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Description of Business, Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Feb. 01, 2025

Victoria's Secret & Co. is a specialty retailer of women's intimate and other apparel and beauty products marketed under the Victoria's Secret, PINK and Adore Me brand names. The Company has more than 880 stores in the U.S., Canada and China as well as its own websites, www.VictoriasSecret.com, www.PINK.com, www.AdoreMe.com and www.DailyLook.com, and other digital channels worldwide. Additionally, the Company has more than 500 stores in nearly 70 countries operating under franchise, license and wholesale arrangements. The Company also includes the merchandise sourcing and production function serving the Company and its international partners. The Company operates as a single segment designed to serve customers worldwide seamlessly through stores and digital channels.

On December 30, 2022, the Company completed its acquisition of Adore Me, a digitally-native intimates brand. For additional information, see Note 2, “Acquisition.”

In the third quarter of 2024, the Company made certain executive leadership changes, including the appointment of a new Chief Executive Officer and the elimination of two executive officer roles to restructure its executive leadership team. For additional information, see Note 5, “Restructuring Activities.”

Fiscal Year

The Company's fiscal year ends on the Saturday nearest to January 31. As used herein, “2024” and “2022” refer to the fifty-two-week periods ended February 1, 2025 and January 28, 2023, respectively, and “2023” refers to the fifty-three-week period ended February 3, 2024.

Basis of Presentation

Basis of Consolidation

The Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in conformity with GAAP. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and Cash Equivalents include cash on hand, demand deposits with financial institutions, credit and debit card receivables and highly liquid investments with original maturities of 90 days or less. As of February 3, 2024, bank overdrafts of $55 million were classified as Accounts Payable in the Consolidated Balance Sheet because the legal right of offset did not exist. The Company's Cash and Cash Equivalents are considered Level 1 fair value measurements as they are valued using unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets.

Concentration of Credit Risk

The Company maintains cash and cash equivalents with various major financial institutions. The Company monitors the relative credit standing of financial institutions with whom the Company transacts and limits the amount of credit exposure with any one entity. The Company’s investment portfolio is primarily comprised of money market funds and bank deposits.

The Company also periodically reviews the relative credit standing of franchise, license and wholesale partners and other entities to which the Company grants credit terms in the normal course of business. The Company determines the required allowance for expected credit losses using information such as customer credit history and financial condition. Amounts are charged against the allowance when it is determined that expected credit losses may occur.

Inventories

Inventories are principally valued at the lower of cost or net realizable value, on an average cost basis.

The Company records valuation adjustments to its inventories if the cost of inventory on hand exceeds the amount it expects to realize from the ultimate sale or disposal of the inventory. These estimates are based on management’s judgment regarding future demand and market conditions and analysis of historical experience.

The Company also records inventory loss adjustments for estimated physical inventory losses that have occurred since the date of the last physical inventory. These estimates are based on management’s analysis of historical results, operating trends and consumer behavior.

Advertising Costs

Advertising and marketing costs are expensed at the time the promotion first appears in media or in the store, or when the advertising is mailed.

Property and Equipment

The Company’s property and equipment are recorded at cost and depreciation is computed on a straight-line basis using the following depreciable life ranges:


Category of Property and Equipment						Depreciable Life Range
Software, including software developed for internal use						3 - 5 years
Furniture, fixtures and equipment						3 - 10 years
Leasehold improvements						Shorter of lease term or 10 years
Non-store related building and site improvements						10 - 15 years
Other property and equipment						20 years
Buildings						30 years

When a decision has been made to dispose of property and equipment prior to the end of the previously estimated useful life, depreciation estimates are revised to reflect the use of the asset over the shortened estimated useful life. The Company’s cost of assets sold or retired and the related accumulated depreciation are removed from the accounts with any resulting gain or loss included in net income. Maintenance and repairs are charged to expense as incurred. Major renewals and betterments that extend useful lives are capitalized.

Long-lived store assets, which include leasehold improvements, store related assets and operating lease assets, are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the assets may not be recoverable. Store assets are grouped at the lowest level for which they are largely independent of other assets or asset groups. If the estimated undiscounted future cash flows related to the asset group are less than the carrying value, the Company recognizes a loss equal to the difference between the carrying value and the estimated fair value, determined by the estimated discounted future cash flows of the asset group. For operating lease assets, the Company determines the fair value of the assets by comparing the contractual rent payments to estimated market rental rates. An individual asset within an asset group is not impaired below its estimated fair value. The fair value of long-lived store assets is determined using Level 3 inputs within the fair value hierarchy.

Leases and Leasehold Improvements

The Company leases retail space, office space, warehouse facilities, storage space, equipment and certain other items under operating leases. A substantial portion of the Company’s leases are operating leases for its stores, which generally have an initial term of 10 years. Annual store rent consists of a fixed minimum amount and/or variable rent based on a percentage of sales exceeding a stipulated amount. Store lease terms generally also require additional payments covering certain operating costs such as common area maintenance, utilities, insurance and taxes. Certain leases contain predetermined fixed escalations of minimum rentals or require periodic adjustments of minimum rentals, depending on an index or rate. Additionally, certain leases contain incentives, such as construction allowances from landlords and/or rent abatements subsequent to taking possession of the leased property.

At the date of control of the leased asset, the Company recognizes an asset for the right to use the leased asset and a liability based on the present value of the unpaid fixed lease payments. Operating lease costs are recognized on a straight-line basis as lease expense over the lease term. Variable lease payments associated with the Company's leases are recognized upon occurrence of the event or circumstance on which the payments are assessed. Short-term leases with an initial term of 12 months or less are not recorded on the balance sheet, and lease expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term.

For leases entered into or reassessed after the adoption of ASC 842, Leases, the Company has elected the practical expedient allowed by the standard to account for all fixed consideration in a lease as a single lease component. Therefore, the lease payments used to measure the lease liability for these leases include fixed minimum rentals along with fixed operating costs such as common area maintenance and utilities.

The Company uses its incremental borrowing rate, adjusted for collateral, to determine the present value of its unpaid lease payments.

The Company’s store leases often include options to extend the initial term or to terminate the lease prior to the end of the initial term. The exercise of these options is typically at the sole discretion of the Company. These options are included in determining the initial lease term at lease commencement if the Company is reasonably certain to exercise the option. Additionally, the Company may operate stores for a period of time on a month-to-month basis after the expiration of the lease term.

The Company also has leasehold improvements which are amortized over the shorter of their estimated useful lives or the period from the date the assets are placed in service to the end of the initial lease term. Leasehold improvements made after the inception of the initial lease term are depreciated over the shorter of their estimated useful lives or the remaining lease term, including renewal periods, if reasonably assured.

Trade Name

Intangible Assets

Assets and liabilities acquired in business combinations are accounted for using the acquisition method and recorded at their respective fair values. Goodwill represents the excess of consideration paid over the net assets acquired and is assigned to a reporting unit. A reporting unit is an operating segment as defined in ASC 350, Intangibles - Goodwill and Other, or a business one level below an operating segment.

The Company has goodwill resulting from the Adore Me acquisition on December 30, 2022. Goodwill is reviewed for impairment at the reporting unit level each year in the fourth quarter and may be reviewed more frequently if certain events occur or circumstances change. The Company has the option to either first perform a qualitative assessment to determine whether it is more likely than not that each reporting unit's fair value is less than its carrying value (including goodwill), or to proceed directly to the quantitative assessment which requires a comparison of the reporting unit's fair value to its carrying value (including goodwill). If the Company determines that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying value, the Company recognizes an impairment charge equal to the difference, not to exceed the total amount of goodwill allocated to the reporting unit. The estimated fair value of a reporting unit is determined using Level 3 inputs in accordance with ASC 820, Fair Value Measurement, and is developed using a weighting of the discounted cash flow approach and the comparable public company approach.

The Victoria’s Secret trade name is an intangible asset with an indefinite life. Intangible assets with indefinite lives are reviewed for impairment each year in the fourth quarter and may be reviewed more frequently if certain events occur or circumstances change. The Company has the option to either first perform a qualitative assessment to determine whether it is more likely than not that the indefinite-lived intangible asset is impaired, or to proceed directly to the quantitative assessment which requires a comparison of the fair value of the intangible asset to its carrying value. To determine if the fair value of the asset is less than its carrying amount, the Company will estimate the fair value, usually determined by the relief from royalty method under the income approach, and compare that value with its carrying amount. If the carrying value of the trade name exceeds its fair value, the Company recognizes an impairment charge equal to the difference.

The Company also has definite-lived intangible assets, which includes customer relationships, developed technology and the Adore Me trade name. Definite-lived intangible assets are amortized over their useful lives and are evaluated for impairment whenever events or circumstances indicate that a certain asset or asset group may be impaired.

Foreign Currency Translation

The functional currency of the Company’s foreign operations is generally the applicable local currency. Assets and liabilities are translated into U.S. dollars using the current exchange rates in effect as of the balance sheet date, while revenues and expenses are translated at the average exchange rates for the period. The Company’s resulting translation adjustments are recorded as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income in shareholders’ equity. Accumulated foreign currency translation adjustments are reclassified to net income when realized upon sale or upon complete, or substantially complete, liquidation of the investment in the foreign entity.

Supplier Finance Program

Supplier Finance Programs

The Company has agreements with designated third-party financial institutions to provide supplier finance programs which facilitate participating suppliers’ ability to finance payment obligations of the Company. Participating suppliers may finance one or more payment obligations of the Company prior to their scheduled due dates and receive a discounted payment from participating financial institutions. The Company’s obligations to its suppliers, including amounts due and scheduled payment dates, are not impacted by suppliers’ decisions to finance amounts under these arrangements.

Amounts payable to financial institutions relating to suppliers participating in these programs are recorded in Accounts Payable in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. The following table provides a rollforward of these obligations for 2024:


	2024
	(in millions)
Obligations outstanding, beginning of year	$	183
Payment obligations financed during the year	1,067
Financed payment obligations paid during the year	(1,069)
Obligations outstanding, end of year	$	181

Fair Value

The authoritative guidance included in ASC 820, Fair Value Measurement, defines fair value as the exchange price that would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants. This authoritative guidance further establishes a three-level fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs used to measure fair value. This hierarchy requires entities to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs. The three levels of inputs used to measure fair value are as follows:

•Level 1—Quoted market prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

•Level 2—Observable inputs other than quoted market prices included in Level 1, such as quoted prices of similar assets and liabilities in active markets, quoted prices for identical or similar assets and liabilities in markets that are not active, or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data.

•Level 3—Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to the fair value of the assets and liabilities. This includes certain pricing models, discounted cash flow methodologies and similar techniques that use significant unobservable inputs.

The Company estimates the fair value of financial instruments, property and equipment, goodwill, trade names, other intangible assets and contingent consideration in accordance with the provisions of ASC 820. The recorded amounts for cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, prepaid expenses, other current assets and current liabilities approximate fair value due to the short-term nature of these assets and liabilities.

Income Taxes

The Company accounts for income taxes under the asset and liability method. Under this method, taxes currently payable or refundable are accrued, and deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the estimated future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. Deferred tax assets are also recognized for realizable operating loss and tax credit carryforwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted income tax rates in effect for the year in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in income tax rates is recognized in the Company’s Consolidated Statement of Income in the period that includes the enactment date. The Company treats the global intangible low-taxed income provision enacted as part of the U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act as a current period expense. A valuation allowance is recorded to reduce the carrying amounts of deferred tax assets if it is more likely than not that such assets will not be realized.

In determining the Company’s provision for income taxes, the Company considers permanent differences between book and tax income and statutory income tax rates. The Company’s effective income tax rate is affected by items including changes in tax law, the tax jurisdiction of new stores or business ventures and the level of earnings.

The Company follows a two-step approach to recognize and measure uncertain tax positions. The first step is to evaluate the tax position for recognition by determining if the available evidence indicates it is more likely than not that the position will be sustained on audit, including resolution of related appeals or litigation processes, if any. The second step is to measure the tax benefit as the largest amount which is more than 50% likely of being realized upon ultimate settlement. The Company considers many factors when evaluating and estimating its tax positions and tax benefits, which may require periodic adjustments and for which actual outcomes may differ from forecasted outcomes. The Company's policy is to include interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions in income tax expense.

The Company’s income tax returns, like those of most companies, are periodically audited by domestic and foreign tax authorities. These audits include questions regarding the Company’s tax filing positions, including the timing and amount of deductions and the allocation of income among various tax jurisdictions. At any one time, multiple tax years are subject to audit by the various tax authorities. A number of years may elapse before a particular matter for which the Company has established an accrual is audited and fully resolved or clarified. The Company adjusts its tax contingencies accrual and income tax provision in the period in which matters are effectively settled with tax authorities at amounts different from its established accrual, when the statute of limitations expires for the relevant taxing authority to examine the tax position or when more information becomes available. The Company includes its tax contingencies accrual, including accrued penalties and interest, in Other Long-term Liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheets unless the liability is expected to be paid within one year. Changes to the tax contingencies accrual, including accrued penalties and interest, are included in Provision for Income Taxes on the Consolidated Statements of Income.

Self-Insurance

The Company is self-insured for medical, workers’ compensation, property, general liability and automobile liability up to certain stop-loss limits. Such costs are accrued based on known claims and an estimate of incurred but not reported (“IBNR”) claims. IBNR claims are estimated using historical claim information and actuarial estimates.

Equity Method Investments

The Company accounts for investments in unconsolidated entities where it exercises significant influence, but does not have control, using the equity method. Under the equity method of accounting, the Company recognizes its share of the investee's net income or loss. Losses are only recognized to the extent the Company has positive carrying value related to the investee. Carrying values are only reduced below zero if the Company has an obligation to provide funding to the investee. The Company’s share of net income or loss of unconsolidated entities from which the Company purchases merchandise or merchandise components is included in Costs of Goods Sold, Buying and Occupancy in the Consolidated Statements of Income, and the Company’s share of net income or loss from all other unconsolidated entities is included in General, Administrative and Store Operating Expenses in the Consolidated Statements of Income. The Company’s equity method investments are required to be reviewed for impairment when it is determined there may be an other-than-temporary loss in value.

In the fourth quarter of 2024, due to recent and forecasted operating losses by certain equity method investments and strategic business decisions by management, the Company determined there may be an other-than-temporary loss in value for those investments. As a result of the other-than-temporary loss indicators, the Company utilized the income approach to review those investments for impairment. The income approach estimates fair value based on the estimated discounted future cash flows of the equity method investment, which are considered non-recurring Level 3 inputs in accordance with ASC 820, Fair Value Measurement. The Company determined the fair values were less than the carrying values for those equity method investments and, as a result, impairment charges of $19 million were recorded in the fourth quarter of 2024 and are included in Costs of Goods Sold, Buying and Occupancy in the 2024 Consolidated Statement of Income.

In March 2022, the Company acquired a minority interest in swimwear brand Frankies Bikinis, LLC (“Frankies Bikinis”) in exchange for $18 million. The investment in Frankies Bikinis is accounted for using the equity method of accounting.

Noncontrolling Interest

The Company accounts for investments in entities where it has control over the entity by consolidating the entities' assets, liabilities and results of operations and including them in the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements. The share of the investment not owned by the Company is reflected in Noncontrolling Interest in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. The Company recognizes the share of net income or loss not attributable to the Company in Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest in the Consolidated Statements of Income. Noncontrolling interest represents the portion of equity interests in a joint venture that operates the business in China that is not owned by the Company.

Share-based Compensation

The Company recognizes all share-based payments to employees and directors as compensation cost over the service period based on their estimated fair value on the date of grant. The Company estimates award forfeitures at the time awards are granted and adjusts, if necessary, in subsequent periods based on historical experience and expected future forfeitures.

Compensation cost is recognized over the service period for the fair value of awards that actually vest. Compensation expense for awards without a performance condition or a graded vesting schedule is recognized, net of estimated forfeitures, using a single award approach (each award is valued as one grant). Compensation expense for awards with a performance condition or a graded vesting schedule is recognized, net of estimated forfeitures, using a multiple award approach (each vesting tranche is valued as one grant).

Revenue Recognition

The Company recognizes revenue based on the amount it expects to receive when control of the goods or services is transferred to the customer. The Company recognizes sales upon customer receipt of merchandise, which, for direct channel revenues, reflect an estimate of shipments that have not yet been received by the customer based on shipping terms and historical delivery times. The Company’s shipping and handling revenues are included in Net Sales with the related costs included in Costs of Goods Sold, Buying and Occupancy in the Consolidated Statements of Income. The Company also provides a reserve for projected merchandise returns based on historical experience. Net Sales exclude sales and other similar taxes collected from customers.

The Company offers certain loyalty programs that allow customers to earn points based on purchasing activity. As customers accumulate points and reach point thresholds, they can use the points to purchase merchandise in stores or online. The Company allocates revenue to points earned on qualifying purchases and defers recognition until the points are redeemed. The amount of revenue deferred is based on the relative stand-alone selling price method, which includes an estimate for the value of points redeemed and an estimate for points not expected to be redeemed based on historical experience.

The Company sells gift cards with no expiration dates to customers. The Company does not charge administrative fees on unused gift cards. The Company recognizes revenue from gift cards when they are redeemed by the customer. In addition, the Company recognizes revenue on unredeemed gift cards when it is probable that a significant revenue reversal will not occur in the future (“gift card breakage”). Gift card breakage revenue is recognized in proportion, and over the same period, as actual gift card redemptions. The Company determines the gift card breakage rate estimate based on historical redemption patterns and reviews the breakage rate periodically throughout the year. Gift card breakage is included in Net Sales in the Consolidated Statements of Income.

Revenue earned in connection with the Company's credit card arrangements is primarily recognized based on credit card sales and usage and is included in Net Sales in the Consolidated Statements of Income.

The Company also recognizes revenues associated with franchise, license, wholesale and sourcing arrangements. Revenue recognized under franchise and license arrangements generally consists of royalties earned and recognized upon sale of merchandise by franchise and license partners to retail customers. Revenue is generally recognized under wholesale and sourcing arrangements at the time title of the merchandise passes to the partner.

Costs of Goods Sold, Buying and Occupancy

The Company’s costs of goods sold include merchandise costs, net of discounts and allowances, freight and inventory shrinkage. The Company’s buying and occupancy expenses primarily include payroll, benefit costs and operating expenses for its buying departments and distribution network, as well as rent, common area maintenance, real estate taxes, utilities, maintenance, fulfillment expenses and depreciation for the Company’s stores, warehouse facilities and equipment.

General, Administrative and Store Operating Expenses

The Company’s general, administrative and store operating expenses primarily include payroll and benefit costs for its store-selling and administrative departments (including corporate functions), marketing, advertising and other operating expenses not specifically categorized elsewhere in the Consolidated Statements of Income.

Use of Estimates in the Preparation of Financial Statements

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period, as well as the related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements. Actual results may differ from those estimates, and the Company revises its estimates and assumptions as new information becomes available.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

Recently Issued Accounting and Reporting Pronouncements

Segment Reporting

In November 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-07, Segment Reporting (Topic 280): Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosure, which is intended to improve reportable segment disclosure requirements, primarily through enhanced disclosures about significant segment expense categories that are regularly provided to the chief operating decision maker and included in each reported measure of a segment’s profit or loss. The update also requires all annual disclosures about a reportable segment’s profit or loss and assets to be provided in interim periods and for entities with a single reportable segment to provide all the disclosures required by ASC 280, Segment Reporting, including the significant segment expense disclosures. This standard is effective for annual reporting periods beginning in fiscal year 2024 and interim periods beginning in fiscal year 2025. The Company adopted this standard effective for its fiscal year 2024 Annual Report on Form 10-K and has included the required disclosures in Note 19, “Segment Information.” The adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on the Company's results of operations, financial position or cash flows.

Disaggregation of Income Statement Expenses

In November 2024, the FASB issued ASU 2024-03, Income Statement - Reporting Comprehensive Income - Expense Disaggregation Disclosures (Subtopic 220-40): Disaggregation of Income Statement Expenses, which is intended to improve expense disclosures, primarily by requiring disclosure of disaggregated information about certain income statement expense line items on an annual and interim basis. This standard will be effective for annual reporting periods beginning in fiscal year 2027 and for interim periods beginning in fiscal year 2028, with early adoption permitted. The updates required by this standard should be applied prospectively, but retrospective application is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting this standard on its disclosures.

Income Taxes

In December 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-09, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures, which is intended to enhance the transparency and decision-usefulness of income tax disclosures, primarily by requiring enhanced disclosure for income taxes paid and the effective tax rate reconciliation. This standard will be effective for annual reporting periods beginning in fiscal year 2025. The updates required by this standard should be applied prospectively, but retroactive application is permitted. The Company does not expect this standard to have a material impact on its results of operations, financial position or cash flows.