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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
6 Months Ended
Jul. 30, 2011
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Note 1
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Interim Statements
The condensed consolidated financial statements contained in this report are unaudited but reflect all adjustments, consisting of only normal recurring adjustments, necessary for a fair presentation of the results for the interim periods of the fiscal year ending January 28, 2012 (“Fiscal 2012”) and of the fiscal year ended January 29, 2011 (“Fiscal 2011”). The results of operations for any interim period are not necessarily indicative of results for the full year. The interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Nature of Operations
The Company’s business includes the design and sourcing, marketing and distribution of footwear and accessories through retail stores in the U.S., Puerto Rico and Canada primarily under the Journeys, Journeys Kidz, Shi by Journeys, Johnston & Murphy, and Underground Station banners and under the newly acquired Schuh banner in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland; through e-commerce websites including journeys.com, journeyskidz.com, shibyjourneys.com, undergroundstation.com, schuh.co.uk and johnstonmurphy.com, and at wholesale, primarily under the Company’s Johnston & Murphy brand and the Dockers brand, which the Company licenses for men’s footwear. The Company’s business also includes Lids Sports, which operates headwear and accessory stores in the U.S. and Canada primarily under the Lids, Hat World and Hat Shack banners; the Lids Locker Room business, consisting of sports-oriented fan shops featuring a broad array of licensed merchandise such as apparel, hats and accessories, sports decor and novelty products, operating primarily under the Lids Locker Room, Sports Fan-Attic and Sports Avenue banners; certain e-commerce operations and an athletic team dealer business operating as Lids Team Sports. Including both the footwear businesses and the Lids Sports business, at July 30, 2011, the Company operated 2,380 retail stores in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Canada, United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.
Principles of Consolidation
All subsidiaries are consolidated in the condensed consolidated financial statements. All significant intercompany transactions and accounts have been eliminated.
Financial Statement Reclassifications
Certain reclassifications have been made to conform prior years’ data to the current year presentation. In the three months and six months ended July 31, 2010 Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows, amortization of intangibles totaling approximately $0.5 million and $0.7 million, respectively, were reclassified from other to depreciation and amortization under adjustments to reconcile net (loss) earnings to net cash provided by operating activities. Certain expenses previously allocated to the corporate segment have been reallocated to operating segments beginning in Fiscal 2012. Segment operating income (loss) for the three months and six months ended July 31, 2010 has been restated by operating segment totaling $1.5 million and $3.0 million, respectively, with an offsetting increase to corporate and other operating income to conform to the current year presentation (See Note 10).
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and 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.
Significant areas requiring management estimates or judgments include the following key financial areas:
    Inventory Valuation
 
    The Company values its inventories at the lower of cost or market.
    In its footwear wholesale operations, its Schuh Group segment and its Lids Sports Group wholesale operations, except for the Anaconda Sports operation, cost is determined using the first-in, first-out (“FIFO”) method. Market value is determined using a system of analysis which evaluates inventory at the stock number level based on factors such as inventory turn, average selling price, inventory level, and selling prices reflected in future orders. The Company provides reserves when the inventory has not been marked down to market value based on current selling prices or when the inventory is not turning and is not expected to turn at levels satisfactory to the Company.
    The Lids Sports retail segment and its Anaconda Sports wholesale division employ the moving average cost method for valuing inventories and apply freight using an allocation method. The Company provides a valuation allowance for slow-moving inventory based on negative margins and estimated shrink based on historical experience and specific analysis, where appropriate.
    In its retail operations, other than the Schuh and Lids Sports segments, the Company employs the retail inventory method, applying average cost-to-retail ratios to the retail value of inventories. Under the retail inventory method, valuing inventory at the lower of cost or market is achieved as markdowns are taken or accrued as a reduction of the retail value of inventories.
    Inherent in the retail inventory method are subjective judgments and estimates, including merchandise mark-on, markups, markdowns, and shrinkage. These judgments and estimates, coupled with the fact that the retail inventory method is an averaging process, could produce a range of cost figures. To reduce the risk of inaccuracy and to ensure consistent presentation, the Company employs the retail inventory method in multiple subclasses of inventory with similar gross margins, and analyzes markdown requirements at the stock number level based on factors such as inventory turn, average selling price, and inventory age. In addition, the Company accrues markdowns as necessary. These additional markdown accruals reflect all of the above factors as well as current agreements to return products to vendors and vendor agreements to provide markdown support. In addition to markdown provisions, the Company maintains provisions for shrinkage and damaged goods based on historical rates.
    Inherent in the analysis of both wholesale and retail inventory valuation are subjective judgments about current market conditions, fashion trends, and overall economic conditions. Failure to make appropriate conclusions regarding these factors may result in an overstatement or understatement of inventory value.
    Impairment of Long-Lived Assets
    The Company periodically reviews the carrying value of its long-lived assets and evaluates such assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. Asset impairment is determined to exist if estimated future cash flows, undiscounted and without interest charges, are less than the carrying amount. Inherent in the analysis of impairment are subjective judgments about future cash flows. Failure to make appropriate conclusions regarding these judgments may result in an overstatement or understatement of the value of long-lived assets. See also Notes 3 and 5.
    The goodwill impairment test involves a two-step process. The first step is a comparison of the fair value and carrying value of the reporting unit with which the goodwill is associated. The Company estimates fair value using the best information available, and computes the fair value by an equal weighting of the results arrived by a market approach and an income approach utilizing discounted cash flow projections. The income approach uses a projection of a business unit’s estimated operating results and cash flows that is discounted using a weighted-average cost of capital that reflects current market conditions. The projection uses management’s best estimates of economic and market conditions over the projected period including growth rates in sales, costs, estimates of future expected changes in operating margins and cash expenditures. Other significant estimates and assumptions include terminal value growth rates, future estimates of capital expenditures and changes in future working capital requirements.
    If the carrying value of the reporting unit is higher than its fair value, there is an indication that impairment may exist and the second step must be performed to measure the amount of impairment loss. The amount of impairment is determined by comparing the implied fair value of reporting unit goodwill to the carrying value of the goodwill in the same manner as if the reporting unit was being acquired in a business combination. Specifically, the Company would allocate the fair value to all of the assets and liabilities of the reporting unit, including any unrecognized intangible assets, in a hypothetical analysis that would calculate the implied fair value of goodwill. If the implied fair value of goodwill is less than the recorded goodwill, the Company would record an impairment charge for the difference.
    A key assumption in the Company’s fair value estimate is the weighted average cost of capital utilized for discounting its cash flow projections in its income approach. The Company believes the rate it used in its annual test, which is completed in the fourth quarter each year, was consistent with the risks inherent in its business and with industry discount rates.
    Environmental and Other Contingencies
    The Company is subject to certain loss contingencies related to environmental proceedings and other legal matters, including those disclosed in Note 9. The Company has made pretax accruals for certain of these contingencies, including approximately $1.2 million in each of the second quarters of Fiscal 2012 and 2011, and $1.6 million for the each of the first six months of Fiscal 2012 and 2011. These charges are included in provision for discontinued operations, net in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (see Note 3). The Company monitors these matters on an ongoing basis and, on a quarterly basis, management reviews the Company’s reserves and accruals in relation to each of them, adjusting provisions as management deems necessary in view of changes in available information. Changes in estimates of liability are reported in the periods when they occur. Consequently, management believes that its reserve in relation to each proceeding is a best estimate of probable loss connected to the proceeding, or in cases in which no best estimate is possible, the minimum amount in the range of estimated losses, based upon its analysis of the facts and circumstances as of the close of the most recent fiscal quarter. However, because of uncertainties and risks inherent in litigation generally and in environmental proceedings in particular, there can be no assurance that future developments will not require additional reserves to be set aside, that some or all reserves will be adequate or that the amounts of any such additional reserves or any such inadequacy will not have a material adverse effect upon the Company’s financial condition or results of operations.
    Revenue Recognition
    Retail sales are recorded at the point of sale and are net of estimated returns and exclude sales taxes. Catalog and internet sales are recorded at estimated time of delivery to the customer and are net of estimated returns and exclude sales taxes. Wholesale revenue is recorded net of estimated returns and allowances for markdowns, damages and miscellaneous claims when the related goods have been shipped and legal title has passed to the customer. Shipping and handling costs charged to customers are included in net sales. Estimated returns are based on historical returns and claims. Actual amounts of markdowns have not differed materially from estimates. Actual returns and claims in any future period may differ from historical experience.
    Income Taxes
    As part of the process of preparing Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements, the Company is required to estimate its income taxes in each of the tax jurisdictions in which it operates. This process involves estimating actual current tax obligations together with assessing temporary differences resulting from differing treatment of certain items for tax and accounting purposes, such as depreciation of property and equipment and valuation of inventories. These temporary differences result in deferred tax assets and liabilities, which are included within the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. The Company then assesses the likelihood that its deferred tax assets will be recovered from future taxable income. Actual results could differ from this assessment if adequate taxable income is not generated in future periods. To the extent the Company believes that recovery of an asset is at risk, valuation allowances are established. To the extent valuation allowances are established or increased in a period, the Company includes an expense within the tax provision in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations.
    Income tax reserves are determined using the methodology required by the Income Tax Topic of the Accounting Standards Codification (“Codification”). This methodology requires companies to assess each income tax position taken using a two step process. A determination is first made as to whether it is more likely than not that the position will be sustained, based upon the technical merits, upon examination by the taxing authorities. If the tax position is expected to meet the more likely than not criteria, the benefit recorded for the tax position equals the largest amount that is greater than 50% likely to be realized upon ultimate settlement of the respective tax position. Uncertain tax positions require determinations and estimated liabilities to be made based on provisions of the tax law which may be subject to change or varying interpretation. If the Company’s determinations and estimates prove to be inaccurate, the resulting adjustments could be material to its future financial results.
    Postretirement Benefits Plan Accounting
    Full-time employees who had at least 1,000 hours of service in calendar year 2004, except employees in the Lids Sports and Schuh Group segments, are covered by a defined benefit pension plan. The Company froze the defined benefit pension plan effective January 1, 2005. The Company also provides certain former employees with limited medical and life insurance benefits. The Company funds at least the minimum amount required by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.
    As required by the Compensation — Retirement Benefits Topic of the Codification, the Company is required to recognize the overfunded or underfunded status of postretirement benefit plans as an asset or liability in their Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets and to recognize changes in that funded status in accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of tax, in the year in which the changes occur.
    The Company accounts for the defined benefit pension plans using the Compensation-Retirement Benefits Topic of the Codification. As permitted under this topic, pension expense is recognized on an accrual basis over employees’ approximate service periods. The calculation of pension expense and the corresponding liability requires the use of a number of critical assumptions, including the expected long-term rate of return on plan assets and the assumed discount rate, as well as the recognition of actuarial gains and losses. Changes in these assumptions can result in different expense and liability amounts, and future actual experience can differ from these assumptions.
    Share-Based Compensation
    The Company has share-based compensation plans covering certain members of management and non-employee directors. The Company recognizes compensation expense for share-based payments based on the fair value of the awards as required by the Compensation — Stock Compensation Topic of the Codification. There was no share-based compensation for the second quarter and first six months of Fiscal 2012. For the second quarter of Fiscal 2011, share-based compensation expense was less than $0.1 million. The Company has not issued any new share-based compensation awards since the first quarter of Fiscal 2008. For the second quarters of Fiscal 2012 and 2011, restricted stock expense was $1.6 million and $2.0 million, respectively. For the first six months of Fiscal 2012 and 2011, share-based compensation expense was less than $1,000 and $0.1 million, respectively. For the first six months of Fiscal 2012 and 2011, restricted stock expense was $3.2 million and $3.6 million, respectively. The benefits of tax deductions in excess of recognized compensation expense are reported as a financing cash flow.
    The Company estimates the fair value of each option award on the date of grant using a Black-Scholes option pricing model. The application of this valuation model involves assumptions that are judgmental and highly sensitive in the determination of compensation expense, including expected stock price volatility. The Company bases expected volatility on historical stock prices for a period that is commensurate with the expected term estimate. The Company bases the risk free rate on an interest rate for a bond with a maturity commensurate with the expected term estimate. The Company estimates the expected term of stock options using historical exercise and employee termination experience. The Company does not currently pay a dividend on common stock. The fair value of employee restricted stock is determined based on the closing price of the Company’s stock on the date of the grant.
    In addition to the key assumptions used in the Black-Scholes model, the estimated forfeiture rate at the time of valuation (which is based on historical experience for similar options) is a critical assumption, as it reduces expense ratably over the vesting period. Share-based compensation expense is recorded based on a 2% expected forfeiture rate and is adjusted annually for actual forfeitures. The Company reviews the expected forfeiture rate annually to determine if that percent is still reasonable based on historical experience. The Company believes its estimates are reasonable in the context of actual (historical) experience.
    The Company did not grant any stock options for the three months and six months ended July 30, 2011 or July 31, 2010. During the three months and six months ended July 30, 2011, the Company issued 289,407 shares of employee restricted stock at a grant date fair value of $45.14 per share which vest over a four-year term. For the three months and six months ended July 30, 2011, the Company issued 14,643 shares of director restricted stock at a weighted average price of $43.01 which vest on the first anniversary of the grant date. During the three months and six months ended July 31, 2010, the Company issued 404,995 shares of employee restricted stock at a grant date fair value of $28.41 per share which vest over a four-year term. For the three months and six months ended July 31, 2010, the Company issued 17,838 shares of director restricted stock at a weighted average price of $30.27.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
Included in cash and cash equivalents at July 30, 2011, January 29, 2011 and July 31, 2010 are marketable securities of $0.1 million, $29.8 million and $9.6 million, respectively. Marketable securities are highly-liquid financial instruments having an original maturity of three months or less. At July 30, 2011, substantially all of the Company’s cash was invested in deposit accounts at FDIC-insured banks. All of the Company’s deposit account balances are currently FDIC insured and will remain so through December 31, 2012 as a result of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. The majority of payments due from banks for customer credit card transactions process within 24 — 48 hours and are accordingly classified as cash and cash equivalents.
At July 30, 2011, January 29, 2011 and July 31, 2010 outstanding checks drawn on zero-balance accounts at certain domestic banks exceeded book cash balances at those banks by approximately $33.3 million, $36.1 million and $28.6 million, respectively. These amounts are included in accounts payable.
Concentration of Credit Risk and Allowances on Accounts Receivable
The Company’s footwear wholesale businesses sell primarily to independent retailers and department stores across the United States. Receivables arising from these sales are not collateralized. Customer credit risk is affected by conditions or occurrences within the economy and the retail industry as well as by customer specific factors. The Company’s Lids Team Sports wholesale business sells primarily to college and high school athletic teams and their fan bases. Including both footwear wholesale and Lids Team Sports receivables, one customer accounted for 6% of the Company’s total trade receivables balance, while no other customer accounted for more than 5% of the Company’s total trade receivables balance as of July 30, 2011.
The Company establishes an allowance for doubtful accounts based upon factors surrounding the credit risk of specific customers, historical trends and other information, as well as customer specific factors. The Company also establishes allowances for sales returns, customer deductions and co-op advertising based on specific circumstances, historical trends and projected probable outcomes.
Property and Equipment
Property and equipment are recorded at cost and depreciated or amortized over the estimated useful life of related assets. Depreciation and amortization expense are computed principally by the straight-line method over the following estimated useful lives:
     
Buildings and building equipment
  20-45 years
Computer hardware, software and equipment
  3-10 years
Furniture and fixtures
  10 years
Leases
Leasehold improvements are amortized on the straight-line method over the shorter of their useful lives or their related lease terms and the charge to earnings is included in selling and administrative expenses in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations.
Certain leases include rent increases during the initial lease term. For these leases, the Company recognizes the related rental expense on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease (which includes any rent holidays and the pre-opening period of construction, renovation, fixturing and merchandise placement) and records the difference between the amounts charged to operations and amounts paid as deferred rent.
The Company occasionally receives reimbursements from landlords to be used towards construction of the store the Company intends to lease. Leasehold improvements are recorded at their gross costs including items reimbursed by landlords. The reimbursements are amortized as a reduction of rent expense over the lesser of the life of the corresponding improvement or lease term. Tenant allowances of $17.4 million, $18.4 million and $20.2 million at July 30, 2011, January 29, 2011 and July 31, 2010, respectively, and deferred rent of $34.0 million, $33.0 million and $31.8 million at July 30, 2011, January 29, 2011 and July 31, 2010, respectively, are included in deferred rent and other long-term liabilities on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.
Goodwill and Other Intangibles
Under the provisions of the Intangibles — Goodwill and Other Topic of the Codification, goodwill and intangible assets with indefinite lives are not amortized, but are tested at least annually, during the fourth quarter, for impairment. The Company will update the tests between annual tests if events or circumstances occur that would more likely than not reduce the fair value of the business unit with which the goodwill is associated below its carrying amount. It is also required that intangible assets with finite lives be amortized over their respective lives to their estimated residual values, and reviewed for impairment in accordance with the Property, Plant and Equipment Topic of the Codification.
Intangible assets of the Company with indefinite lives are primarily goodwill and identifiable trademarks acquired in connection with the acquisition of Schuh Group Ltd. in June 2011 and Hat World Corporation in April 2004. The Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets include goodwill for the Lids Sports Group of $155.4 million, $103.0 million for the Schuh Group and $0.8 million for Licensed Brands at July 30, 2011, Lids Sports Group of $152.5 million and $0.8 million for Licensed Brands at January 29, 2011 and $126.6 million for the Lids Sports Group at July 31, 2010. The Company tests for impairment of intangible assets with an indefinite life, at a minimum on an annual basis, relying on a number of factors including operating results, business plans, projected future cash flows and observable market data. The impairment test for identifiable assets not subject to amortization consists of a comparison of the fair value of the intangible asset with its carrying amount. The Company has not had an impairment charge for intangible assets.
Identifiable intangible assets of the Company with finite lives are primarily trademarks acquired in connection with the acquisition of Hat Shack, Inc. in January 2007, Impact Sports in November 2008, Great Plains Sports in September 2009, Sports Fan-Attic in November 2009, Brand Innovators in May 2010, Anaconda Sports in August 2010, Keuka Footwear in August 2010 and Sports Avenue in October 2010, customer lists, in-place leases, non-compete agreements and a vendor contract. They are subject to amortization based upon their estimated useful lives. Finite-lived intangible assets are evaluated for impairment using a process similar to that used to evaluate other definite-lived long-lived assets, a comparison of the fair value of the intangible asset with its carrying amount. An impairment loss is recognized for the amount by which the carrying value exceeds the fair value of the asset.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
The carrying amounts and fair values of the Company’s financial instruments at July 30, 2011 and January 29, 2011 are:
                                 
Fair Values                        
 
            July 30,             January 29,  
In thousands           2011             2011  
    Carrying     Fair     Carrying     Fair  
    Amount     Value     Amount     Value  
 
Revolver Borrowings
  $ 117,481     $ 117,481     $ -0-     $ -0-  
UK Term Loans
    47,038       47,038       -0-       -0-  
Carrying amounts reported on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets for cash, cash equivalents, receivables and accounts payable approximate fair value due to the short-term maturity of these instruments.
Cost of Sales
For the Company’s retail operations, the cost of sales includes actual product cost, the cost of transportation to the Company’s warehouses from suppliers and the cost of transportation from the Company’s warehouses to the stores. Additionally, the cost of its distribution facilities allocated to its retail operations is included in cost of sales.
For the Company’s wholesale operations, the cost of sales includes the actual product cost and the cost of transportation to the Company’s warehouses from suppliers.
Selling and Administrative Expenses
Selling and administrative expenses include all operating costs of the Company excluding (i) those related to the transportation of products from the supplier to the warehouse, (ii) for its retail operations, those related to the transportation of products from the warehouse to the store and (iii) costs of its distribution facilities which are allocated to its retail operations. Wholesale and unallocated retail costs of distribution are included in selling and administrative expenses in the amounts of $1.9 million and $1.2 million for the second quarters of Fiscal 2012 and 2011, respectively, and $4.3 million and $2.4 million for the first six months of Fiscal 2012 and 2011, respectively.
Gift Cards
The Company has a gift card program that began in calendar 1999 for its Lids Sports operations and calendar 2000 for its footwear operations. The gift cards issued to date do not expire. As such, the Company recognizes income when: (i) the gift card is redeemed by the customer; or (ii) the likelihood of the gift card being redeemed by the customer for the purchase of goods in the future is remote and there are no related escheat laws (referred to as “breakage”). The gift card breakage rate is based upon historical redemption patterns and income is recognized for unredeemed gift cards in proportion to those historical redemption patterns.
Gift card breakage is recognized in revenues each period. Gift card breakage recognized as revenue was $0.1 million for each of the second quarters of Fiscal 2012 and 2011 and $0.2 million for each of the first six months of Fiscal 2012 and 2011. The Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets include an accrued liability for gift cards of $7.3 million, $9.0 million and $6.6 million at July 30, 2011, January 29, 2011 and July 31, 2010, respectively.
Buying, Merchandising and Occupancy Costs
The Company records buying, merchandising and occupancy costs in selling and administrative expense. Because the Company does not include these costs in cost of sales, the Company’s gross margin may not be comparable to other retailers that include these costs in the calculation of gross margin.
Shipping and Handling Costs
Shipping and handling costs related to inventory purchased from suppliers are included in the cost of inventory and are charged to cost of sales in the period that the inventory is sold. All other shipping and handling costs are charged to cost of sales in the period incurred except for wholesale and unallocated retail costs of distribution, which are included in selling and administrative expenses.
Preopening Costs
Costs associated with the opening of new stores are expensed as incurred, and are included in selling and administrative expenses on the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations.
Store Closings and Exit Costs
From time to time, the Company makes strategic decisions to close stores or exit locations or activities. If stores or operating activities to be closed or exited constitute components, as defined by the Property, Plant and Equipment Topic of the Codification, and will not result in a migration of customers and cash flows, these closures will be considered discontinued operations when the related assets meet the criteria to be classified as held for sale, or at the cease-use date, whichever occurs first. The results of operations of discontinued operations are presented retroactively, net of tax, as a separate component on the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations, if material individually or cumulatively. To date, no store closings meeting the discontinued operations criteria have been material individually or cumulatively.
Assets related to planned store closures or other exit activities are reflected as assets held for sale and recorded at the lower of carrying value or fair value less costs to sell when the required criteria, as defined by the Property, Plant and Equipment Topic of the Codification, are satisfied. Depreciation ceases on the date that the held for sale criteria are met.
Assets related to planned store closures or other exit activities that do not meet the criteria to be classified as held for sale are evaluated for impairment in accordance with the Company’s normal impairment policy, but with consideration given to revised estimates of future cash flows. In any event, the remaining depreciable useful lives are evaluated and adjusted as necessary.
Exit costs related to anticipated lease termination costs, severance benefits and other expected charges are accrued for and recognized in accordance with the Exit or Disposal Cost Obligations Topic of the Codification.
Advertising Costs
Advertising costs are predominantly expensed as incurred. Advertising costs were $8.4 million and $7.0 million for the second quarter of Fiscal 2012 and 2011, respectively, and $18.1 million and $15.2 million for the first six months of Fiscal 2012 and 2011, respectively. Direct response advertising costs for catalogs are capitalized in accordance with the Other Assets and Deferred Costs Topic for Capitalized Advertising Costs of the Codification. Such costs are amortized over the estimated future revenues realized from such advertising, not to exceed six months. The Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets include prepaid assets for direct response advertising costs of $1.4 million, $1.1 million and $2.1 million at July 30, 2011, January 29, 2011 and July 31, 2010, respectively.
Consideration to Resellers
The Company does not have any written buy-down programs with retailers, but the Company has provided certain retailers with markdown allowances for obsolete and slow moving products that are in the retailer’s inventory. The Company estimates these allowances and provides for them as reductions to revenues at the time revenues are recorded. Markdowns are negotiated with retailers and changes are made to the estimates as agreements are reached. Actual amounts for markdowns have not differed materially from estimates.
Cooperative Advertising
Cooperative advertising funds are made available to all of the Company’s wholesale footwear customers. In order for retailers to receive reimbursement under such programs, the retailer must meet specified advertising guidelines and provide appropriate documentation of expenses to be reimbursed. The Company’s cooperative advertising agreements require that wholesale customers present documentation or other evidence of specific advertisements or display materials used for the Company’s products by submitting the actual print advertisements presented in catalogs, newspaper inserts or other advertising circulars, or by permitting physical inspection of displays. Additionally, the Company’s cooperative advertising agreements require that the amount of reimbursement requested for such advertising or materials be supported by invoices or other evidence of the actual costs incurred by the retailer. The Company accounts for these cooperative advertising costs as selling and administrative expenses, in accordance with the Revenue Recognition Topic for Customer Payments and Incentives of the Codification.
Cooperative advertising costs recognized in selling and administrative expenses were $0.8 million and $1.0 million for the second quarter of Fiscal 2012 and 2011, respectively, and $1.7 million and $1.8 million for the first six months of Fiscal 2012 and 2011, respectively. During the first six months of Fiscal 2012 and 2011, the Company’s cooperative advertising reimbursements paid did not exceed the fair value of the benefits received under those agreements.
Vendor Allowances
From time to time, the Company negotiates allowances from its vendors for markdowns taken or expected to be taken. These markdowns are typically negotiated on specific merchandise and for specific amounts. These specific allowances are recognized as a reduction in cost of sales in the period in which the markdowns are taken. Markdown allowances not attached to specific inventory on hand or already sold are applied to concurrent or future purchases from each respective vendor.
The Company receives support from some of its vendors in the form of reimbursements for cooperative advertising and catalog costs for the launch and promotion of certain products. The reimbursements are agreed upon with vendors and represent specific, incremental, identifiable costs incurred by the Company in selling the vendor’s specific products. Such costs and the related reimbursements are accumulated and monitored on an individual vendor basis, pursuant to the respective cooperative advertising agreements with vendors. Such cooperative advertising reimbursements are recorded as a reduction of selling and administrative expenses in the same period in which the associated expense is incurred. If the amount of cash consideration received exceeds the costs being reimbursed, such excess amount would be recorded as a reduction of cost of sales.
Vendor reimbursements of cooperative advertising costs recognized as a reduction of selling and administrative expenses were $0.9 million and $0.6 million for the second quarter of Fiscal 2012 and 2011, respectively, and $1.8 million and $1.4 million for the first six months of Fiscal 2012 and 2011, respectively. During the second quarter of Fiscal 2012 and 2011, the Company’s cooperative advertising reimbursements received were not in excess of the costs incurred.
Environmental Costs
Environmental expenditures relating to current operations are expensed or capitalized as appropriate. Expenditures relating to an existing condition caused by past operations, and which do not contribute to current or future revenue generation, are expensed. Liabilities are recorded when environmental assessments and/or remedial efforts are probable and the costs can be reasonably estimated and are evaluated independently of any future claims for recovery. Generally, the timing of these accruals coincides with completion of a feasibility study or the Company’s commitment to a formal plan of action. Costs of future expenditures for environmental remediation obligations are not discounted to their present value.
Earnings Per Common Share
Basic earnings per share excludes dilution and is computed by dividing income available to common shareholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding for the period. Diluted earnings per share reflects the potential dilution that could occur if securities to issue common stock were exercised or converted to common stock (see Note 8).
Other Comprehensive Income
The Comprehensive Income Topic of the Codification requires, among other things, the Company’s pension liability adjustment, postretirement liability adjustment, unrealized gains or losses on foreign currency forward contracts and foreign currency translation adjustments to be included in other comprehensive income net of tax. Accumulated other comprehensive loss at July 30, 2011 consisted of $25.0 million of cumulative pension liability adjustments, net of tax, and $0.1 million of cumulative postretirement liability adjustments, net of tax, offset by a foreign currency translation adjustment of $2.8 million.
Business Segments
The Segment Reporting Topic of the Codification requires that companies disclose “operating segments” based on the way management disaggregates the Company’s operations for making internal operating decisions (see Note 10).
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities
The Derivatives and Hedging Topic of the Codification requires an entity to recognize all derivatives as either assets or liabilities in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet and to measure those instruments at fair value. Under certain conditions, a derivative may be specifically designated as a fair value hedge or a cash flow hedge. The accounting for changes in the fair value of a derivative are recorded each period in current earnings or in other comprehensive income depending on the intended use of the derivative and the resulting designation. The Company has entered into a small amount of foreign currency forward exchange contracts in order to reduce exposure to foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations in connection with inventory purchase commitments for its Johnston & Murphy Group. Derivative instruments used as hedges must be effective at reducing the risk associated with the exposure being hedged. The settlement terms of the forward contracts correspond with the expected payment terms for the merchandise inventories. As a result, there is no hedge ineffectiveness to be reflected in earnings.
The notional amount of such contracts outstanding at July 30, 2011, January 29, 2011 and July 31, 2010 were $-0-, $-0- and $0.9 million, respectively. For the six months ended July 30, 2011, the Company recorded an unrealized gain on foreign currency forward contracts of $0.1 million in accumulated other comprehensive loss, before taxes. The Company monitors the credit quality of the major national and regional financial institutions with which it enters into such contracts.
The Company estimates that the majority of net hedging gains related to forward exchange contracts will be reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss into earnings through lower cost of sales over the succeeding year.
New Accounting Principles
On July 30, 2011, the Company adopted the clarification and additional disclosure provisions of Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Update No. 2010-29, an update to the FASB Codification Business Combination Topic. This update, which is applicable to public entities, clarifies that required pro forma financial information should be presented with an assumption that any current period acquisition occurred as of the beginning of the comparable prior annual reporting period only. Additionally, this update expands the supplemental pro forma disclosures to include a description of the nature and amount of material, nonrecurring pro forma adjustments directly attributable to the business combination included in the reported pro forma sales and earnings. The adoption of this update did not have a significant impact on the Company’s results of operations or financial position.
In June 2011, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2011-05, an update to the FASB Codification Comprehensive Income Topic, which amends the existing accounting standards related to the presentation of comprehensive income in a company’s financial statements. This update requires that all non-owner changes in shareholders’ equity be presented in either a single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive statements. In the two statement approach, the first statement would present total net earnings and its components followed consecutively by a second statement that should present total other comprehensive income, the components of other comprehensive income and the total of comprehensive income. Under either presentation alternative, reclassification adjustments and the effect of those adjustments on net earnings and other comprehensive income must be presented in the respective statement or statements, as applicable. This update becomes effective in periods beginning after December 15, 2011 and is required to be adopted retrospectively. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating which of the two presentation alternatives it will adopt, but it is not expected to have a significant impact on the Company’s results of operations or financial position.