Calabasas, CA — January 21, 2026 — NewMark Merrill Companies (NMC), a community-centric retail real estate owner, operator, and developer, today shared some of its performance metrics for 2025—highlighting robust portfolio expansion, record traffic growth, and meaningful community engagement across its 106 shopping centers nationwide.
“At NewMark Merrill, our mission has always been to do retail better—not just in financial performance, but in community impact, local partnership, and people-first service,” said Sandy Sigal, President and CEO of NewMark Merrill Companies. “In 2025, we delivered compelling numbers, grew our footprint, and deepened the human impact of our centers in a way that aligns directly with ICSC’s vision of vibrant, connected community places.”
Portfolio and Performance Highlights — 2025
- 106 shopping centers in 94 cities (+7% properties, +8% cities YoY)
- 500,000+ SF of planned development projects underway across the portfolio
- 230 million+ total customer visits (↑ 26% over 2024)
- 187 community events hosted (+6%), generating 550,000+ estimated event attendees (+24%)
- 24.1 million total social media and direct connections, with property-level outreach increasing engagement (+6% YoY)
“These aren’t just numbers,” said Sigal. “They represent families, friends, and neighbors choosing our centers as places to shop, celebrate, and spend time together.”
Leasing Success Anchored in Strategic Relationships
2025 was a banner leasing year:
- 70+ new leases signed, with an average new-lease rent increase of +28%
- 387,000 square feet of new leasing (+109% YoY)
- 200+ lease renewals completed, with average renewal rent increases of +10%
- 1.08 million+ square feet renewed (+157% YoY)
“Our leasing strategy centers on partnership and prosperity for merchants, not short-term transactions. In every market we serve, our team works side by side with owners to ensure sustainable growth for their businesses,” added Sigal.
Fostering the American Dream
Central to NMC’s mission is supporting local entrepreneurs and community business owners. Over 65% of tenants in NMC centers are local small businesses, each bringing character, jobs, and culture to their neighborhoods.
As part of this commitment:
- NMC expanded its Fostering the American Dream merchant series, spotlighting local veterans, first responders, and mission-oriented entrepreneurs through signage, dedicated showcases, and community programming that amplified their stories and foot traffic.
- NMC’s Fostering the American Dream platform provides hands-on mentorship, tailored events, and promotional support designed to boost visibility and accelerate small business success.
“By connecting our merchants to the communities they serve, with their personal stores, and their connections to their neighbors we helped strengthen the bond between those who make our centers so special, with those neighborhoods who are defined by us being their first choice for shopping, visiting and memory making,” said Sigal.
Community Engagement Beyond Commerce
In 2025, NewMark Merrill deepened its ties to the communities it serves:
- Eight corporate lead charitable events hosted (+33% YoY), directly aiding over 600 local families
- Mentorship events throughout our Company including bringing in high school and college students for a 6-week summer program in the Retail Development and Management business, and monthly meetings with young adults looking for their first real estate job.
- Community Support for Local High Schools – For the fourth year in a row, partnering with Anaheim’s Innovative Mentorship Experience (AIME) program, NMC corporate executives hosted over 45 local high school students where they were given insight into the day-to-day operations of shopping center ownership, management and outreach.
- Increase in property-level charitable giving budget (+9%)
- Multiple additions to community art murals across the portfolio now numbering over 35 installations painted by local artists in the communities served
- Hundreds of community-led events focused on cultural celebration, wellness, and local heritage
- Annual holiday card campaign shared with nearly 25,000 recipients, reinforcing community connection through ~5,000 mailed keepsakes and ~20,000 digital sends
“Our centers are more than retail-only destinations. They are civic spaces where memories are made, cultures celebrated, and neighbors connect,” said Sigal.
Looking Forward — 2026 and Beyond
As the retail landscape evolves, NMC remains committed to:
- Deepening partnership with small business owners
- Expanding community art, events, and localized programming
- Leveraging technology and data to strengthen tenant performance
- Investing in over 30 property technology companies and growing with the goal of integrating innovative tools to ensure our customers enjoy the best possible experience when visiting our shopping environments
- Continuing disciplined investment that prioritizes both financial and human returns
“With every center, lease, event, or entrepreneurial success story—our mission is the same,” Sigal concluded. “We are building connected, thriving, and resilient community places where people and businesses succeed together.”