a substantial portion of these operating costs.

There is also a trend of more tenants moving to gross leases, which provide that the tenant pays a single specified amount, with no additional payments for reimbursements of the tenant's portion of operating expenses. As a result, we are responsible for any increases in operating expenses, and benefit from any decreases in operating expenses.

Additionally, in the event that our Properties are not fully occupied, we would be required to pay the portion of any operating, redevelopment or renovation expenses allocable to the vacant space(s) that would otherwise typically be paid by the residing tenant(s).

Our Properties may be subject to impairment charges, which could impact our compliance with certain debt covenants and could otherwise adversely affect our financial results.

We monitor events or changes in circumstances that could indicate the carrying value of a long-lived asset may not be recoverable.  When indicators of potential impairment are present that suggest that the carrying amounts of a long-lived asset may not be recoverable, we assess the recoverability of the asset by determining whether the asset’s carrying value will be recovered through the estimated undiscounted future cash flows expected from our probability weighted use of the asset and its eventual disposition. In the event that such undiscounted future cash flows do not exceed the carrying value, we adjust the carrying value of the long-lived asset to its estimated fair value and recognize an impairment loss.  The estimated fair value is calculated based on the following information, in order of preference, depending upon availability: (Level 1) recently quoted market prices, (Level 2) market prices for comparable properties, or (Level 3) the present value of

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future cash flows, including estimated salvage value. Certain of our long-lived assets may be carried at more than an amount that could be realized in a current disposition transaction.  Projections of expected future operating cash flows require that we estimate future market rental income amounts subsequent to expiration of current lease agreements, property operating expenses, the number of months it takes to re-lease the Property, and the number of years the Property is held for investment, among other factors. As these assumptions are subject to economic and market uncertainties, they are difficult to predict and are subject to future events that may alter the assumptions used or management’s estimates of future possible outcomes. Therefore, the future cash flows estimated in our impairment analyses may not be achieved. Further, while the Company has not experienced any non-compliance with debt covenants as a result of the impairment analyses described above, it is possible that future reductions in the carrying value of our assets as a result of such analyses could impact our continued compliance with certain of our debt covenants that require us to maintain specified ratios of total debt to total assets, secured debt to total assets and unencumbered assets to unsecured debt. During 201 9 , we recorded a loss on impairment of real estate totaling $ 239.5 million, which primarily related to six malls and one community center . See Note 16 to the consolidated financial statements for further details.

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

Increased inflation could have a pronounced negative impact on our mortgage and debt interest and general and administrative expenses, as these costs could increase at a rate higher than our rents. Also, inflation may cause operating expenses to rise and adversely affect tenant leases with stated rent increases, which could be lower than the increase in inflation at any given time. Inflation could also have an adverse effect on consumer spending which could impact our tenants' sales and, in turn, our percentage rents, where applicable.

Deflation can result in a decline in general price levels, often caused by a decrease in the supply of money or credit. The predominant effects of deflation are high unemployment, credit contraction and weakened consumer demand. Restricted lending practices could impact our ability to obtain financings or refinancings for our Properties and our tenants' ability to obtain credit. Decreases in consumer demand can have a direct impact on our tenants and the rents we receive.

We have experienced cybersecurity attacks that, to date, have not had a material impact on our financial results, but it is not possible to predict the impact of future incidents that may involve security breaches through cyber-attacks, cyber intrusions or otherwise, as well as other significant disruptions of our information technology ("IT") networks and related systems, which could harm our business by disrupting our operations and compromising or corrupting confidential information, which could adversely impact our financial condition.

We rely on IT systems and network infrastructure, including the Internet, to process, transmit and store electronic information and to manage or support a variety of our business processes, including financial transactions and maintenance of records. The risk of a security breach or disruption, particularly through cyber-attack or cyber intrusion, including by computer hackers, foreign governments and cyber terrorists, has generally increased as the number, intensity and sophistication of attempted attacks and intrusions from around the world have increased. Our IT networks and related systems and infrastructure are essential to the operation of our business and our ability to perform day-to-day operations (including managing our building systems) and, in some cases, may be critical to the operations of certain of our tenants. Cyber-attacks targeting our infrastructure could result in a full or partial disruption of our operations, as well as those of our tenants. Certain of these resources are provided to us and/or maintained on our behalf by third-party service providers pursuant to agreements that specify to varying degrees certain security and service level standards. Although we and our service providers have implemented processes, procedures and controls to help mitigate these risks, there can be no assurance that these measures, as well as our increased awareness of the risk of cyber incidents, will be effective or that attempted or actual security incidents, breaches or system disruptions that could be damaging to us or others will not occur. Even the most well protected information, networks, systems and facilities remain potentially vulnerable because the techniques used in such attempted security breaches evolve and generally are not recognized until launched against a target, and in some cases are designed not to be detected and, in fact, may not be detected. Accordingly, we may be unable to anticipate these techniques or to implement adequate security barriers or other preventative measures, and thus it is impossible for us to entirely mitigate this risk.

A security incident, breach or other significant disruption involving our IT networks and related systems could occur due to a virus or other harmful circumstance, intentional penetration or disruption of our information technology resources by a third party, natural disaster, hardware or software corruption or failure or error or poor product or vendor/developer selection (including a failure of security controls incorporated into or applied to such hardware or software), telecommunications system failure, service provider error or failure, intentional or unintentional personnel actions (including the failure to follow our security protocols), or lost connectivity to our networked resources. Such occurrences could disrupt the proper functioning of our networks and systems; result in disruption of business operations and loss of service to our tenants and customers; result in significantly decreased revenues; result in increased costs associated in obtaining and maintaining cybersecurity investigations and testing, as well as implementing protective measures and systems; result in

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increased insurance premiums and operating costs; result in misstated financial reports and/or missed reporting deadlines; result in our inability to properly monitor our compliance with the rules and regulations regarding our qualification as a REIT; result in the unauthorized access to, and destruction, loss, theft, misappropriation or release of proprietary, confidential, sensitive or otherwise valuable information of ours or others, which others could use to compete against us or for disruptive, destructive or otherwise harmful purposes and outcomes; result in our inability to maintain the building systems relied upon by our tenants for the efficient use of their leased space; require significant management attention and resources to remedy any damages that result; subject us to claims for breach of contract, damages, credits, penalties or termination of leases or other agreements; subject us to regulatory investigations and actions; cause harm to our competitive position and business value; and damage our reputation among our tenants and investors generally. Moreover, cyber-attacks perpetrated against our Anchors and tenants, including unauthorized access to customers’ credit card data and other confidential information, could subject us to significant litigation, liability and costs, adversely impact our reputation, or diminish consumer confidence and consumer spending and negatively impact our business.

Certain agreements with prior owners of Properties that we have acquired may inhibit our ability to enter into future sale or refinancing transactions affecting such Properties, which otherwise would be in the best interests of the Company and our stockholders.

Certain Properties that we originally acquired from third parties had unrealized gain attributable to the difference between the fair market value of such Properties and the third parties' adjusted tax basis in the Properties immediately prior to their contribution of such Properties to the Operating Partnership pursuant to our acquisition. For this reason, a taxable sale by us of any of such Properties, or a significant reduction in the debt encumbering such Properties, could result in adverse tax consequences to the third parties who contributed these Properties in exchange for interests in the Operating Partnership. Under the terms of these transactions, we have generally agreed that we either will not sell or refinance such an acquired Property for a number of years in any transaction that would trigger adverse tax consequences for the parties from whom we acquired such Property, or else we will reimburse such parties for all or a portion of the additional taxes they are required to pay as a result of the transaction. Accordingly, these agreements may cause us not to engage in future sale or refinancing transactions affecting such Properties, which otherwise would be in the best interests of the Company and our stockholders, or may increase the costs to us of engaging in such transactions.

Declines in economic conditions, including increased volatility in the capital and credit markets, could adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.

An economic recession can result in extreme volatility and disruption of our capital and credit markets. The resulting economic environment may be affected by dramatic declines in the stock and housing markets, increases in foreclosures, unemployment and costs of living, as well as limited access to credit. This economic situation can, and most often will, impact consumer spending levels, which can result in decreased revenues for our tenants and related decreases in the values of our Properties. A sustained economic downward trend 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 could also be affected in this type of economic environment. Additionally, access to capital and credit markets could be disrupted over an extended period, which may make it difficult to obtain the financing we may need for future growth and/or to meet our debt service obligations as they mature. Any of these events could harm our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Uninsured losses could adversely affect our financial condition, and in the future our insurance may not include coverage for acts of terrorism.

We carry a comprehensive blanket policy for general liability, property casualty (including fire, earthquake and flood) and rental loss covering all of the Properties, with specifications and insured limits customarily carried for similar properties. However, even insured losses could result in a serious disruption to our business and delay our receipt of revenue. Furthermore, there are some types of losses, including lease and other contract claims, as well as some types of environmental losses, that generally are not insured or are not economically insurable. 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 revenues from the Property. If this happens, we, or the applicable Property's partnership, may still remain obligated under guarantees provided to the lender for any mortgage debt or other financial obligations related to the Property.

The general liability and property casualty insurance policies on our Properties currently include coverage for losses resulting from acts of terrorism, as defined by TRIPRA. While we believe that the Properties are adequately insured in accordance with industry standards, the cost of general liability and property casualty insurance policies that include coverage for acts of terrorism has risen significantly subsequent to September 11, 2001. The cost of coverage for acts of terrorism is currently mitigated by the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (“TRIA”). In January 2015, Congress reinstated TRIA under the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2015 ("TRIPRA") and extended the program through December 31, 2020. Under TRIPRA, the amount of terrorism-related insurance losses triggering the federal insurance threshold will be raised from $180 million in 2019 to $200 million in 2020. Additionally, the bill increases insurers'

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co-payments for losses exceeding their deductibles, in annual steps, from 19% in 2019 to 20% in 2020. Each of these changes may have the effect of increasing the cost to insure against acts of terrorism for property owners, such as the Company, notwithstanding the other provisions of TRIPRA.   In December 2019, Congress further extended TRIPRA through December 31, 2027. I f TRIPRA is not continued beyond 202 7 or is significantly modified, we may incur higher insurance costs and experience greater difficulty in obtaining insurance that covers terrorist-related damages. Our tenants may also have similar difficulties.

RISKS RELATED TO DEBT AND FINANCIAL MARKETS

A deterioration of the capital and credit markets could adversely affect our ability to access funds and the capital needed to refinance debt or obtain new debt.

We are significantly dependent upon external financing to fund the growth of our business and ensure that we meet our debt servicing requirements. Our access to financing depends on the willingness of lending institutions to grant credit to us and conditions in the capital markets in general. An economic recession may cause extreme volatility and disruption in the capital and credit markets. We rely upon our credit facility as a source of funding for numerous transactions. Our access to these funds is dependent upon the ability of each of the participants to the credit facility to meet their funding commitments. When markets are volatile, access to capital and credit markets could be disrupted over an extended period of time and many financial institutions may not have the available capital to meet their previous commitments. The failure of one or more significant participants to our credit facility to meet their funding commitments could have an adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. This may make it difficult to obtain the financing we may need for future growth and/or to meet our debt service obligations as they mature. Although we have successfully obtained debt for refinancings and retirement of our maturing debt, acquisitions and the construction of new developments and redevelopments in the past, we cannot make any assurances as to whether we will be able to obtain debt in the future, or that the financing options available to us will be on favorable or acceptable terms.

Our indebtedness is substantial and could impair our ability to obtain additional financing.

At December 31, 2019, our pro-rata share of consolidated and unconsolidated debt outstanding was approximately $4,231.5 million. Our total share of consolidated and unconsolidated debt maturing in 2020, 2021 and 2022 giving effect to all maturity extensions that are available at our election, was approximately $173.4 million, $500.9 million and $604.1 million, respectively. Additionally, we had $92.2 million of debt, at our share, which matured in 2019, related to two non-recourse loans that were in default. See Note 7 and Note 8 to the consolidated financial statements for more information. Our leverage could have important consequences. For example, it could:

If any of the foregoing occurs, our business, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations and prospects could be materially and adversely affected, and the trading price of our common stock or other securities could decline significantly.

Rising interest rates could both increase our borrowing costs, thereby adversely affecting our cash flows and the amounts available for distributions to our stockholders, and decrease our stock price, if investors seek higher yields through other investments.

An environment of rising interest rates could lead holders of our securities to seek higher yields through other investments, which could adversely affect the market price of our stock. As noted above, we currently have suspended all distributions on our outstanding common and preferred stock, as well as on outstanding Operating Partnership Units, which

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will magnify such adverse impacts. One of the factors that has likely influence d the price of our stock in public markets during prior periods when we were making such distributions is the annual distribution rate we pa id as compared with the yields on alternative investments. Further, n umerous other factors, such as governmental regulatory action and tax laws, could have a significant impact on the future market price of our stock. In addition, increases in market interest rates could result in increased borrowing costs for us, which could be expected to adversely affect our cash flow and the amounts available for distributions to our stockholders and the Operating Partnership’s unitholders .

As of December 31, 2019, our total share of consolidated and unconsolidated variable-rate debt was $951.7 million. Increases in interest rates will increase our cash interest payments on the variable-rate debt we have outstanding from time to time. If we do not have sufficient cash flow from operations, we might not be able to make all required payments of principal and interest on our debt, which could result in a default or have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations, and which might have further adverse effects on our cash flow and our ability to make distributions to shareholders. These significant debt payment obligations might also require us to use a significant portion of our cash flow from operations to make interest and principal payments on our debt rather than for other purposes such as working capital, capital expenditures or any resumption of distributions to holders of our equity securities.

We may be adversely affected by changes in LIBOR reporting practices or the method in which LIBOR is determined.

It is also important to note that our variable-rate debt uses LIBOR as a benchmark for establishing the rate. LIBOR is the subject of recent national, international and other regulatory guidance and proposals for reform. These reforms and other pressures may cause LIBOR to disappear entirely or to perform differently than in the past. The consequences of these developments cannot be entirely predicted, but could include an increase in the cost of our variable-rate debt.

In July 2017, the Financial Conduct Authority, the authority that regulates LIBOR, announced it intends to stop compelling banks to submit rates for the calculation of LIBOR after 2021. The Alternative Reference Rates Committee (ARRC) has proposed that the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) is the rate that represents best practice as the alternative to USD-LIBOR for use in derivatives and other financial contracts that are currently indexed to USD-LIBOR.  ARRC has proposed a paced market transition plan to SOFR from USD-LIBOR and organizations are currently working on industry wide and company specific transition plans as it relates to derivatives and cash markets exposed to USD-LIBOR. There is no guarantee that a transition from LIBOR to an alternative will not result in financial market disruptions, significant increases in benchmark rates, or financing costs to borrowers. We have material contracts that are indexed to USD-LIBOR and we are monitoring this activity and evaluating the related risks.

Adverse changes in our credit ratings could negatively affect our borrowing costs and financing ability.

As of December 31, 2019, we had credit ratings of B2 from Moody's Investors Service ("Moody’s"), B from Standard & Poor's Rating Services ("S&P") and CCC+ from Fitch Ratings ("Fitch"), which are based on credit ratings for the Operating Partnership's unsecured long-term indebtedness. There can be no assurance that we will be able to maintain these ratings.

In January 2019, we replaced our unsecured credit facilities and unsecured term loans, which included certain interest rate provisions based on our credit ratings, with a new $1.185 billion secured facility with 16 banks, comprised of a $685 million secured line of credit and a $500 million secured term loan, which bear interest at a variable rate of LIBOR plus 225 basis points. The interest rate of the new facility is not dependent on our credit ratings. See Liquidity and Capital Resources section and Note 8 to the consolidated financial statements for additional information.

Our hedging arrangements might not be successful in limiting our risk exposure, and we might be required to incur expenses in connection with these arrangements or their termination that could harm our results of operations or financial condition.

From time to time, we use interest rate hedging arrangements to manage our exposure to interest rate volatility, but these arrangements might expose us to additional risks, such as requiring that we fund our contractual payment obligations under such arrangements in relatively large amounts or on short notice. Developing an effective interest rate risk strategy is complex, and no strategy can completely insulate us from risks associated with interest rate fluctuations. We cannot assure you that our hedging activities will have a positive impact on our results of operations or financial condition. We might be subject to additional costs, such as transaction fees or breakage costs, if we terminate these arrangements. In addition, although our interest rate risk management policy establishes minimum credit ratings for counterparties, this does not eliminate the risk that a counterparty might fail to honor its obligations.

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The covenants in our secured credit facilit y and in the Notes might adversely affect us.

Our secured credit facility, as well as the terms of the Notes, require us to satisfy certain affirmative and negative covenants and to meet numerous financial tests, and also contain certain default and cross-default provisions as described in more detail in Liquidity and Capital Resources .

The financial covenants under the secured credit facility and the Notes also require, among other things, that our debt to total assets, as defined in the indenture governing the Notes, be less than 60%, that our ratio of total unencumbered assets to unsecured indebtedness, as defined, be greater than 150%, and that our ratio of consolidated income available for debt service to annual debt service charges, as defined, be greater than 1.5. For the 2023 Notes and the 2024 Notes, the financial covenants require that our ratio of secured debt to total assets, as defined, be less than 45% (40% on and after January 1, 2020). The financial covenants require that our ratio of secured debt to total assets, as defined, be less than 40% for the 2026 Notes. Compliance with each of these ratios is dependent upon our financial performance.

If any future failure to comply with one or more of these covenants resulted in the loss of the secured credit facility or a default under the Notes and we were unable to obtain suitable replacement financing, such loss could have a material, adverse impact on our financial position and results of operations.

Pending litigation could distract our officers from attending to the Company’s business and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operation.

The Company and certain of its officers and directors have been named as defendants in a consolidated putative securities class action lawsuit (“Securities Class Action Litigation”) and certain of its former and current directors have been named as defendants in eight shareholder derivative lawsuits (“Derivative Litigation”).

The complaint filed in the Securities Class Action Litigation alleges violations of the securities laws, including, among other things, that the defendants made certain materially false and misleading statements and omissions regarding the Company’s contingent liabilities, business, operations, and prospects.  The plaintiffs seek compensatory damages and attorneys’ fees and costs, among other relief, but have not specified the amount of damages sought.  The complaints filed in the Derivative Litigation allege, among other things, breaches of fiduciary duties, unjust enrichment, waste of corporate assets, and violations of the federal securities laws.  The factual allegations upon which these claims are based are similar to the factual allegations made in the Securities Class Action Litigation described above.  The complaints filed in the Derivative Litigation seek, among other things, unspecified damages and restitution for the Company from the individual defendants, the payment of costs and attorneys’ fees, and that the Company be directed to reform certain governance and internal procedures.  See Item 3. Legal Proceedings for more information on both the Securities Class Action Litigation and Derivative Litigation.

We cannot assure you as to the outcome of these legal proceedings, including the amount of costs or other liabilities that will be incurred in connection with defending these claims or other claims that may arise in the future.  To the extent that we incur material costs in connection with defending or pursuing these claims, or become subject to liability as a result of an adverse judgment or settlement of these claims, our results of operations and liquidity position could be materially and adversely affected.  In addition, ongoing litigation may divert management’s attention and resources from the day-to-day operation of our business and cause reputational harm to us, either of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

RISKS RELATED TO THE OPERATING PARTNERSHIP'S NOTES

CBL has no significant operations and no material assets other than its indirect investment in the Operating Partnership; therefore, the limited guarantee of the Notes does not provide material additional credit support.

The limited guarantee provides that the Notes are guaranteed by CBL for any losses suffered by reason of fraud or willful misrepresentation by the Operating Partnership or its affiliates. However, CBL has no significant operations and no material assets other than its indirect investment in the Operating Partnership. Furthermore, the limited guarantee of the Notes is effectively subordinated to all existing and future liabilities and preferred equity of the Company's subsidiaries (including the Operating Partnership (except as to the Notes) and any entity the Company accounts for under the equity method of accounting) and any of the Company's secured debt, to the extent of the value of the assets securing any such indebtedness. Due to the narrow scope of the limited guarantee, the lack of significant operations or assets at CBL other than its indirect investment in the Operating Partnership and the structural subordination of the limited guarantee to the liabilities and any preferred equity of the Company's subsidiaries, the limited guarantee does not provide material additional credit support.

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Our substantial indebtedness could materially and adversely affect us and the ability of the Operating Partnership to meet its debt service obligations under the Notes.

Our level of indebtedness and the limitations imposed on us by our debt agreements could have significant adverse consequences to holders of the Notes, including the following:

If any one of these events were to occur, our business, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations and prospects, as well as the Operating Partnership's ability to satisfy its obligations with respect to the Notes, could be materially and adversely affected. Furthermore, foreclosures could create taxable income without accompanying cash proceeds, a circumstance which could hinder the Company's ability to meet the REIT distribution requirements imposed by the Internal Revenue Code.

The structural subordination of the Notes may limit the Operating Partnership's ability to meet its debt service obligations under the Notes.

The Notes are the Operating Partnership's unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness and rank equally with the Operating Partnership's existing and future unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness, and are effectively junior to all liabilities and any preferred equity of the Operating Partnership's subsidiaries and to all of the Operating Partnership's indebtedness that is secured by the Operating Partnership's assets, to the extent of the value of the assets securing such indebtedness. While the indenture governing the Notes limits our ability to incur additional secured indebtedness in the future, it will not prohibit us from incurring such indebtedness if we are in compliance with certain financial ratios and other requirements at the time of its incurrence. In the event of a bankruptcy, liquidation, dissolution, reorganization or similar proceeding with respect to us, the holders of any secured indebtedness will, subject to obtaining relief from the automatic stay under section 362 of the Bankruptcy Code, be entitled to proceed directly against the collateral that secures the secured indebtedness. Therefore, such collateral generally will not be available for satisfaction of any amounts owed under our unsecured indebtedness, including the Notes, until such secured indebtedness is satisfied in full.

The Notes also are effectively subordinated to all liabilities, whether secured or unsecured, and any preferred equity of the subsidiaries of the Operating Partnership. In the event of a bankruptcy, liquidation, dissolution, reorganization or similar proceeding with respect to any such subsidiary, the Operating Partnership, as an equity owner of such subsidiary, and therefore holders of our debt, including the Notes, will be subject to the prior claims of such subsidiary's creditors, including trade creditors, and preferred equity holders. Furthermore, while the indenture governing the Notes limits the ability of our subsidiaries to incur additional unsecured indebtedness in the future, it does not prohibit our subsidiaries from incurring such indebtedness if such subsidiaries are in compliance with certain financial ratios and other requirements at the time of its incurrence.

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We may not be able to generate sufficient cash flow to meet our debt service obligations.

Our ability to meet our debt service obligations on, and to refinance, our indebtedness, including the Notes, and to fund our operations, working capital, acquisitions, capital expenditures and other important business uses, depends on our ability to generate sufficient cash flow in the future. To a certain extent, our cash flow is subject to general economic, industry, financial, competitive, operating, legislative, regulatory and other factors, many of which are beyond our control.

We cannot be certain that our business will generate sufficient cash flow from operations or that future sources of cash will be available to us in an amount sufficient to enable us to meet our debt service obligations on our indebtedness, including the Notes, or to fund our other important business uses. Additionally, if we incur additional indebtedness in connection with future acquisitions or development projects or for any other purpose, our debt service obligations could increase significantly and our ability to meet those obligations could depend, in large part, on the returns from such acquisitions or projects, as to which no assurance can be given.

We may need to refinance all or a portion of our indebtedness, including the Notes, at or prior to maturity. Our ability to refinance our indebtedness or obtain additional financing will depend on, among other things:

As a result, we may not be able to refinance any of our indebtedness, including the Notes, on favorable terms, or at all.

If we do not generate sufficient cash flow from operations, and additional borrowings or refinancings are not available to us, we may be unable to meet all of our debt service obligations, including payments on the Notes. As a result, we would be forced to take other actions to meet those obligations, such as selling Properties, raising equity or delaying capital expenditures, any of which could have a material adverse effect on us. Furthermore, we cannot be certain that we will be able to effect any of these actions on favorable terms, or at all.

Despite our substantial outstanding indebtedness, we may still incur significantly more indebtedness in the future, which would exacerbate any or all of the risks described above.

We may be able to incur substantial additional indebtedness in the future. Although the agreements governing our revolving credit facility, term loans and certain other indebtedness do, and the indenture governing the Notes does, limit our ability to incur additional indebtedness, these restrictions are subject to a number of qualifications and exceptions and, under certain circumstances, debt incurred in compliance with these restrictions could be substantial. To the extent that we incur substantial additional indebtedness in the future, the risks associated with our substantial leverage described above, including our inability to meet our debt service obligations, would be exacerbated.

Federal and state statutes allow courts, under specific circumstances, to void guarantees and require holders of indebtedness and lenders to return payments received from guarantors.

Under the federal bankruptcy law and comparable provisions of state fraudulent transfer laws, a guarantee, such as the limited guarantee provided by CBL or any future guarantee of the Notes issued by any subsidiary of the Operating Partnership, could be voided and required to be returned to the guarantor, or to a fund for the benefit of the creditors of the guarantor, if, among other things, the guarantor, at the time it incurred the indebtedness evidenced by its guarantee (i) received less than reasonably equivalent value or fair consideration for the incurrence of the guarantee and (ii) one of the following was true with respect to the guarantor:

In addition, any claims in respect of a guarantee could be subordinated to all other debts of that guarantor under principles of "equitable subordination," which generally require that the claimant must have engaged in some type of inequitable conduct, the misconduct must have resulted in injury to the creditors of the debtor or conferred an unfair advantage on the claimant, and equitable subordination must not be inconsistent with other provisions of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code.

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The measures of insolvency for purposes of these fraudulent transfer laws will vary depending upon the law applied in any proceeding to determine whether a fraudulent transfer has occurred. Generally, however, a guarantor would be considered insolvent if:

The court might also void such guarantee, without regard to the above factors, if it found that a guarantor entered into its guarantee with actual or deemed intent to hinder, delay, or defraud its creditors.

A court would likely find that a guarantor did not receive reasonably equivalent value or fair consideration for its guarantee unless it benefited directly or indirectly from the issuance or incurrence of such indebtedness. This risk may be increased if any subsidiary of the Operating Partnership guarantees the Notes in the future, as no additional consideration would be received at the time such guarantee is issued. If a court voided such guarantee, holders of the indebtedness and lenders would no longer have a claim against such guarantor or the benefit of the assets of such guarantor constituting collateral that purportedly secured such guarantee. In addition, the court might direct holders of the indebtedness and lenders to repay any amounts already received from a guarantor.

The indenture governing the Notes contains restrictive covenants that may restrict our ability to expand or fully pursue certain of our business strategies.

The indenture governing the Notes contains financial and operating covenants that, among other things, restrict our ability to take specific actions, even if we believe them to be in our best interest, including, subject to various exceptions, restrictions on our ability to:

In addition, our secured credit facility, secured term loan and certain other debt agreements require us to meet specified financial ratios and the indenture governing the Notes requires us to maintain at all times a specified ratio of unencumbered assets to unsecured debt. These covenants may restrict our ability to expand or fully pursue our business strategies. Our ability to comply with these and other provisions of the indenture governing the Notes, our revolving credit facility and certain other debt agreements may be affected by changes in our operating and financial performance, changes in general business and economic conditions, adverse regulatory developments or other events beyond our control.

The breach of any of these covenants could result in a default under our indebtedness, which could result in the acceleration of the maturity of such indebtedness. If any of our indebtedness is accelerated prior to maturity, we may not be able to repay such indebtedness or refinance such indebtedness on favorable terms, or at all.

There is no prior public market for the Notes, so if an active trading market does not develop or is not maintained for the Notes, holders of the Notes may not be able to resell them on favorable terms when desired, or at all.

Prior to the offering of each of the 2023 Notes, the 2024 Notes and the 2026 Notes, there was no public market for such Notes and we cannot be certain that an active trading market will ever develop for the Notes or, if one develops, will be maintained. Furthermore, we do not intend to apply for listing of the Notes on any securities exchange or for the inclusion of the Notes on any automated dealer quotation system. The underwriters informed us that they intend to make a market in the Notes. However, the underwriters may cease their market making at any time without notice to or the consent of existing holders of the Notes. The lack of a trading market could adversely affect a holder's ability to sell the Notes when desired, or at all, and the price at which a holder may be able to sell the Notes. The liquidity of the trading market, if any, and future trading prices of the Notes will depend on many factors, including, among other things, prevailing interest rates, our financial condition, liquidity, results of operations and prospects, the market for similar securities and the overall securities market, and may be adversely affected by unfavorable changes in these factors. It is possible that the market for the Notes will be subject to disruptions which may have a negative effect on the holders of the Notes, regardless of our financial condition, liquidity, results of operations or prospects.

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RISKS RELATED TO DIVIDENDS AND OUR COMMON STOCK

We have suspended paying dividends on our common stock and preferred stock and we cannot assure you of our ability to pay dividends in the future or the amount of any dividends.

Our board of directors has determined to suspend paying a dividend on our common stock and preferred stock, as well as distributions to the Operating Partnership’s outstanding common units, preferred units, Series S special common units (the “S-SCUs”), Series L special common units (the “L-SCUs”) and Series K special common units (the “K-SCUs”) (collectively, the “OP Units”).  Our board of directors currently expects to continue to review and determine the dividends on our common stock, preferred stock and OP Units on a quarterly basis, but we cannot provide you with any assurances that we will resume paying dividends on our common stock, preferred stock or OP Units. Our board of directors determines the amount and timing of any distributions. In making this determination, our board of directors considered a variety of relevant factors, including, without limitations, REIT minimum distribution requirements, the amount of cash available for distribution, restrictions under Delaware law, capital expenditures and reserve requirements and general operational requirements. We cannot assure you that we will be able to make distributions in the future. Any of the foregoing could adversely affect the market price of our publicly traded securities. If dividends on our outstanding preferred stock is in arrears for six or more quarterly periods, those preferred stockholders, voting as a single class, would be entitled to elect a total of two additional directors to our board of directors, which could have an adverse impact on our governance and on the interests of our stockholders other than the holders of our preferred stock if these additional directors focus primarily on pursuing strategies to benefit holders of our preferred stock.

The dividend arrearage created by our board of directors’ decision to suspend the dividends that continue to accrue on our outstanding preferred stock (and the Operating Partnership’s distributions to its preferred units of limited partnership underlying our outstanding preferred shares) also will require that we not resume any payment of dividends on our common stock unless full cumulative dividends accrued with respect to our preferred stock (and such underlying preferred units) for all past quarters and the then-current quarter are first declared and paid in cash, or declared with a sum sufficient for the payment thereof having been set apart for such payment in cash. In addition, for so long as this distribution suspension results in the existence of a distribution shortfall (as described in the Partnership Agreement of the Operating Partnership) with respect to any of the S-SCUs, the L-SCUs or the K-SCUs (an “SCU Distribution Shortfall”), we (i) may not cause the Operating Partnership to resume distributions to holders of its outstanding common units of limited partnership until all holders of SCUs have received distributions sufficient to satisfy the SCU Distribution Shortfall for all prior quarters and the then-current quarter (which effectively also prevents the resumption of common stock dividends, since our common stock dividends are funded by distributions the Company receives on the underlying common units it holds in the Operating Partnership) and (ii) may not elect to settle any exchange requested by a holder of common units of the Operating Partnership in cash, and may only settle any such exchange through the issuance of shares of common stock or other Units of the Operating Partnership ranking junior to any such units as to which a distribution shortfall exists. Our board of directors has prospectively approved that, to the extent any partners exercise any or all of their exchange rights while the existence of the SCU Distribution Shortfall requires an exchange to be settled through the issuance of shares of common stock or other units of the Operating Partnership, the consideration paid shall be in the form of shares of common stock.

We may change the dividend policy for our common stock in the future.

Even if our board of directors should, in the future, determine based on the factors described in the preceding Risk Factor and in the paragraph below, that we are able to resume paying distributions on the outstanding equity securities of the Company and the Operating Partnership, depending upon our liquidity needs, we will still reserve the right to pay any or all of a dividend in a combination of cash and shares of common stock, to the extent permitted by any applicable revenue procedures of the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS"). In the event that we should pay a portion of any future dividends in shares of our common stock pursuant to such procedures, taxable U.S. stockholders would be required to pay tax on the entire amount of the dividend, including the portion paid in shares of common stock, in which case such stockholders may have to use cash from other sources to pay such tax. If a U.S. stockholder sells any common stock it receives as a dividend in order to pay its taxes, the sales proceeds may be less than the amount included in income with respect to the dividend, depending on the market price of our common stock at the time of the sale. Furthermore, with respect to non-U.S. stockholders, we may be required to withhold federal tax with respect to any future dividends, including any dividends that are paid in common stock. In addition, if a significant number of our stockholders sell shares of our common stock in order to pay taxes owed on any future dividends, such sales would put downward pressure on the market price of our common stock.

The decision to declare and pay dividends on our common stock in the future, as well as the timing, amount and composition of any such future dividends, will be at the sole discretion of our Board of Directors and will depend on our earnings, taxable income, FFO, liquidity, financial condition, capital requirements, contractual prohibitions or other limitations under our indebtedness, secured credit facility and preferred stock, the annual distribution requirements under

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the REIT provisions of the Internal Revenue Code, Delaware law and such other factors as our Board of Directors deems relevant. Any dividends payable will be determined by our Board of Directors based upon the circumstances at the time of declaration. Any change in our dividend policy could have a material adverse effect on the market price of our common stock.

The recent declines in our common stock price, and the potential for our common stock to be delisted from the NYSE, could have materially adverse effects on our business.

The price of our common stock has declined significantly in recent periods. This reduction in stock price could have materially adverse effects on our business, including reducing our ability to use our common stock as compensation or to otherwise provide incentives to employees and by reducing our ability to generate capital through stock sales or otherwise use our stock as currency with third parties.

The average closing price of our common stock has been less than $1.00 over a consecutive 30 trading-day period, and as a result, our stock could be delisted from the NYSE. The threat of delisting and/or a delisting of our common stock could have adverse effects by, among other things:

Since we conduct substantially all of our operations through our Operating Partnership, our ability to pay dividends on our common and preferred stock depends on the distributions we receive from our Operating Partnership.

Because we conduct substantially all of our operations through our Operating Partnership, our ability to service our debt obligations, as well as our ability to pay any future dividends on our common and preferred stock will depend almost entirely upon the earnings and cash flows of the Operating Partnership and the ability of the Operating Partnership to make distributions to us on our ownership interests in our Operating Partnership. 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. Further, as described above, the currently existing dividend arrearage with respect to our outstanding shares of preferred stock (and the underlying preferred units of the Operating Partnership), as well as the Operating Partnership’s existing SCU Distribution Shortfall, effectively preclude the Operating Partnership from resuming any distributions to holders of its common units (including distributions with respect to common units held by the Company, which fund our common stock dividend) until such preferred dividend arrearage and SCU Distribution Shortfall have been satisfied through the cash payment of all accumulated amounts due to the holders of such securities.

Additionally, the terms of our secured credit facility provide generally that distributions the Operating Partnership makes to us and the other partners in the Operating Partnership (i) may not exceed the greater of the amount necessary to maintain our status as a REIT or 95% of FFO, so long as there is no event of default (as defined), (ii) in the event of a default, may be restricted to the minimum amount necessary to maintain our status as a REIT and (iii) in the event of default for nonpayment of amounts due under the facility, the Operating Partnership may be prohibited from making any distributions. This in turn may limit our ability to make some types of payments, including payment of dividends to our stockholders. Any inability to make cash distributions from the Operating Partnership could jeopardize our ability to pay any future dividends to our stockholders for one or more dividend periods which, in turn, could jeopardize our ability to maintain qualification as a REIT.

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RISKS RELATED TO GEOGRAPHIC CONCENTRATIONS

Since our Properties are located principally in the southeastern and midwestern United States, our financial position, results of operations and funds available for distribution to shareholders are subject generally to economic conditions in these regions and, in particular, to adverse economic developments affecting the operating results of Properties in our five largest markets.  

Our Properties are located principally in the southeastern and midwestern United States. Our Properties located in the southeastern United States accounted for approximately 49.5% of our total revenues from all Properties for the year ended December 31, 2019 and currently include 27 malls, 12 associated centers, 6 community centers and 3 office buildings. Our Properties located in the midwestern United States accounted for approximately 25.5% of our total revenues from all Properties for the year ended December 31, 2019 and currently include 17 malls, 2 associated centers and 2 self-storage facilities. Further, the Properties located in our five largest metropolitan area markets - St. Louis, MO; Chattanooga, TN; Laredo, TX; Lexington, KY; and Madison, WI - accounted for approximately 6.8%, 5.2%, 4.2%, 4.1% and 3.1%, respectively, of our total revenues for the year ended December 31, 2019. No other market accounted for more than 3.0% of our total revenues for the year ended December 31, 2019.

Our results of operations and funds available for distribution to shareholders therefore will be impacted generally by economic conditions in the southeastern and midwestern United States, and particularly by the results experienced at Properties located in our five largest market areas. While we already have Properties located in six states across the southwestern, northeastern and western regions, we will continue to look for opportunities to geographically diversify our portfolio in order to minimize dependency on any particular region; however, the expansion of the portfolio through both acquisitions and developments is contingent on many factors including consumer demand, competition and economic conditions.

RISKS RELATED TO FEDERAL INCOME TAX LAWS

We conduct a portion of our business through taxable REIT subsidiaries, which are subject to certain tax risks.

We have established several taxable REIT subsidiaries including our Management Company. Despite our qualification as a REIT, our taxable REIT subsidiaries must pay income tax on their taxable income. In addition, we must comply with various tests to continue to qualify as a REIT for federal income tax purposes, and our income from and investments in our taxable REIT subsidiaries generally do not constitute permissible income and investments for these tests. While we will attempt to ensure that our dealings with our taxable REIT subsidiaries will not adversely affect our REIT qualification, we cannot provide assurance that we will successfully achieve that result. Furthermore, we may be subject to a 100% penalty tax, or our taxable REIT subsidiaries may be denied deductions, to the extent our dealings with our taxable REIT subsidiaries are not deemed to be arm's length in nature.

If we fail to qualify as a REIT in any taxable year, our funds available for distribution to stockholders will be reduced.

We intend to continue to operate so as to qualify as a REIT under the Internal Revenue Code. Although we believe that we are organized and operate in such a manner, no assurance can be given that we currently qualify and, in the future, will continue to qualify as a REIT. Such qualification involves the application of highly technical and complex Internal Revenue Code provisions for which there are only limited judicial or administrative interpretations. The determination of various factual matters and circumstances not entirely within our control may affect our ability to qualify. In addition, no assurance can be given that legislation, new regulations, administrative interpretations or court decisions will not significantly change the tax laws with respect to qualification or its corresponding federal income tax consequences. Any such change could have a retroactive effect.

If in any taxable year we were to fail to qualify as a REIT, we would not be allowed a deduction for distributions to stockholders in computing our taxable income and we would be subject to federal income tax on our taxable income at regular corporate rates. Unless entitled to relief under certain statutory provisions, we also would be disqualified from treatment as a REIT for the four taxable years following the year during which qualification was lost. As a result, the funds available for distribution to our stockholders would be reduced for each of the years involved. This would likely have a significant adverse effect on the value of our securities and our ability to raise additional capital. In addition, we would no longer be required to make distributions to our stockholders. We currently intend to operate in a manner designed to qualify as a REIT. However, it is possible that future economic, market, legal, tax or other considerations may cause our Board of Directors, with the consent of a majority of our stockholders, to revoke the REIT election.

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Any issuance or transfer of our capital stock to any person in excess of the applicable limits on ownership necessary to maintain our status as a REIT would be deemed void ab initio, and those shares would automatically be transferred to a non-affiliated charitable trust.

To maintain our status as a REIT under the Internal Revenue Code, not more than 50% in value of our outstanding capital stock may be owned, directly or indirectly, by five or fewer individuals (as defined in the Internal Revenue Code to include certain entities) at any time during the last half of a taxable year. Our certificate of incorporation generally prohibits ownership of more than 6% of the outstanding shares of our capital stock by any single stockholder determined by vote, value or number of shares (other than Charles Lebovitz, Executive Chairman of our Board of Directors and our former Chief Executive Officer, David Jacobs, Richard Jacobs and their affiliates under the Internal Revenue Code's attribution rules). The affirmative vote of 66 ^2/3% of our outstanding voting stock is required to amend this provision.

Our Board of Directors may, subject to certain conditions, waive the applicable ownership limit upon receipt of a ruling from the IRS or an opinion of counsel to the effect that such ownership will not jeopardize our status as a REIT. Historically, our Board of Directors has granted such waivers to certain institutional investors based upon the receipt of such opinions from the Company’s tax counsel. In connection with the previously disclosed Standstill Agreement entered into effective November 1, 2019 between the Company, Exeter Capital Investors, L.P., Exeter Capital GP LLC, WEM Exeter LLC, and Michael L. Ashner (collectively, the “Exeter Group”), pursuant to which Michael L. Ashner and Carolyn B. Tiffany also were appointed to the Company’s Board of Directors, the Board (following receipt of an appropriate opinion of tax counsel) approved the granting to the Exeter Group of a similar waiver (the “Exeter Ownership Limitation Waiver”) to enable the Exeter Group to beneficially own up to 9.8% of the Company’s outstanding common stock, subject to the terms of the Exeter Ownership Limitation Waiver. Exeter Capital Investors, L.P. is a single purpose entity controlled by Michael Ashner to acquire common shares in CBL. Absent any such waiver, however, any issuance or transfer of our capital stock to any person in excess of the applicable ownership limit or any issuance or transfer of shares of such stock which would cause us to be beneficially owned by fewer than 100 persons, will be null and void and the intended transferee will acquire no rights to the stock. Instead, such issuance or transfer with respect to that number of shares that would be owned by the transferee in excess of the ownership limit provision would be deemed void ab initio and those shares would automatically be transferred to a trust for the exclusive benefit of a charitable beneficiary to be designated by us, with a trustee designated by us, but who would not be affiliated with us or with the prohibited owner. Any acquisition of our capital stock and continued holding or ownership of our capital stock constitutes, under our certificate of incorporation, a continuous representation of compliance with the applicable ownership limit.

In order to maintain our status as a REIT and avoid the imposition of certain additional taxes under the Internal Revenue Code, we must satisfy minimum requirements for distributions to shareholders, which may limit the amount of cash we might otherwise have been able to retain for use in growing our business.

To maintain our status as a REIT under the Internal Revenue Code, we generally will be required each year to distribute to our stockholders at least 90% of our taxable income after certain adjustments. However, to the extent that we do not distribute all of our net capital gains or distribute at least 90% but less than 100% of our REIT taxable income, as adjusted, we will be subject to tax on the undistributed amount at regular corporate tax rates, as the case may be. Also, our cash flows from operations may be insufficient to fund required distributions as a result of differences in timing between the actual receipt of income and the payment of expenses and the recognition of income and expenses for federal income tax purposes, or the effect of nondeductible expenditures, such as capital expenditures, payments of compensation for which Section 162(m) of the Code denies a deduction, interest expense deductions limited by Section 163(j) of the Code, the creation of reserves or required debt service or amortization payments. In addition, we will be subject to a 4% nondeductible excise tax on the amount, if any, by which certain distributions paid by us during each calendar year are less than the sum of 85% of our ordinary income for such calendar year, 95% of our capital gain net income for the calendar year and any amount of such income that was not distributed in prior years. In the case of property acquisitions, including our initial formation, where individual Properties are contributed to our Operating Partnership for Operating Partnership units, we have assumed the tax basis and depreciation schedules of the entities contributing Properties. The relatively low tax basis of such contributed Properties may have the effect of increasing the cash amounts we are required to distribute as dividends, thereby potentially limiting the amount of cash we might otherwise have been able to retain for use in growing our business. This low tax basis may also have the effect of reducing or eliminating the portion of distributions made by us that are treated as a non-taxable return of capital.

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 shareholders and the ownership of our stock. We may also be required to make distributions to our shareholders at disadvantageous times or when we do not

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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 “prohibited transactions.”

Holders of common units and special common units in the Operating Partnership may have income tax liability attributable to their ownership of such units in excess of cash distributions .

It is possible that income taxes payable on taxable income allocated to a holder of common units or special common units in the Operating Partnership will exceed the cash distributions attributable thereto. This may occur because funds received by the Operating Partnership may be taxable income to the Operating Partnership (and thus allocated to holders of Operating Partnership units), while the Operating Partnership may use such funds for nondeductible operating or capital expenses of the Operating Partnership. This also could occur as a result of the voluntary or involuntary sale or other disposition (including a foreclosure sale) of one or more Properties owned by the Operating Partnership or subsidiaries of the Operating Partnership, or the retirement of any of the Operating Partnership’s or its subsidiaries’ debt at a discount. Thus, there may be years in which the tax liability attributable to the allocation of taxable income to holders of the Operating Partnership’s common units or special common units exceeds the cash distributions from the Operating Partnership attributable to such units. This is particularly true at the present time, as the Operating Partnership currently has suspended all distributions on its common units and special common units until further notice. In such a case, holders of such units would be required to fund (from other sources of funds) any resulting income tax liability on such taxable income allocations in excess of distributions from the Operating Partnership to the holders of such units. Allocations of income or loss to holders of the Operating Partnership’s common units or special common units continue while such holder owns such Operating Partnership units. If a holder of units exercises its right to exchange its Operating Partnership common units or special common units to Company stock (or the cash equivalent thereof, at the Company’s election), gain or loss may be triggered to such exercising holder on such exchange transaction, but such holder will not be allocated taxable income or loss attributable to such units with respect to any time period after the closing of such exchange except as otherwise required under the applicable tax rules.

Partnership tax audit rules could have a material adverse effect on us.

The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 changed the rules applicable to U.S. federal income tax audits of partnerships. Under the rules, among other changes and subject to certain exceptions, any audit adjustment to items of income, gain, loss, deduction, or credit of a partnership (and any partner's distributive share thereof) is determined, and taxes, interest, or penalties attributable thereto could be assessed and collected, at the partnership level. Absent available elections, it is possible that a partnership in which we directly or indirectly invest, could be required to pay additional taxes, interest and penalties as a result of an audit adjustment, and we, as a direct or indirect partner of these partnerships, could be required to bear the economic burden of those taxes, interest, and penalties even though we may not otherwise have been required to pay additional taxes had we owned the assets of the partnership directly. The partnership tax audit rules apply to the Operating Partnership and its subsidiaries that are classified as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The changes created by these rules are sweeping and, accordingly, there can be no assurance that these rules will not have a material adverse effect on us.

Recent legislation substantially modified the taxation of REITs and their shareholders, and the effects of such legislation and related regulatory action are uncertain.

As a result of all of the changes to U.S. federal tax laws implemented by the December 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “TCJA”), our taxable income and the amount of distributions to our stockholders required under the law to maintain our REIT status, and our relative tax advantage as a REIT, may significantly change. The long-term impact of the TCJA on the overall economy, government revenues, our tenants, CBL, and the rest of the real estate industry cannot be reliably predicted at this early stage of the new law’s implementation. The TCJA is unclear in many respects and could be subject to potential amendments and technical corrections, as well as interpretations and implementing regulations by the Treasury Department and IRS, any of which could lessen or increase the impact of the legislation. In addition, it is unclear how these U.S. federal income tax changes will affect state and local taxation, which often uses federal taxable income as a starting point for computing state and local tax liabilities. Furthermore, the TCJA may negatively impact certain of our tenants’ operating results, financial condition and future business plans. There can be no assurance that the TCJA will not negatively impact our operating results, financial condition and future business operations.

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Future changes to tax laws may adversely affect us either directly through changes to the taxation of the Company, our subsidiaries or our stockholders or indirectly through changes which adversely affect our tenants. These changes could have an adverse effect on an investment in our shares or on the market value or the resale potential of our assets.  Not all states automatically conform to changes in the Internal Revenue Code. Some states use the legislative process to decide whether it is in their best interest to conform or not to various provisions of the Internal Revenue Code. This could increase the complexity of our efforts, increase compliance costs, and may subject us to additional taxes and audit risk.

RISKS RELATED TO OUR ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

The ownership limit described above, as well as certain provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, amended and restated bylaws, and certain provisions of Delaware law, may hinder any attempt to acquire us.

There are certain provisions of Delaware law, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, our Third Amended and Restated Bylaws (the "Bylaws"), and other agreements to which we are a party that may have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a third party from making an acquisition proposal for us. These provisions may also inhibit a change in control that some, or a majority, of our stockholders might 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 their shares. These provisions and agreements are summarized as follows:

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Certain ownership interests held by members of our senior management may tend to create conflicts of interest between such individuals and the interests of the Company and our Operating Partnership.  

ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS  

None. 

ITEM 2. PROPERTIES

Refer to Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations included in Item 7 for additional information pertaining to the Properties’ performance.

Malls

We owned a controlling interest in 53 Malls and non-controlling interests in 10 Malls as of December 31, 2019.  The Malls are primarily located in middle markets and generally have strong competitive positions because they are the only, or the dominant, regional mall in their respective trade areas. The Malls are generally anchored by two or more anchors or junior anchors and a wide variety of mall stores. Anchor and junior anchor tenants own or lease their stores and non-anchor stores lease their locations.

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We classify our regional Malls into three categories:

We own the land underlying each Mall in fee simple interest, except for Brookfield Square, Cross Creek Mall, Dakota Square Mall, EastGate Mall, Meridian Mall, St. Clair Square, Stroud Mall and WestGate Mall. We lease all or a portion of the land at each of these Malls subject to long-term ground leases.

The following table sets forth certain information for each of the Malls as of December 31, 2019 (dollars in thousands except for sales per square foot amounts):

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* Non-stabilized Mall - Mall Store Sales per Square Foot metrics are excluded from Mall Store Sales per Square Foot totals by tier and Mall portfolio totals. The Outlet Shoppes at Laredo is a non-stabilized Mall.