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Fri, October 5, 2012
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New jcpenney Stores Open at Two PREIT Shopping Malls


Published on 2012-10-05 05:03:11 - Market Wire
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PHILADELPHIA--([ ])--Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust (PREIT/NYSE:PEI) announced today the opening of new jcpenney stores at two of its properties, achieving a significant step in the Companyas execution of its leasing and merchandising strategy.

"Weare looking forward to introducing PREITas customers to the new retail environment created by the distinctive Shops to PREITas customers."

The stores, at PREITas Willow Grove Park in suburban Philadelphia and North Hanover Mall in Hanover, Pa, will feature jcpenneyas new aShopsa format, leading to a dynamic collection of 100 Shops, showcasing major apparel and home brands for every style and budget. Additionally, both new stores will feature 1,700-square-foot aSephora inside jcpenneya locations, which re-create the cosmetics and fragrance retaileras distinctive open-sell retail concept.

aWeare excited about the opening of these new stores and believe that jcpenneyas focus on an improved shopping experience for its customers dovetails perfectly with PREITas commitment to deliver compelling shopping environments for our consumers,a said Joseph F. Coradino, CEO of PREIT. aWeare looking forward to introducing PREITas customers to the new retail environment created by the distinctive Shops to PREITas customers.a

At Willow Grove Park, the opening of jcpenneyas 125,000 square foot store marks the completion of the transformation of the former Strawbridgeas department store space, which is now occupied by Nordstrom Rack, The Cheesecake Factory, and Bravo Cucina Italiana, in addition to the new jcpenney store. At North Hanover Mall, the opening of the new store coincides with PREITas cosmetic remodel of the property, including new flooring, updated mall entrances, and energy efficient lighting. The 83,000-squarejcpenneyrepresents a 30,000-square-foot expansion and relocation from the department storeas former location.

About Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust

Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust, founded in 1960 and one of the first equity REITs in the U.S., has a primary investment focus on retail shopping malls. Currently, the Companyas portfolio consists of 49 properties, including 38 shopping malls, eight strip and power centers, and three development properties. The Companyas properties are located in 13 states in the eastern half of the United States, primarily in the Mid-Atlantic region. The operating retail properties have approximately 33 million total square feet of space. PREIT is headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Companyas website can be found at [ www.preit.com ].PREITas common sharesare publicly traded and are listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol PEI.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains certain aforward-looking statementsa within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements relate to expectations, beliefs, projections, future plans, strategies, anticipated events, trends and other matters that are not historical facts. These forward-looking statements reflect our current views about future events, achievements or results and are subject to risks, uncertainties and changes in circumstances that might cause future events, achievements or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. In particular, our business might be materially and adversely affected by uncertainties affecting real estate businesses generally as well as the following, among other factors: our substantial debt and our high leverage ratio; constraining leverage, interest and tangible net worth covenants under our 2010 Credit Facility; potential operating losses on impairment of certain long-lived assets, such as real estate, or of intangible assets, such as goodwill; potential losses on impairment of assets that we might be required to record in connection with any dispositions of assets; recent changes to our corporate management team and any resulting modifications to our business strategies; our ability to refinance our existing indebtedness when it matures, on favorable terms or at all, due in part to the effects on us of dislocations and liquidity disruptions in the capital and credit markets; our ability to raise capital, including through the issuance of equity or equity-related securities if market conditions are favorable, through joint ventures or other partnerships, through sales of properties or interests in properties, or through other actions; our short- and long-term liquidity position; current economic conditions and their effect on employment, consumer confidence and spending and the corresponding effects on tenant business performance, prospects, solvency and leasing decisions and on our cash flows, and the value and potential impairment of our properties; general economic, financial and political conditions, including credit market conditions, changes in interest rates or unemployment; changes in the retail industry, including consolidation and store closings, particularly among anchor tenants; our ability to maintain and increase property occupancy, sales and rental rates, in light of the relatively high number of leases that have expired or are expiring in the next two years; increases in operating costs that cannot be passed on to tenants; risks relating to development and redevelopment activities; the effects of online shopping and other uses of technology on our retail tenants; concentration of our properties in the Mid-Atlantic region; changes in local market conditions, such as the supply of or demand for retail space, or other competitive factors; potential dilution from any capital raising transactions; possible environmental liabilities; our ability to obtain insurance at a reasonable cost; and existence of complex regulations, including those relating to our status as a REIT, and the adverse consequences if we were to fail to qualify as a REIT. Additional factors that might cause future events, achievements or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by our forward-looking statements include those discussed in the section of our Annual Report on Form 10-K in the section entitled aItem 1A. Risk Factors.a We do not intend to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect new information, future events or otherwise.

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