Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

6 Months Ended

Oct. 01, 2011

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Basis of Consolidation

The unaudited interim consolidated financial statements present the financial position, results of operations and cash flows of the Company, including all entities in which the Company has a controlling financial interest and is determined to be the primary beneficiary. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Fiscal Year

Fiscal Year

The Company utilizes a 52-53 week fiscal year ending on the Saturday closest to March 31. As such, fiscal year 2012 will end on March 31, 2012 and will be a 52-week period (“Fiscal 2012”). Fiscal year 2011 ended on April 2, 2011 and also reflected a 52-week period (“Fiscal 2011”). Accordingly, the second quarter of Fiscal 2012 ended on October 1, 2011 and was a 13-week period. The second quarter of Fiscal 2011 ended on October 2, 2010 and also was a 13-week period.

Prior to the first quarter of Fiscal 2012, the financial position and operating results of the Company’s Japanese subsidiary, Ralph Lauren Corporation Japan (formerly Polo Ralph Lauren Kabushiki Kaisha) were reported on a one-month lag. During the first quarter of Fiscal 2012, the Company’s Japanese subsidiary changed its fiscal year to conform to the Company’s fiscal-year basis. The previously existing reporting lag was eliminated as the lag was no longer required to achieve a timely consolidation due to the Company’s investments in technology to enhance its financial statement close process. The Company believes this change is preferable as it resulted in contemporaneous reporting of the subsidiary’s operating results. The Company has not retrospectively applied this change in accounting principle as the effect was not material to its previously reported annual and interim consolidated financial statements. The cumulative effect of this change was reflected within “Interest and other income, net” in the Company’s consolidated statement of operations, and increased the Company’s pretax income and net income by $1.0 million and $0.6 million, respectively, for the six months ended October 1, 2011.

Use of Estimates

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with US GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and footnotes thereto. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates.

Significant estimates inherent in the preparation of the consolidated financial statements include reserves for bad debt, customer returns, discounts, end-of-season markdowns and operational chargebacks; the realizability of inventory; reserves for litigation and other contingencies; useful lives and impairments of long-lived tangible and intangible assets; accounting for income taxes and related uncertain tax positions; the valuation of stock-based compensation and related expected forfeiture rates; reserves for restructuring; and accounting for business combinations.

Reclassifications

Reclassifications

Certain reclassifications have been made to the prior periods’ financial information in order to conform to the current period’s presentation.

Revenue Recognition

Revenue Recognition

Revenue is recognized across all segments of the business when there is persuasive evidence of an arrangement, delivery has occurred, price has been fixed or is determinable and collectability is reasonably assured.

Revenue within the Company’s Wholesale segment is recognized at the time title passes and risk of loss is transferred to customers. Wholesale revenue is recorded net of estimates of returns, discounts, end-of-season markdown allowances, operational chargebacks and certain cooperative advertising allowances. Returns and allowances require pre-approval from management and discounts are based on trade terms. Estimates for end-of-season markdown reserves are based on historical trends, actual and forecasted seasonal results, an evaluation of current economic and market conditions, retailer performance and, in certain cases, contractual terms. Estimates for operational chargebacks are based on actual notifications of order fulfillment discrepancies and historical trends. The Company reviews and refines these estimates on a quarterly basis. The Company’s historical estimates of these costs have not differed materially from actual results.

Retail store and concessions-based shop-within-shop revenue is recognized net of estimated returns at the time of sale to consumers. E-commerce revenue from sales of products ordered through the Company’s retail Internet sites is recognized upon delivery and receipt of the shipment by its customers. Such revenue is also reduced by an estimate of returns.

Gift cards issued by the Company are recorded as a liability until they are redeemed, at which point revenue is recognized. The Company recognizes income for unredeemed gift cards when the likelihood of a gift card being redeemed by a customer is remote and the Company determines that it does not have a legal obligation to remit the value of the unredeemed gift card to the relevant jurisdiction as unclaimed or abandoned property.

Revenue from licensing arrangements is recognized when earned in accordance with the terms of the underlying agreements, generally based upon the higher of (a) contractually guaranteed minimum royalty levels or (b) actual sales and royalty data, or estimates thereof, received from the Company’s licensees.

The Company accounts for sales and other related taxes on a net basis, excluding such taxes from revenue.

Shipping and Handling Costs

Shipping and Handling Costs

The costs associated with shipping goods to customers are reflected as a component of selling, general and administrative (“SG&A”) expenses in the consolidated statements of operations. Shipping costs were $10.1 million and $18.3 million during the three-month and six-month periods ended October 1, 2011, respectively, and $7.8 million and $14.0 million during the three-month and six-month periods ended October 2, 2010, respectively. The costs of preparing merchandise for sale, such as picking, packing, warehousing and order charges (“handling costs”) are also included in SG&A expenses. Handling costs were $35.0 million and $65.5 million during the three-month and six-month periods ended October 1, 2011, respectively, and $26.2 million and $49.0 million during the three-month and six-month periods ended October 2, 2010, respectively. Shipping and handling costs billed to customers are included in revenue.

Net Income Per Common Share

Net Income per Common Share

Basic net income per common share is computed by dividing the net income applicable to common shares after preferred dividend requirements, if any, by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Weighted-average common shares include shares of the Company’s Class A and Class B common stock. Diluted net income per common share adjusts basic net income per common share for the effects of outstanding stock options, restricted stock, restricted stock units and any other potentially dilutive financial instruments, only in the periods in which such effect is dilutive under the treasury stock method.

Options to purchase shares of common stock at an exercise price greater than the average market price of the common stock during the reporting period are anti-dilutive and therefore not included in the computation of diluted net income per common share. In addition, the Company has outstanding restricted stock units that are issuable only upon the achievement of certain service and/or performance goals. Performance-based restricted stock units are included in the computation of diluted shares only to the extent that the underlying performance conditions (a) are satisfied prior to the end of the reporting period or (b) would be satisfied if the end of the reporting period were the end of the related contingency period and the result would be dilutive under the treasury stock method.

Accounts Receivable

Accounts Receivable

In the normal course of business, the Company extends credit to customers that satisfy defined credit criteria. Accounts receivable, net, as shown in the Company’s consolidated balance sheets, is net of certain reserves and allowances. These reserves and allowances consist of (a) reserves for returns, discounts, end-of-season markdowns and operational chargebacks and (b) allowances for doubtful accounts. These reserves and allowances are discussed in further detail below.

A reserve for sales returns is determined based on an evaluation of current market conditions, historical returns experience and, in certain cases, contractual terms. Charges to increase the reserve are treated as reductions of revenue.

A reserve for trade discounts is determined based on open invoices where trade discounts have been extended to customers, and charges to increase the reserve are treated as reductions of revenue.

Estimated end-of-season markdown charges are included as reductions of revenue. The related markdown provisions are based on retail sales performance, seasonal negotiations with customers, historical and forecasted deduction trends, an evaluation of current economic and market conditions and, in certain cases, contractual terms.

A reserve for operational chargebacks represents various deductions by customers relating to individual shipments. Charges to increase this reserve, net of expected recoveries, are included as reductions of revenue. The reserve is based on actual notifications of order fulfillment discrepancies and past experience.

Concentration of Credit Risk

Concentration of Credit Risk

The Company sells its wholesale merchandise primarily to major department and specialty stores across the U.S., Canada, Europe, South America and Asia, and extends credit based on an evaluation of each customer’s financial capacity and condition, usually without requiring collateral. In the Company’s wholesale business, concentration of credit risk is relatively limited due to the large number of customers and their dispersion across many geographic areas. However, the Company has four key wholesale customers that generate significant sales volume. For Fiscal 2011, these customers in the aggregate contributed approximately 40% of all wholesale revenues. Further, as of October 1, 2011, the Company’s four key wholesale customers represented approximately 30% of gross accounts receivable.

Derivative Financial Instruments

Derivative Financial Instruments

The Company records all derivative instruments on the consolidated balance sheets at fair value. In addition, for derivative instruments that qualify for hedge accounting, the effective portion of changes in their fair value is either (a) offset against the changes in fair value of the hedged assets, liabilities or firm commitments through earnings or (b) recognized in equity as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (“AOCI”) until the hedged item is recognized in earnings, depending on whether the derivative is being used to hedge changes in fair value or cash flows, respectively.

Each derivative instrument entered into by the Company which qualifies for hedge accounting is expected to be highly effective at reducing the risk associated with the exposure being hedged. For each derivative that is designated as a hedge, the Company formally documents the related risk management objective and strategy, including the identification of the hedging instrument, the hedged item and the risk exposure, as well as how effectiveness is to be assessed prospectively and retrospectively. To assess the effectiveness of derivative instruments that are designated as hedges, the Company uses non-statistical methods, including the dollar-offset method, which compare the change in the fair value of the derivative to the change in the fair value or cash flows of the hedged item. The extent to which a hedging instrument has been and is expected to continue to be effective at achieving offsetting changes in fair value or cash flows is assessed and documented by the Company on at least a quarterly basis.

To the extent that a derivative contract designated as a cash flow hedge is not considered to be effective, any changes in fair value relating to the ineffective portion are immediately recognized in earnings within foreign currency gains (losses). If it is determined that a derivative has not been highly effective, and will continue not to be highly effective at hedging the designated exposure, hedge accounting is discontinued. If a hedge relationship is terminated, the change in fair value of the derivative previously recorded in AOCI is recognized when the hedged item affects earnings consistent with the original hedging strategy, unless the forecasted transaction is no longer probable of occurring in which case the accumulated amount is immediately recognized in earnings.

As a result of the use of derivative instruments, the Company is exposed to the risk that counterparties to derivative contracts will fail to meet their contractual obligations. To mitigate the counterparty credit risk, the Company has a policy of only entering into contracts with carefully selected financial institutions based upon their credit ratings and certain other financial factors, adhering to established limits for credit exposure. The Company’s established policies and procedures for mitigating credit risk on derivative transactions include continually reviewing and assessing the creditworthiness of counterparties.

For cash flow reporting purposes, the Company classifies proceeds received or amounts paid upon the settlement of a derivative instrument in the same manner as the related item being hedged.

Forward Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts

The Company primarily enters into forward foreign currency exchange contracts as hedges to reduce its risk from exchange rate fluctuations on inventory purchases, intercompany royalty payments made by certain of its international operations, intercompany contributions to fund certain marketing efforts of its international operations, interest payments made in connection with outstanding debt and other foreign currency-denominated operational cash flows. To the extent foreign currency exchange contracts designated as cash flow hedges at hedge inception are highly effective in offsetting the change in the value of the hedged item, the related gains (losses) are initially deferred in equity as a component of AOCI and subsequently recognized in the consolidated statements of operations as follows:


	•	Forecasted Inventory Purchases — Recognized as part of the cost of the inventory purchases being hedged within cost of goods sold when the related inventory is sold.

	•	Intercompany Royalty Payments and Marketing Contributions — Recognized within foreign currency gains (losses) generally in the period in which the related royalties or marketing contributions being hedged are received or paid.

	•	Interest Payments on Euro Debt — Recognized within foreign currency gains (losses) in the period in which the recorded liability impacts earnings due to foreign currency exchange remeasurement.

Hedge of a Net Investment in a Foreign Operation

Changes in the fair value of a derivative instrument or a non-derivative financial instrument (such as debt) that is designated as a hedge of a net investment in a foreign operation are reported in the same manner as a translation adjustment, to the extent it is effective as a hedge. In assessing the effectiveness of a non-derivative financial instrument that has been designated as a hedge of a net investment, the Company uses the spot rate method of accounting to value foreign currency exchange rate changes in both its foreign subsidiaries and the financial instrument. If the notional amount of the financial instrument designated as a hedge of a net investment is greater than the portion of the net investment being hedged, hedge ineffectiveness is recognized immediately in earnings within foreign currency gains (losses). To the extent the financial instrument remains effective, changes in its fair value are recorded in equity as a component of AOCI until the sale or liquidation of the hedged net investment.

Undesignated Hedges

All of the Company’s undesignated hedges are entered into to hedge specific economic risks, such as foreign currency exchange rate risk. Changes in fair value of undesignated derivative instruments are immediately recognized in earnings within foreign currency gains (losses).

See Note 12 for further discussion of the Company’s derivative financial instruments.