Equity Based Employee Benefit Plans (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Oct. 27, 2012

Equity Based Employee Benefit Plans [Abstract]

Schedule of Share-based Compensation, Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units Activity [Table Text Block]

The following table summarizes the activity year-to-date in 2012 related to nonqualified stock options and Restricted Shares:

	Nonqualified Stock Options				Restricted Shares (1)
	Number of Shares		Weighted Average Exercise Price per Share		Number of Shares		Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value per Share
Outstanding at January 28, 2012	45,995,348		$	19.89	16,799,262		$	18.13
Granted	2,990,051		12.79		5,002,035		12.99
Exercised/Released	(1,961,860	)	11.29		(5,324,926	)	19.98
Canceled	(4,008,438	)	19.45		(1,851,713	)	18.98
Outstanding at October 27, 2012	43,015,101		$	19.83	14,624,658		$	15.59
Exercisable at October 27, 2012	33,307,004		$	20.89
Vested or expected to vest at October 27, 2012	42,084,403		$	19.90

(1) Restricted Shares do not include 0.4 million special performance and retention shares ("Performance Shares") which Staples granted to certain employees in 2010 with a fair market value of $19.27 per share. Performance Shares are awards under which restricted stock is issued only if the Company meets minimum performance targets. The fair value of Performance Shares is based upon the market price of the underlying common stock as of the date of grant.