Earnings per share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Feb. 01, 2019	Nov. 02, 2018	Aug. 03, 2018	May 04, 2018	Feb. 02, 2018	Nov. 03, 2017	Aug. 04, 2017	May 05, 2017	Feb. 01, 2019	Feb. 02, 2018	Feb. 03, 2017
Net Income
Basic Earnings	$ 483,241	$ 334,142	$ 407,237	$ 364,852	$ 712,155	$ 252,533	$ 294,783	$ 279,489	$ 1,589,472	$ 1,538,960	$ 1,251,133
Diluted Earnings									$ 1,589,472	$ 1,538,960	$ 1,251,133
Shares
Shares outstanding, basic									265,155	272,751	281,317
Effect of dilutive share-based awards									950	611	944
Shares outstanding, diluted									266,105	273,362	282,261
Per Share Amount
Basic earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 1.85	$ 1.26	$ 1.53	$ 1.36	$ 2.63	$ 0.93	$ 1.08	$ 1.02	$ 5.99	$ 5.64	$ 4.45
Diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 1.84	$ 1.26	$ 1.52	$ 1.36	$ 2.63	$ 0.93	$ 1.08	$ 1.02	$ 5.97	$ 5.63	$ 4.43
Share-based awards outstanding excluded from computation of diluted earnings per share									800	2,100	1,700