NOTE 1—NATURE OF BUSINESS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Nature of Business

HD Supply Holdings, Inc. ("Holdings") indirectly owns all of the outstanding common stock of HD Supply, Inc. ("HDS").

Holdings, together with its direct and indirect subsidiaries, including HDS ("HD Supply" or the "Company"), is one of the largest industrial distribution companies in North America. The Company specializes in three distinct market sectors: Maintenance, Repair & Operations; Infrastructure; and Specialty Construction. Through approximately 500 locations across 48 U.S. states and six Canadian provinces, the Company serves these markets with an integrated go-to-market strategy. HD Supply has approximately 14,000 associates delivering localized, customer-tailored products, services and expertise. The Company serves approximately 530,000 customers, which include contractors, maintenance professionals, home builders, industrial businesses, and government entities. HD Supply's broad range of end-to-end product lines and services includes approximately 845,000 stock-keeping units ("SKUs") of quality, name-brand and proprietary-brand products as well as value-add services supporting the entire life-cycle of a project from infrastructure and construction to maintenance, repair and operations.

HD Supply is managed primarily on a product line basis and reports results of operations in three reportable segments. The reportable segments are Facilities Maintenance, Waterworks, and Construction & Industrial. In addition, the consolidated financial statements include Corporate, which is comprised of enterprise-wide functional departments.

Principles of Consolidation

The consolidated financial statements of HD Supply Holdings, Inc. present the results of operations, financial position and cash flows of HD Supply Holdings, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, including HD Supply, Inc. The consolidated financial statements of HD Supply, Inc. present the results of operations, financial position and cash flows of HD Supply, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. All material intercompany balances and transactions are eliminated. Results of operations of businesses acquired are included from their respective dates of acquisition. The results of operations of all discontinued operations have been separately reported as discontinued operations for all periods presented.

Fiscal Year

HD Supply's fiscal year is a 52- or 53-week period ending on the Sunday nearest to January 31. Fiscal year ended January 29, 2017 ("fiscal 2016"), fiscal year ended January 31, 2016 ("fiscal 2015"), and fiscal year ended February 1, 2015 ("fiscal 2014") each included 52 weeks.

Estimates

Management has made a number of estimates and assumptions relating to the reporting of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities, and reported amounts of revenues and expenses in preparing these consolidated financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("GAAP"). Actual results could differ from these estimates.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

HD Supply considers all highly liquid investments with maturities of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents.

Allowance for Doubtful Accounts

Accounts receivable are evaluated for collectability based on numerous factors, including past transaction history with customers, their credit worthiness, and an assessment of lien and bond rights. An allowance for doubtful accounts is estimated as a percentage of aged receivables. This estimate is periodically adjusted when management becomes aware of specific customer's inability to meet its financial obligations (e.g., bankruptcy filing) or as a result of changes in historical collection patterns.

Inventories

Inventories consist primarily of finished goods and are carried at the lower of cost or market. The cost of substantially all inventories is determined by the moving or weighted average cost method. Inventory value is evaluated at each balance sheet date to ensure that it is carried at the lower of cost or market. This evaluation includes an analysis of historical physical inventory results, a review of excess and obsolete inventories based on inventory aging, and anticipated future demand. Periodically, perpetual inventory records are adjusted to reflect declines in net realizable value below inventory carrying cost.

Consideration Received From Vendors

HD Supply enters into agreements with many of its vendors providing for inventory purchase rebates ("vendor rebates") upon achievement of specified volume purchasing levels. Vendor rebates are accrued as part of cost of sales for products sold based on progress towards earning the vendor rebates, taking into consideration cumulative purchases of inventory to date and projected purchases through the end of the year. An estimate of unearned vendor rebates is included in the carrying value of inventory at each period end for vendor rebates recognized on products not yet sold. At January 29, 2017 and January 31, 2016, vendor rebates due to HD Supply were $89 million and $76 million, respectively. These receivables are included in Receivables in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Property and Equipment

Property and equipment are recorded at cost and depreciated using the straight-line method based on the following estimated useful lives of the assets:

Buildings and improvements		5 - 45 years
Transportation equipment		5 - 7 years
Furniture, fixtures and equipment		2 - 10 years

Capitalized Software Costs

HD Supply capitalizes certain software costs, which are being amortized on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives of the software, ranging from three to seven years. At January 29, 2017 and January 31, 2016, capitalized software costs totaled $34 million and $40 million, respectively, net of accumulated amortization of $210 million and $186 million, respectively. Amortization of capitalized software costs totaled $27 million, $38 million, and $39 million, in fiscal 2016, fiscal 2015, and fiscal 2014, respectively.

Goodwill

Goodwill represents the excess of purchase price over fair value of net assets acquired. HD Supply does not amortize goodwill, but does assess the recoverability of goodwill on an annual basis or whenever events or circumstances indicate that it is "more likely than not" that the fair value of a reporting unit has dropped below its carrying value. The Company determines the fair values of its identified reporting units using a discounted cash flow ("DCF") analysis and a market comparable method, with each method being equally weighted in the calculation. Determining fair value requires the exercise of significant judgment, including judgment about appropriate discount rates, the amount and timing of expected future cash flows, as well as relevant comparable company earnings multiples for the market comparable approach. There were no goodwill impairment charges recorded in fiscal 2016, fiscal 2015, or fiscal 2014.

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

Long-lived assets, including property and equipment, are reviewed for possible impairment whenever events or circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. To analyze recoverability, undiscounted future cash flows over the remaining life of the asset are projected. If these projected cash flows are less than the carrying amount, an impairment loss is recognized to the extent the fair value of the asset less any costs of disposition is less than the carrying amount of the asset. Judgments regarding the existence of impairment indicators are based on market and operational performance. Evaluating potential impairment also requires estimates of future operating results and cash flows.

Self-Insurance

HD Supply has a high deductible insurance program for most losses related to general liability, product liability, environmental liability, automobile liability, workers' compensation, and is self-insured for medical claims and certain legal claims. The expected ultimate cost for claims incurred as of the balance sheet date is not discounted and is recognized as a liability. Self-insurance losses for claims filed and claims incurred but not reported are accrued based upon estimates of the aggregate liability for uninsured claims using loss development factors and actuarial assumptions followed in the insurance industry and historical loss development experience. At January 29, 2017 and January 31, 2016, reserves totaled approximately $79 million and $84 million, respectively.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The carrying amounts of cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable and accounts payable, accrued compensation and benefits and other current liabilities approximate fair value due to the short-term nature of these financial instruments. The Company's long-term financial assets and liabilities are recorded at historical costs. See "Note 6, Fair Value Measurements," for information on the fair value of long-term financial instruments.

Revenue Recognition

HD Supply recognizes revenue when persuasive evidence of an agreement exists, delivery has occurred or services have been rendered, the price to the buyer is fixed and determinable and collectability is reasonably assured.

HD Supply ships products to customers by internal fleet and third party carriers. Revenues, net of sales tax and allowances for returns and discounts, are recognized from product sales when title to the products is passed to the customer, which generally occurs at the point of destination for products shipped by internal fleet and at the point of shipping for products shipped by third party carriers. Revenues related to services are recognized in the period the services are performed and totaled $33 million, $30 million, and $23 million in fiscal 2016, fiscal 2015 and fiscal 2014, respectively.

Shipping and Handling Fees and Costs

HD Supply includes shipping and handling fees billed to customers in Net sales. Shipping and handling costs associated with inbound freight are capitalized to inventories and relieved through Cost of sales as inventories are sold. Shipping and handling costs associated with outbound freight are included in Selling, general and administrative expenses and totaled $109 million, $99 million, and $98 million in fiscal 2016, fiscal 2015, and fiscal 2014, respectively.

Concentration of Credit Risk

The majority of HD Supply's sales are credit sales which are made primarily to customers whose ability to pay is dependent, in part, upon the economic strength of industries and the areas where they operate. Concentration of credit risk with respect to trade accounts receivable is limited by the large number of customers comprising HD Supply's customer base. HD Supply performs ongoing credit evaluations of its customers.

Leases

Leases are reviewed for capital or operating classification at their inception under the guidance of Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") 840, "Leases." The Company uses its incremental borrowing rate in the assessment of lease classification and assumes the initial lease term includes renewal options that are reasonably assured. HD Supply conducts operations primarily under operating leases. For leases classified as operating leases, the Company records rent expense on a straight-line basis, over the lease term beginning with the date the Company has access to the property which in some cases is prior to commencement of lease payments. Accordingly, the amount of rental expense recognized in excess of lease payments is recorded as a deferred rent liability and is amortized to rental expense over the remaining term of the lease.

Advertising

Advertising costs are charged to expense as incurred except for the costs of producing and distributing certain direct response sales catalogs, which are capitalized and charged to expense over the life of the related catalog. Advertising expenses were approximately $34 million, $35 million, and $32 million in fiscal 2016, fiscal 2015, and fiscal 2014, respectively. Capitalized advertising costs related to direct response advertising were not material.

Income Taxes

The Company provides for federal, state and foreign income taxes currently payable, as well as for those deferred due to temporary differences between reporting income and expenses for financial statement purposes versus tax purposes. Federal, state and foreign tax benefits are recorded as a reduction of income taxes. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to temporary differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted income 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 of a change in income tax rates is recognized as income or expense in the period that includes the enactment date.

The Company consists of corporations, limited liability companies and partnerships. All income tax expense (benefit) of the Company is recorded in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss) with the offset recorded through the Company's current tax accounts, deferred tax accounts, or stockholder's equity account as appropriate.

Comprehensive Income (Loss)

Comprehensive income (loss) includes Net income (loss) adjusted for certain revenues, expenses, gains and losses that are excluded from net income under GAAP. Adjustments to net income are for foreign currency translation adjustments.

Foreign Currency Translation

Assets and liabilities of foreign subsidiaries with a functional currency other than the U.S. dollar, primarily Canadian dollars, are translated into U.S. dollars at the current rate of exchange on the last day of the reporting period. Revenues and expenses are translated at a monthly average exchange rate and equity transactions are translated using either the actual exchange rate on the day of the transaction or a monthly average exchange rate.

Stock-Based Compensation

The HD Supply Holdings, Inc. 2013 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the "Plan") provides for stock-based awards to employees, consultants and directors, including stock options, stock purchase rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units, deferred stock units, performance shares, performance units, stock appreciation rights, dividend equivalents and other stock-based awards. The Plan replaces and succeeds the HDS Investment Holding, Inc. Stock Incentive Plan, as amended effective April 11, 2011 (the "Stock Incentive Plan"), and, from and after June 26, 2013, no further awards will be made under the Stock Incentive Plan. Both plans are accounted for under ASC 718, "Compensation—Stock Compensation," which requires the recognition of share-based compensation costs in the financial statements. The Company includes these costs in Selling, general and administrative expense in the Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss).

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Goodwill—In January 2017, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") No. 2017-04, "Intangibles—Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment" ("ASU 2017-04"). The new guidance eliminates the requirement to calculate the implied fair value of goodwill to measure a goodwill impairment charge. Instead, entities will record an impairment charge based on the excess of a reporting unit's carrying amount over its fair value. The ASU is effective for annual and interim impairment tests performed in periods beginning after December 15, 2019. Early adoption is permitted for annual and interim goodwill impairment testing dates after January 1, 2017. The amendments in this update should be applied on a prospective basis. The adoption of ASU 2017-04 is not expected to have a material impact on the Company's financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

Statement of Cash Flows—In November 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-18, "Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Restricted Cash" ("ASU 2016-18"). The new guidance is intended to reduce diversity in practice by adding or clarifying guidance on classification and presentation of changes in restricted cash on the statement of cash flows. ASU 2016-18 is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2017. Early adoption is permitted. The amendments in this update should be applied retrospectively to all periods presented. On a prospective basis, the ASU will only impact the Company to the extent it has restricted cash.

Income Taxes—In October 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-16, "Income Taxes (Topic 740): Intra-entity Transfers of Assets Other than Inventory" ("ASU 2016-16"). The new guidance is intended to improve the accounting for intra-entity transfers of assets other than inventory by requiring recognition of income tax consequences of intra-entity transfers of assets other than inventory when the transfer occurs. ASU 2016-16 is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2017. Early adoption is permitted. The amendments in this update should be applied on a modified retrospective basis through a cumulative-effect adjustment directly to retained earnings as of the beginning of the period of adoption. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting ASU 2016-16.

Statement of Cash Flows—In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-15, "Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Clarification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments" ("ASU 2016-15"). The new guidance is intended to reduce diversity in practice related to certain cash receipts and payments in the statement of cash flows by adding or clarifying guidance on eight specific cash flow issues. ASU 2016-15 is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2017. Early adoption is permitted. The amendments in this update should be applied retrospectively to all periods presented, unless deemed impracticable, in which case, prospective application is permitted. The adoption of ASU 2016-15 is not expected to have a material impact on the Company's financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

Stock Compensation—In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-09, "Compensation—Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting" ("ASU 2016-09"). The new guidance identifies areas for simplification involving several aspects of accounting for share-based payment transactions, including the income tax consequences, classification of awards as either equity or liabilities as well as certain classifications on the statement of cash flows. ASU 2016-09 is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2016.

The Company adopted the guidance from this amendment on January 30, 2017 (the first day of fiscal 2017) recording a $56 million cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings in order to recognize a deferred tax asset on the excess deduction for stock option exercises over the expense recorded for book purposes. On an ongoing basis, the impact to the Company will be through a credit to charge the tax provision reflecting the difference between the amount deductible for tax purposes and the amount expensed for book purposes as options are exercised.

Leases—In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, "Leases (Topic 842)" ("ASU 2016-02"). The new guidance requires companies to recognize all leases as assets and liabilities for the rights and obligations created by leased assets on the consolidated balance sheet. ASU 2016-02 is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2018. Early adoption is permitted. It is to be adopted using a modified retrospective approach. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting ASU 2016-02.

Inventory—In July 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-11, "Inventory, Simplifying the Measurement of Inventory" ("ASU 2015-11"). The amended guidance requires that inventory be measured at the lower of cost and net realizable value. The amended guidance is limited to inventory measured using the first-in, first-out ("FIFO") or average cost methods and excludes inventory measured using last-in, first-out ("LIFO") or retail inventory methods. ASU 2015-11 is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods, beginning after December 15, 2016. Early adoption is permitted. The adoption of ASU 2015-11 is not expected to have a material impact on the Company's financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

Going Concern—In August 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-15, "Presentation of Financial Statements—Going Concern (Subtopic 205-40): Disclosure of Uncertainties about an Entity's Ability to Continue as a Going Concern" ("ASU 2014-15"). The amendments in the Update provide guidance about management's responsibility to evaluate whether there is substantial doubt about an entity's ability to continue as a going concern and to provide related footnote disclosures. For each reporting period, management is required to evaluate whether there are conditions or events that raise substantial doubt about a company's ability to continue as a going concern within one year from when the financial statements are issued. The amendments in ASU 2014-15 are effective for annual periods ending after December 15, 2016, and interim periods within annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016. The Company adopted the guidance from the amendment in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2016. The adoption did not result in any impact on the Company's financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

Revenue recognition—In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, "Revenue from contracts with customers" ("ASU 2014-09"), amended by ASU 2016-10, "Revenue from contracts with customers (Topic 606): Identifying Performance Obligations and Licensing," ASU 2016-12, "Revenue from contracts with customers (Topic 606): Narrow-Scope Improvements and Practical Expedients," and ASU 2016-20, "Technical Corrections and Improvements to Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers." The amended guidance outlines a single comprehensive revenue model for entities to use in accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers. The guidance supersedes most current revenue recognition guidance, including industry-specific guidance. The core principle of the revenue model is that "an entity recognizes revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services." The update requires significant additional disclosure about the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from customer contracts, including significant judgments and changes in judgements. Entities have the option of using either a full retrospective or modified approach to adopt the guidance. In July 2015, the FASB provided a one-year delay in the effective date of ASU 2014-09, to be effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within that reporting period, and a permission to early adopt for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016.

The Company has performed a review of the new revenue standard and is monitoring the activity of the FASB and the transition resource group as it relates to specific interpretative guidance. The Company is reviewing customer contracts and is in the process of applying the five-step model of the new standard to each contract category identified and will compare the results to current accounting practice. The Company plans to adopt ASU 2014-09, as well as other clarifications and technical guidance issued by the FASB related to this new revenue standard on January 29, 2018 (the first day of fiscal 2018). The Company has not yet determined whether it will adopt the provisions of ASU 2014-09 on a retrospective basis or through a cumulative adjustment to equity.

The new standard could change the amount and timing of revenue and costs under certain arrangement types and could increase the administrative burden on Company operations to properly account for customer contracts and provide the more expansive required disclosures. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting ASU 2014-09, but has not yet determined what effect, if any, the new guidance will have on its financial position, results of operations or cash flows.