Income Taxes (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Jan. 28, 2012

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

Schedule of Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities

The approximate tax effect of the significant components of Staples' deferred tax assets and liabilities are as follows (in thousands):

	January 28, 2012			January 29, 2011
Deferred income tax assets:
Deferred rent	$	46,446		$	49,256
Foreign tax credit carryforwards	90,730			109,913
Net operating loss carryforwards	313,732			402,136
Capital loss carryforwards	18,598			20,110
Employee benefits	126,632			125,466
Merger related charges	15,072			20,044
Inventory	42,556			52,604
Insurance	39,375			35,891
Deferred revenue	82,724			26,672
Depreciation	32,887			45,362
Unrealized loss on hedge instruments	6,028			4,629
Other—net	77,925			78,786
Total deferred income tax assets	892,705			970,869
Total valuation allowance	(307,616		)	(331,567		)
Net deferred income tax assets	$	585,089		$	639,302
Deferred income tax liabilities:
Intangibles	$	(148,601	)	$	(200,901	)
Other—net	(4,616		)	(3,308		)
Total deferred income tax liabilities	(153,217		)	(204,209		)
Net deferred income tax assets	$	431,872		$	435,093

Schedule of Income before Income Tax, Domestic and Foreign

For financial reporting purposes, consolidated income before income taxes includes the following components (in thousands):

	2011		2010		2009
Pretax income:
United States	$	1,009,979	$	877,936	$	728,765
Foreign	449,162		478,659		427,129
	$	1,459,141	$	1,356,595	$	1,155,894

Schedule of Components of Income Tax Expense (Benefit)

The provision for income taxes consists of the following (in thousands):

	2011			2010		2009
Current tax expense:
Federal	$	253,078		$	142,282	$	329,809
State	59,877			49,797		42,547
Foreign	155,647			103,317		116,180
Deferred tax expense (benefit):
Federal	75,233			141,103		(63,494		)
State	(4,666		)	6,329		(8,191		)
Foreign	(63,861		)	25,198		(18,068		)
Total income tax expense	$	475,308		$	468,026	$	398,783

Schedule of Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation

A reconciliation of the federal statutory tax rate to Staples' effective tax rate on net income is as follows:

	2011		2010		2009
Federal statutory rate	35.0	%	35.0	%	35.0	%
State effective rate, net of federal benefit	2.6		3.3		2.9
Effect of foreign taxes	(4.6	)	(5.5	)	(3.4	)
Tax credits	(0.5	)	(0.4	)	(0.7	)
Italian tax refund (previously deemed uncollectible)	(1.4	)	—		—
Other	1.5		2.1		0.7
Effective tax rate	32.6	%	34.5	%	34.5	%

Summary Of Unrecognized Tax Benefits

The following summarizes the activity related to our unrecognized tax benefits (in thousands):

	2011			2010			2009
Balance at beginning of fiscal year	$	254,167		$	264,277		$	222,892
Additions for tax positions related to current year	48,032			25,876			47,354
Additions (reductions) for tax positions of prior years	15,361			(9,983		)	15,422
Reduction for Statute of Limitations Expiration	(13,441		)	(19,840		)	(20,802		)
Settlements	(53,722		)	(6,163		)	(589		)
Balance at end of fiscal year	$	250,397		$	254,167		$	264,277