Scentre Group (ASX:SCG) saw a 2.1% increase in customer visits from January to September, with 429 million visits to its 42 Westfield destinations, compared with the same period last year, according to a Thursday filing with the Australian bourse.

Total business partner sales reached AU$20.2 billion, up 2.3% for the nine months to Sept. 30 compared with the previous corresponding period, with a record AU$28.8 billion in annual sales achieved by business partners, the filing said.

Meanwhile, portfolio occupancy reached 99.4% as of Sept. 30, up 0.03% from 2023, with average leasing spreads increasing by 1.7% and specialty rent escalations increasing by 5.5%.

The company expects a 3% to 5.4% growth in funds from operations for the current year, with a range of AU$0.2175 to AU$0.2225 cents per security, according to the filing.

Its shares fell nearly 2% in afternoon trade.