BASIS OF PRESENTATION	3 Months Ended
May 04, 2013
BASIS OF PRESENTATION
BASIS OF PRESENTATION	1. BASIS OF PRESENTATION The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc., a Pennsylvania corporation, was incorporated on January 31, 1996 as the successor of a company incorporated on January 31, 1929. The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc. operates, through its subsidiaries, 272 stores in 24 states in the Northeast, Midwest and upper Great Plains under the Bon-Ton, Bergner’s, Boston Store, Carson’s, Elder-Beerman, Herberger’s and Younkers nameplates. The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements include the accounts of The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc. (the “Parent”) and its wholly owned subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company”). Variable interest entities are consolidated where it has been determined the Company is the primary beneficiary of those entities’ operations. All intercompany transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the instructions for Form 10-Q and do not include all information and footnotes required in annual consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. In the opinion of management, all adjustments considered necessary for a fair presentation of interim periods have been included. The Company’s business is seasonal in nature and results of operations for the interim periods presented are not necessarily indicative of results for the full fiscal year. These unaudited consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended February 2, 2013. All references to the “first quarter of 2013” and the “first quarter of 2012” are to the 13 weeks ended May 4, 2013 and April 28, 2012, respectively. All references to “2013” are to the 52 weeks ending February 1, 2014; references to “2012” are to the 53 weeks ended February 2, 2013. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires that management make estimates and assumptions about future events. These estimates and assumptions affect the amounts of assets and liabilities reported, disclosures about contingent assets and liabilities, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses. Such estimates include those related to merchandise returns, inventories, long-lived assets, intangible assets, insurance reserves, contingencies, litigation and assumptions used in the calculation of income taxes and retirement and other post-employment benefits, among others. These estimates and assumptions are based on management’s best estimates and judgments. Management evaluates its estimates and assumptions on an ongoing basis using historical experience and other factors, including the current economic environment, which management believes to be reasonable under the circumstances. Management adjusts such estimates and assumptions when facts and circumstances dictate. As future events and their effects cannot be determined with precision, actual results could differ significantly from these estimates. Changes in estimates resulting from further changes in the economic environment will be reflected in the financial statements in future periods. Certain prior year balances presented in the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation. These reclassifications did not impact the Company’s net loss for the periods presented. *Previously Issued Accounting Standards* In February 2013, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2013-02, Reporting of Amounts Reclassified Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (“ASU 2013-02”). ASU 2013-02 requires disclosure of amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income by component. In addition, an entity is required to present either on the face of the statement of operations or in the notes, significant amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income by the respective line items of net income but only if the amount reclassified is required to be reclassified to net income in its entirety in the same reporting period. For amounts not reclassified in their entirety to net income, an entity is required to cross-reference to other disclosures that provide additional detail about those amounts. The provisions of ASU 2013-02 were adopted in the first quarter of 2013. The adoption of ASU 2013-02 did not impact the Company’s consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows as it required only a change in the format of presentation. In July 2012, ASU No. 2012-02, Testing Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets for Impairment (“ASU 2012-02”), was issued, amending FASB Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 350 (“ASC 350”) to simplify the impairment testing of indefinite-lived intangible assets by allowing an entity to make a qualitative impairment assessment. Entities are required to test indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment at least annually and more frequently if indicators of impairment exist. The addition of the optional qualitative assessment permits an entity to consider events and circumstances that could affect the fair value of the indefinite-lived intangible asset and if the entity concludes, based on an evaluation of all relevant qualitative factors, that it is not more likely than not that the fair value of an indefinite-lived intangible asset is less than its carrying amount, it will not be required to perform the quantitative impairment test for that asset. The provisions of ASU 2012-02 were adopted in the first quarter of 2013. The adoption of ASU 2012-02 did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

1. BASIS OF PRESENTATION

The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc., a Pennsylvania corporation, was incorporated on January 31, 1996 as the successor of a company incorporated on January 31, 1929. The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc. operates, through its subsidiaries, 272 stores in 24 states in the Northeast, Midwest and upper Great Plains under the Bon-Ton, Bergner’s, Boston Store, Carson’s, Elder-Beerman, Herberger’s and Younkers nameplates.

The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements include the accounts of The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc. (the “Parent”) and its wholly owned subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company”). Variable interest entities are consolidated where it has been determined the Company is the primary beneficiary of those entities’ operations. All intercompany transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

The unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the instructions for Form 10-Q and do not include all information and footnotes required in annual consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. In the opinion of management, all adjustments considered necessary for a fair presentation of interim periods have been included. The Company’s business is seasonal in nature and results of operations for the interim periods presented are not necessarily indicative of results for the full fiscal year. These unaudited consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended February 2, 2013.

All references to the “first quarter of 2013” and the “first quarter of 2012” are to the 13 weeks ended May 4, 2013 and April 28, 2012, respectively. All references to “2013” are to the 52 weeks ending February 1, 2014; references to “2012” are to the 53 weeks ended February 2, 2013.

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires that management make estimates and assumptions about future events. These estimates and assumptions affect the amounts of assets and liabilities reported, disclosures about contingent assets and liabilities, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses. Such estimates include those related to merchandise returns, inventories, long-lived assets, intangible assets, insurance reserves, contingencies, litigation and assumptions used in the calculation of income taxes and retirement and other post-employment benefits, among others. These estimates and assumptions are based on management’s best estimates and judgments. Management evaluates its estimates and assumptions on an ongoing basis using historical experience and other factors, including the current economic environment, which management believes to be reasonable under the circumstances. Management adjusts such estimates and assumptions when facts and circumstances dictate. As future events and their effects cannot be determined with precision, actual results could differ significantly from these estimates. Changes in estimates resulting from further changes in the economic environment will be reflected in the financial statements in future periods.

Certain prior year balances presented in the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation. These reclassifications did not impact the Company’s net loss for the periods presented.

Previously Issued Accounting Standards

In February 2013, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2013-02, Reporting of Amounts Reclassified Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (“ASU 2013-02”). ASU 2013-02 requires disclosure of amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income by component. In addition, an entity is required to present either on the face of the statement of operations or in the notes, significant amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income by the respective line items of net income but only if the amount reclassified is required to be reclassified to net income in its entirety in the same reporting period. For amounts not reclassified in their entirety to net income, an entity is required to cross-reference to other disclosures that provide additional detail about those amounts. The provisions of ASU 2013-02 were adopted in the first quarter of 2013. The adoption of ASU 2013-02 did not impact the Company’s consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows as it required only a change in the format of presentation.

In July 2012, ASU No. 2012-02, Testing Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets for Impairment (“ASU 2012-02”), was issued, amending FASB Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 350 (“ASC 350”) to simplify the impairment testing of indefinite-lived intangible assets by allowing an entity to make a qualitative impairment assessment. Entities are required to test indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment at least annually and more frequently if indicators of impairment exist. The addition of the optional qualitative assessment permits an entity to consider events and circumstances that could affect the fair value of the indefinite-lived intangible asset and if the entity concludes, based on an evaluation of all relevant qualitative factors, that it is not more likely than not that the fair value of an indefinite-lived intangible asset is less than its carrying amount, it will not be required to perform the quantitative impairment test for that asset. The provisions of ASU 2012-02 were adopted in the first quarter of 2013. The adoption of ASU 2012-02 did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.