(2) Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

(a) Principles of Consolidation

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiary. All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation.

(b) Fiscal Year

The Company’s fiscal year ends on the Saturday closest to January 31 of each year. The years ended February 2, 2013, January 28, 2012, and January 29, 2011 are referred to as fiscal 2012, fiscal 2011, and fiscal 2010, respectively, in the accompanying consolidated financial statements. Fiscal year 2012 is comprised of 53 weeks, while fiscal years 2011 and 2010 are each comprised of 52 weeks.

(c) Cash and Cash Equivalents/Concentration of Credit Risk

For purposes of the consolidated balance sheets and consolidated statements of cash flows, the Company considers all highly liquid investments with maturities at date of purchase of three months or less to be cash equivalents. Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to a concentration of credit risk consist principally of cash and cash equivalents. The Company places its cash and cash equivalents in what it believes to be high credit quality banks and institutional money market funds. The Company maintains cash accounts that exceed federally insured limits.

(d) Inventory

Inventory is stated at the lower of cost (first-in, first-out basis) or market as determined by the retail inventory method for store inventory and the average cost method for distribution center inventory. Under the retail inventory method, the cost of inventory is determined by calculating a cost-to-retail ratio and applying it to the retail value of inventory. Merchandise markdowns are reflected in the inventory valuation when the retail price of an item is lowered in the stores. Inventory is recorded net of an allowance for shrinkage based on the most recent physical inventory counts.

(e) Property and Equipment, net

Property and equipment, net are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation and amortization. Depreciation and amortization are computed using the straight-line method over the lesser of the estimated useful lives (primarily three to five years for computer equipment and furniture, fixtures and equipment, five years for leasehold improvements, seven years for major purchased software systems, and fifteen to twenty years for buildings and building improvements) of the related assets or the relevant lease term.

(f) Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

If facts and circumstances indicate that a long-lived asset may be impaired, the carrying value is reviewed. If this review indicates that the carrying value of the asset will not be recovered as determined based on projected undiscounted cash flows related to the asset over its remaining life, the carrying value of the asset is reduced to its estimated fair value.

(g) Insurance Liabilities

The Company is largely self-insured for workers’ compensation costs and employee medical claims. The Company’s self-insured retention or deductible, as applicable, for each claim involving workers’ compensation and employee medical is limited to $250,000 and $65,000, respectively. Self-insurance liabilities are based on the total estimated costs of claims filed and estimates of claims incurred but not reported, less amounts paid against such claims. Current and historical claims data, together with information from actuarial studies, are used in developing the estimates. The insurance liabilities that are recorded are primarily influenced by the frequency and severity of claims and the Company’s growth. If the underlying facts and circumstances related to the claims change, then the Company may be required to record more or less expense which could be material in relation to results of operations.

(h) Stock-Based Compensation

The Company recognizes compensation expense associated with all nonvested restricted stock and stock options based on an estimate of the grant-date fair value of each equity award. Grants of nonvested restricted stock are valued based on the closing stock price on the grant date, while the fair values of options issued are estimated at each grant date using the Black-Scholes Merton option pricing model. See Note 10 for additional information on the Company’s stock-based compensation plans.

(i) Revenue Recognition

Revenue from retail sales net of sales taxes is recognized at the time the customer takes possession of and pays for merchandise, less an allowance for returns. The Company allows customers to return merchandise for up to thirty days after the date of sale and the Company reduces revenues for each fiscal year using a combination of actual and estimated return information for the returns in the thirty days after the year ends. The provision for returns was $0.1 million as of February 2, 2013 and $0.2 million as of January 28, 2012. Revenue from layaway sales is recognized when the customer has paid for and received the merchandise. If the merchandise is not fully paid for within sixty days, the customer is given a store credit for merchandise payments made, less a re-stocking and layaway service fee. Such fees, which are non-refundable, are recognized in revenue when collected. The introduction of gift cards to all stores was completed in early 2010. Proceeds from the sale of gift cards are deferred until the customers use the cards to purchase merchandise. No amounts have yet been amortized into income for gift cards not expected to be redeemed (“breakage”) due to the lack of time that has lapsed since cards began being sold under the program and the relative immateriality of the gift card liability ($0.5 million and $0.3 million as of February 2, 2013 and January 28, 2012, respectively). All sales are from cash, check or major credit card company transactions. The Company does not offer company-sponsored customer credit accounts.

(j) Cost of Sales

Cost of sales includes the cost of inventory sold during the period and transportation costs, including inbound freight related to inventory sold and freight from the distribution centers to the stores, net of discounts and allowances. Distribution center costs, store occupancy expenses and advertising expenses are not considered components of cost of sales and are included as part of selling, general and administrative expenses.

(k) Earnings per Share

Basic earnings per common share amounts are calculated using the weighted average number of common shares outstanding for the period. Diluted earnings per common share amounts are calculated using the weighted average number of common shares outstanding plus the additional dilution for all potentially dilutive securities, such as nonvested restricted stock and stock options. During loss periods, diluted loss per share amounts are based on the weighted average number of common shares outstanding because the inclusion of common stock equivalents would be antidilutive.

The following table provides a reconciliation of the number of average common shares outstanding used to calculate basic earnings per share to the number of common shares and common stock equivalents outstanding used in calculating diluted earnings per share for fiscal 2012, 2011, and 2010:

	2012	2011	2010
Average number of common shares outstanding	14,671,638	14,589,247	14,503,418
Incremental shares from assumed exercises of stock options	—	—	17,208
Incremental shares from assumed vesting of nonvested restricted stock	—	—	2,036
Average number of common shares and common stock equivalents outstanding	14,671,638	14,589,247	14,522,662

The dilutive effect of stock-based compensation arrangements is accounted for using the treasury stock method. This method assumes that the proceeds the Company receives from the exercise of stock options are used to repurchase common shares in the market. The Company includes as assumed proceeds the amount of compensation cost attributed to future services and not yet recognized, and the amount of tax benefits, if any, that would be credited to additional paid-in capital assuming exercise of outstanding options and vesting of nonvested restricted stock. For fiscal 2012, 2011, and 2010, respectively, there were 47,000, 53,000, and 53,000 options outstanding to purchase shares of common stock excluded from the calculation of diluted earnings per share because of antidilution. For fiscal 2012, 2011, and 2010, respectively, there were 402,000, 361,000, and 320,000 shares of nonvested restricted stock, respectively, excluded from the calculation of diluted earnings per share because of antidilution.

(l) Advertising

The Company expenses advertising as incurred. Advertising expense for fiscal 2012, 2011 and 2010 was $3.1 million, $3.2 million and $2.7 million, respectively.

(m) Operating Leases

The Company leases all of its store properties and accounts for the leases as operating leases. Many lease agreements contain tenant improvement allowances, rent holidays, rent escalation clauses and/or contingent rent provisions. For purposes of recognizing incentives and minimum rent expense on a straight-line basis over the terms of the leases, the Company uses the date of initial possession to begin amortization, which is generally when the Company enters the space and begins to make improvements in preparation of intended use.

For scheduled rent escalation clauses during the lease terms or for rental payments commencing “rent holidays” at a date other than the date of initial occupancy, the Company records minimum rent expense on a straight-line basis over the terms of the leases. Tenant improvement allowances are included in accrued expenses (current portion) and other long-term liabilities (noncurrent portion) and are amortized over the lease term. Changes in the balances of tenant improvement allowances are included as a component of operating activities in the consolidated statements of cash flows.

Certain leases provide for contingent rents that are not measurable at inception. These contingent rents are primarily based on a percentage of net sales that are in excess of a predetermined level. These amounts are excluded from minimum rent and are included in the determination of total rent expense when it is probable that the expense has been incurred and the amount is reasonably estimable.

The Company is required to recognize a liability for the fair value of a conditional asset retirement obligation when incurred if the liability’s fair value can be reasonably estimated. As of February 2, 2013 and January 28, 2012, the Company included a liability of $0.7 million in other long-term liabilities, representing estimated expenses that would be incurred upon the termination of the Company’s operating leases.

(n) Store Opening and Closing Costs

New and relocated store opening period costs are charged directly to expense when incurred. When the Company decides to close or relocate a store, the Company records an expense for the present value of expected future rent payments, net of sublease income, if any, in the period that a store closes or relocates. All store opening and closing costs are included in selling, general and administrative expenses.

(o) Income Taxes

Income taxes are accounted for under the asset and liability method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases and operating loss and tax credit carryforwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date.

(p) Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and use assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

The most significant estimates made by management include those used in the valuation of inventory, property and equipment, self-insurance liabilities, leases and income taxes. Management periodically evaluates estimates used in the preparation of the consolidated financial statements for continued reasonableness. Appropriate adjustments, if any, to the estimates used are made prospectively based on such periodic evaluations.

(q) Business Reporting Segments

The Company is a value-priced retailer of urban fashion apparel and accessories for the entire family. The retail operations represent a single operating segment based on the way the Company manages its business. Operating decisions and resource allocation decisions are made at the Company level in order to maintain a consistent retail store presentation. The Company’s retail stores sell similar products, use similar processes to sell those products, and sell their products to similar classes of customers. All sales and assets are located within the United States.

(r) Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In May 2011, the FASB issued ASU No. 2011-04, “Amendments to Achieve Common Fair Value Measurement and Disclosure Requirements in U.S. GAAP and IFRS,” which amends U.S. GAAP to conform with measurement and disclosure requirements in International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). The amendments change the wording used to describe the requirements in U.S. GAAP for measuring fair value and for disclosing information about fair value measurements, and they include those that clarify the Board’s intent about the application of existing fair value measurement and disclosure requirements and those that change a particular principle or requirement for measuring fair value or for disclosing information about fair value measurements. In addition, to improve consistency in application across jurisdictions, some changes in wording are necessary to ensure that U.S. GAAP and IFRS fair value measurement and disclosure requirements are described in the same way (for example, using the word shall rather than should to describe the requirements in U.S. GAAP). The Company adopted this standard in the first quarter of fiscal 2012, and the adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.