Summary Of Accounting Policies (Policy)

12 Months Ended

Jan. 28, 2012

Summary Of Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Basis Of Presentation

Basis of Presentation: The consolidated financial statements of The TJX Companies, Inc. (referred to as "TJX" or "we") include the financial statements of all of TJX's subsidiaries, all of which are wholly owned. All of its activities are conducted by TJX or its subsidiaries and are consolidated in these financial statements. All intercompany transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Fiscal Year

Fiscal Year: During fiscal 2010, TJX amended its bylaws to change its fiscal year end to the Saturday nearest to the last day of January of each year. Previously TJX's fiscal year ended on the last Saturday of January. The fiscal years ended January 28, 2012 (fiscal 2012), January 29, 2011 (fiscal 2011) and January 30, 2010 (fiscal 2010) all included 52 weeks. This change shifted the timing of TJX's next 53 week fiscal year to the fiscal year ending February 2, 2013 (fiscal 2013).

Earnings Per Share

Earnings Per Share: All earnings per share amounts refer to diluted earnings per share, unless otherwise indicated, and have been adjusted to reflect the two-for-one stock split in the form of a dividend announced on January 5, 2012.

Use Of Estimates

Use of Estimates: The preparation of the TJX financial statements, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP), requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, and disclosure of contingent liabilities, at the date of the financial statements as well as the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. TJX considers its accounting policies relating to inventory valuation, impairments of long-lived assets, retirement obligations, share-based compensation, reserves for uncertain tax positions, reserves for former operations and loss contingencies to be the most significant accounting policies that involve management estimates and judgments. Actual amounts could differ from those estimates, and such differences could be material.

Revenue Recognition

Revenue Recognition: TJX records revenue at the time of sale and receipt of merchandise by the customer, net of a reserve for estimated returns. We estimate returns based upon our historical experience. We defer recognition of a layaway sale and its related profit to the accounting period when the customer receives the layaway merchandise. Proceeds from the sale of store cards as well as the value of store cards issued to customers as a result of a return or exchange are deferred until the customers use the cards to acquire merchandise. Based on historical experience, we estimate the amount of store cards that will not be redeemed ("store card breakage") and, to the extent allowed by local law, these amounts are amortized into income over the redemption period. Revenue recognized from store card breakage was $10.9 million in fiscal 2012, $10.1 million in fiscal 2011 and $7.8 million in fiscal 2010.

Consolidated Statements Of Income Classifications

Consolidated Statements of Income Classifications: Cost of sales, including buying and occupancy costs, includes the cost of merchandise sold and gains and losses on inventory and fuel-related derivative contracts; store occupancy costs (including real estate taxes, utility and maintenance costs and fixed asset depreciation); the costs of operating our distribution centers; payroll, benefits and travel costs directly associated with buying inventory; and systems costs related to the buying and tracking of inventory.

Selling, general and administrative expenses include store payroll and benefit costs; communication costs; credit and check expenses; advertising; administrative and field management payroll, benefits and travel costs; corporate administrative costs and depreciation; gains and losses on non-inventory related foreign currency exchange contracts; and other miscellaneous income and expense items.

Cash And Cash Equivalents

Cash and Cash Equivalents: TJX generally considers highly liquid investments with a maturity of 90 days or less at the date of purchase to be cash equivalents. Investments with maturities greater than 90 days but less than one year at the date of purchase are included in short-term investments. Our investments are primarily high-grade commercial paper, institutional money market funds and time deposits with major banks.

TJX had $15.1 million of restricted cash at January 28, 2012, and $14.6 million of restricted cash at January 29, 2011 all of which is reported in other assets on the consolidated balance sheets. The restricted cash is held in escrow to secure TJX's performance of its obligations under certain leases in Europe.

Merchandise Inventories

Merchandise Inventories: Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or market. TJX uses the retail method for valuing inventories which results in a weighted average cost. We utilize a permanent markdown strategy and lower the cost value of the inventory that is subject to markdown at the time the retail prices are lowered in our stores. We accrue for inventory obligations at the time inventory is shipped. At January 28, 2012 and January 29, 2011, in-transit inventory included in merchandise inventories was $395.9 million and $445.7 million, respectively. Comparable amounts are reflected in accounts payable at those dates.

Common Stock And Equity

Common Stock and Equity: On January 5, 2012, TJX announced that its Board of Directors approved a two-for-one stock split of the Company's common stock in the form of a stock dividend. One additional share was paid for each share held by holders of record as of the close of business on January 17, 2012. The shares were distributed on February 2, 2012 and resulted in the issuance of 373 million shares of common stock and a corresponding decrease of $373 million to retained earnings. The balance sheet as of January 28, 2012 has been adjusted to retroactively present the two-for-one stock split. In addition, all historical per share amounts and references to common stock activity, as well as basic and diluted share amounts utilized in the calculation of earnings per share in this report, have been adjusted to reflect this stock split.

Equity transactions consist primarily of the repurchase by TJX of its common stock under its stock repurchase programs and the recognition of compensation expense and issuance of common stock under TJX's stock incentive plan. In fiscal 2010, we also issued shares upon conversion of convertible notes that were called for redemption, discussed in Note K. Under our stock repurchase programs we repurchase our common stock on the open market. The par value of the shares repurchased is charged to common stock with the excess of the purchase price over par first charged against any available additional paid-in capital ("APIC") and the balance charged to retained earnings. Due to the high volume of repurchases over the past several years, we have no remaining balance in APIC at the end of any of the years presented. All shares repurchased have been retired.

Shares issued under TJX's stock incentive plan are issued from authorized but unissued shares, and proceeds received are recorded by increasing common stock for the par value of the shares with the excess over par added to APIC. Income tax benefits upon the expensing of options result in the creation of a deferred tax asset, while income tax benefits due to the exercise of stock options reduce deferred tax assets to the extent that an asset for the related grant has been created. Any tax benefits greater than the deferred tax assets created at the time of expensing the options are credited to APIC; any deficiencies in the tax benefits are debited to APIC to the extent a pool for such deficiencies exists. In the absence of a pool any deficiencies are realized in the related periods' statements of income through the provision for income taxes. Any excess income tax benefits are included in cash flows from financing activities in the statements of cash flows. The par value of restricted stock awards is also added to common stock when the stock is issued, generally at grant date. The fair value of the restricted stock awards in excess of par value is added to APIC as the awards are amortized into earnings over the related vesting periods. Upon the call of our convertible notes in fiscal 2010 most holders of the notes converted them into TJX common stock. When converted the face value of the convertible notes less unamortized debt discount was relieved, common stock was credited with the par value of the shares issued, and the excess of the carrying value of the convertible notes over par was added to APIC.

Share-Based Compensation

Share-Based Compensation: TJX accounts for share-based compensation by estimating the fair value of each award on the date of grant. TJX uses the Black-Scholes option pricing model for options awarded and for performance-based restricted stock awards TJX uses the market price on the date of the award. See Note I for a detailed discussion of share-based compensation.

Interest

Interest: TJX's interest expense is presented as a net amount. The following is a summary of net interest expense:

	Fiscal Year Ended
Dollars in thousands	January 28, 2012			January 29, 2011			January 30, 2010
Interest expense	$	49,276		$	49,014		$	49,278
Capitalized interest		(2,593	)		—			(758	)
Interest (income)		(11,035	)		(9,877	)		(9,011	)
Interest expense, net	$	35,648		$	39,137		$	39,509

We capitalize interest during the active construction period of major capital projects. Capitalized interest is added to the cost of the related assets. Capitalized interest relates to construction of a data center and implementation of a merchandising system in fiscal 2012 and the implementation of a finance system in fiscal 2010. There was no capitalized interest in fiscal 2011.

Depreciation And Amortization

Depreciation and Amortization: For financial reporting purposes, TJX provides for depreciation and amortization of property using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets. Buildings are depreciated over 33 years. Leasehold costs and improvements are generally amortized over their useful life or the committed lease term (typically 10 years), whichever is shorter. Furniture, fixtures and equipment are depreciated over 3 to 10 years. Depreciation and amortization expense for property was $490.6 million for fiscal 2012, $461.5 million for fiscal 2011 and $435.8 million for fiscal 2010. Amortization expense for property held under a capital lease was $2.2 million in each of fiscal 2012, 2011 and 2010. Maintenance and repairs are charged to expense as incurred. Significant costs incurred for internally developed software are capitalized and amortized over 3 to 10 years. Upon retirement or sale, the cost of disposed assets and the related accumulated depreciation are eliminated and any gain or loss is included in income. Pre-opening costs, including rent, are expensed as incurred.

Lease Accounting

Lease Accounting: TJX begins to record rent expense when it takes possession of a store, which is typically 30 to 60 days prior to the opening of the store and generally occurs before the commencement of the lease term, as specified in the lease.

Long-Lived Assets

Long-Lived Assets: Information related to carrying values of our long-lived assets by geographic location is presented below:

Dollars in thousands	January 28, 2012		January 29, 2011		January 30, 2010
United States	$	1,879,176	$	1,657,090	$	1,607,733
Canada		220,522		210,693		195,434
Europe		615,427		592,999		483,930
Total long-lived assets	$	2,715,125	$	2,460,782	$	2,287,097

Goodwill And Tradename

Goodwill and Tradename: Goodwill is primarily the excess of the purchase price paid over the carrying value of the minority interest acquired in fiscal 1990 in TJX's former 83%-owned subsidiary and represents goodwill associated with the T.J. Maxx chain. In addition, goodwill includes the excess of cost over the estimated fair market value of the net assets of Winners acquired by TJX in fiscal 1991.

Goodwill totaled $72.2 million as of January 28, 2012, $72.2 million as of January 29, 2011 and $72.1 million as of January 30, 2010. Goodwill is considered to have an indefinite life and accordingly is not amortized. Changes in goodwill are attributable to the effect of exchange rate changes on Winners' reported goodwill.

Tradename is the value assigned to the name "Marshalls," acquired by TJX in fiscal 1996 as part of the acquisition of the Marshalls chain. The value of the tradename was determined by the discounted present value of assumed after-tax royalty payments, offset by a reduction for their pro-rata share of negative goodwill acquired. The Marshalls tradename is carried at a value of $107.7 million and is considered to have an indefinite life.

TJX occasionally acquires or licenses other trademarks to be used in connection with private label merchandise. Such trademarks are included in other assets and are amortized to cost of sales, including buying and occupancy costs, over their useful life, generally from 7 to 10 years.

Goodwill, tradename and trademarks, and the related accumulated amortization if any, are included in the respective operating segment to which they relate.

Impairment Of Long-Lived Assets, Goodwill And Tradename

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets, Goodwill and Tradename: TJX evaluates its long-lived assets and assets with indefinite lives (other than goodwill and tradename) for indicators of impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate their carrying amounts may not be recoverable, and at least annually in the fourth quarter of each fiscal year. An impairment exists when the undiscounted cash flow of an asset or asset group is less than the carrying cost of that asset or asset group. The evaluation for long-lived assets is performed at the lowest level of identifiable cash flows, which is generally at the individual store level. If indicators of impairment are identified, an undiscounted cash flow analysis is performed to determine if an impairment exists. The store-by-store evaluations did not indicate any recoverability issues (for any of our continuing operations) during the past three fiscal years. Our decision to close the A.J. Wright chain (see Note C) resulted in the impairment of A.J. Wright's fixed assets and impairment charges of $83 million are reflected in the A.J. Wright segment for fiscal 2011.

Goodwill is tested for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that an impairment may have occurred and at least annually in the fourth quarter of each fiscal year, by comparing the carrying value of the related reporting unit to its fair value. An impairment exists when this analysis, using typical valuation models such as the discounted cash flow method, shows that the fair value of the reporting unit is less than the carrying cost of the reporting unit.

Tradename is also tested for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the tradename may exceed its fair value and at least annually in the fourth quarter of each fiscal year. Testing is performed by comparing the discounted present value of assumed after-tax royalty payments to the carrying value of the tradename.

There was no impairment related to our goodwill, tradename or trademarks in fiscal 2012, 2011 or 2010.

Advertising Costs

Advertising Costs: TJX expenses advertising costs as incurred. Advertising expense was $271.6 million for fiscal 2012, $249.8 million for fiscal 2011 and $227.5 million for fiscal 2010.

Foreign Currency Translation

Foreign Currency Translation: TJX's foreign assets and liabilities are translated into U.S. dollars at fiscal year-end exchange rates with resulting translation gains and losses included in shareholders' equity as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss). Activity of the foreign operations that affect the statements of income and cash flows is translated at average exchange rates prevailing during the fiscal year.

Loss Contingencies

Loss Contingencies: TJX records a reserve for loss contingencies when it is both probable that a loss will be incurred and the amount of the loss is reasonably estimable. TJX evaluates pending litigation and other contingencies at least quarterly and adjusts the reserve for such contingencies for changes in probable and reasonably estimable losses. TJX includes an estimate for related legal costs at the time such costs are both probable and reasonably estimable.

New Accounting Standards

New Accounting Standards: We do not expect the adoption of recently issued accounting pronouncements to have a significant impact on our results of operations, financial position or cash flow.

Subsequent Events

Subsequent Events: On February 2, 2012, one additional share of TJX stock was paid for each share held by holders of record as of the close of business on January 17, 2012 in accordance with a Board of Directors approved two-for-one stock split announced on January 5, 2012. As a result of the stock split TJX issued 373 million shares of its common stock and recorded a corresponding decrease of $373 million to retained earnings. The stock split was recorded in the first quarter of fiscal 2013, the period of distribution.  The balance sheet as of January 28, 2012 has been adjusted to retroactively present the two-for-one stock split.