On Monday, Simon Property Group (NYSE: SPG) and peer Taubman Centers (NYSE: TCO) announced in a joint press release that they've amended the terms of their merger agreement. Under the new terms of the deal, Simon will essentially acquire Taubman, paying $43 per share for an 80% stake in its fellow retail real estate investment trust (REIT). That price is the most notable term of the modified deal, as it's down from the originally agreed $52.50. Image source: Getty Images. Since it was originally announced in February, the merger has assumed the dimensions of a soap opera. With the coronavirus pandemic and its devastating effect on the retail sector, Simon tried to back out of the deal entirely. In return, Taubman sued its would-be acquirer to prevent this. That lawsuit has been settled, both companies said. A rapid decline in fortunes could be a major reason why the two REITs again found common ground. In its most recently reported quarter, Taubman suffered a 16% year-over-year decline in its total revenue, while its adjusted funds from operations (FFO, considered the most important profitability line item for REITs) fell a steeper 29%. Simon's recent declines are even sharper. In its latest published quarter, the company's top line eroded by 25%, and FFO decreased by 33%. Investors in both companies breathed a collective sigh of relief that the merger saga appears to be heading to a conclusion. Taubman's stock rose by 8.4% on Monday, while Simon's added 5.7% on the day. 10 stocks we like better than Simon Property GroupWhen investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.* David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the ten best stocks for investors to buy right now... and Simon Property Group wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys. See the 10 stocks *Stock Advisor returns as of October 20, 2020 Eric Volkman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.Source