Derivative Financial Instruments

6 Months Ended

Jul. 30, 2011

Derivative Financial Instruments

Derivative Financial Instruments

8.     Derivative Financial Instruments

Derivative financial instruments are reported at fair value on the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position. Historically our derivative instruments have primarily consisted of interest rate swaps. We use these derivatives to mitigate our interest rate risk. We have counterparty credit risk resulting from our derivative instruments. This risk lies primarily with large global financial institutions.  We monitor this concentration of counterparty credit risk on an ongoing basis.

During 2008, we terminated or de-designated certain interest rate swaps that were accounted for as hedges. Total net gains amortized into net interest expense for terminated or de-designated swaps were $10 million and $11 million during the three months ended July 30, 2011 and July 31, 2010, respectively.  Total net gains amortized into net interest expense for terminated or de-designated swaps were $20 million and $22 million during the six months ended July 30, 2011 and July 31, 2010, respectively.  The amount remaining on unamortized hedged debt valuation gains from terminated or de-designated interest rate swaps that will be amortized into earnings over the remaining lives of the underlying debt totaled $132 million, $152 million and $175 million, at July 30, 2011, January 29, 2011 and July 31, 2010, respectively.

Periodic payments, valuation adjustments and amortization of gains or losses from the termination or de-designation of derivative contracts are summarized below:

Derivative Contracts – Effect on Results of Operations		Three Months Ended				Six Months Ended
(millions)	Classification of Income/(Expense)	July 30, 2011		July 31, 2010		July 30, 2011		July 31, 2010
Interest rate swaps	Other interest expense	$	11	$	13	$	22	$	28

In July 2011, in conjunction with the $350 million fixed rate debt issuance, we entered into an interest rate swap with a notional amount of $350 million, under which we pay a variable rate and receive a fixed rate.  This swap has been designated as a fair value hedge, and there was no ineffectiveness recognized related to this hedge during the three or six months ended July 30, 2011. There were no derivative instruments designated as hedges as of July 31, 2010. See Note 4, Fair Value Measurements, for a description of the fair value measurement of derivative contracts and their classification on the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position.