INVESTMENT SECURITIES

12 Months Ended

Mar. 02, 2013

INVESTMENT SECURITIES

INVESTMENT SECURITIES

6. INVESTMENT SECURITIES

The Company’s investment securities as of March 2, 2013 and February 25, 2012 are as follows:

(in millions)	March 2, 2013		February 25, 2012
Available-for-sale securities:
Short term	$	—	$	6.5
Long term	49.0		73.7
Trading securities:
Long term	28.3		22.1
Held-to-maturity securities:
Short term	449.9		749.9
Total investment securities	$	527.2	$	852.2

Auction Rate Securities

As of March 2, 2013 and February 25, 2012, the Company’s available-for-sale investment securities represented approximately $51.0 million and approximately $83.9 million par value of auction rate securities, respectively, less temporary valuation adjustments of approximately $2.0 million and $3.7 million, respectively. Since these valuation adjustments are deemed to be temporary, they are recorded in accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of a related tax benefit, and did not affect the Company’s net earnings. These securities at par are invested in preferred shares of closed end municipal bond funds, which are required, pursuant to the Investment Company Act of 1940, to maintain minimum asset coverage ratios of 200%. All of these available-for-sale investments carried triple-A credit ratings from one or more of the major credit rating agencies as of March 2, 2013 and February 25, 2012, and none of them are mortgage-backed debt obligations. As of March 2, 2013 and February 25, 2012, the Company’s available-for-sale investments have been in a continuous unrealized loss position for 12 months or more, however, the Company believes that the unrealized losses are temporary and reflect the investments’ current lack of liquidity. Due to their lack of liquidity, the Company classified approximately $49.0 million and $73.7 million of these investments as long term investment securities at March 2, 2013 and February 25, 2012, respectively. During fiscal 2012, approximately $8.5 million of these securities were redeemed at par and approximately $24.3 million were tendered at a price of approximately 95% of par value, for which the Company incurred a realized loss of approximately $1.1 million included within interest (expense) income, net in the consolidated statement of earnings for fiscal 2012.

U.S. Treasury Securities

As of March 2, 2013 and February 25, 2012, the Company’s short term held-to-maturity securities included approximately $449.9 million and approximately $749.9 million, respectively, of U.S. Treasury Bills with remaining maturities of less than one year. These securities are stated at their amortized cost which approximates fair value, which is based on quoted prices in active markets for identical instruments (i.e., Level 1 valuation).

Long Term Trading Investment Securities

The Company’s long term trading investment securities, which are provided as investment options to the participants of the nonqualified deferred compensation plan, are stated at fair market value. The values of these trading investment securities included in the table above are approximately $28.3 million and $22.1 million as of March 2, 2013 and February 25, 2012, respectively.