General	6 Months Ended
Jul. 01, 2017
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
General	General: Basis of Presentation The accompanying interim unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and notes required by U.S. GAAP for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. These statements should be read in conjunction with our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016. The results of operations for our interim periods are not necessarily indicative of results for the full fiscal year. In the first quarter of fiscal 2017, the Company adopted accounting guidance which affected the presentation in the statement of cash flows of excess tax benefits or deficiencies from the exercise of stock options as discussed in Note 13. The Company has elected to apply the amendments using a retrospective transition method for all periods presented and therefore the presentation of previously reported excess tax benefits on the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of cash flows has been changed to conform to the presentation used in the current period. As a result, $10.3 million of excess tax benefits related to share-based awards which were previously classified as cash flows from financing activities in the fiscal six months ended June 25, 2016 have been reclassified as cash flows from operating activities. Nature of Business Tractor Supply Company (the “Company”) is the largest operator of rural lifestyle retail stores in the United States. The Company is focused on supplying the needs of recreational farmers and ranchers and those who enjoy the rural lifestyle, as well as tradesmen and small businesses. Stores are located in towns outlying major metropolitan markets and in rural communities. At July 1, 2017, the Company operated a total of 1,790 retail stores in 49 states (1,630 Tractor Supply and Del’s retail stores and 160 Petsense retail stores) and also offered an expanded assortment of products online at TractorSupply.com.

General:

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying interim unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and notes required by U.S. GAAP for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. These statements should be read in conjunction with our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016. The results of operations for our interim periods are not necessarily indicative of results for the full fiscal year.

In the first quarter of fiscal 2017, the Company adopted accounting guidance which affected the presentation in the statement of cash flows of excess tax benefits or deficiencies from the exercise of stock options as discussed in Note 13. The Company has elected to apply the amendments using a retrospective transition method for all periods presented and therefore the presentation of previously reported excess tax benefits on the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of cash flows has been changed to conform to the presentation used in the current period. As a result, $10.3 million of excess tax benefits related to share-based awards which were previously classified as cash flows from financing activities in the fiscal six months ended June 25, 2016 have been reclassified as cash flows from operating activities.

Nature of Business

Tractor Supply Company (the “Company”) is the largest operator of rural lifestyle retail stores in the United States. The Company is focused on supplying the needs of recreational farmers and ranchers and those who enjoy the rural lifestyle, as well as tradesmen and small businesses. Stores are located in towns outlying major metropolitan markets and in rural communities. At July 1, 2017, the Company operated a total of 1,790 retail stores in 49 states (1,630 Tractor Supply and Del’s retail stores and 160 Petsense retail stores) and also offered an expanded assortment of products online at TractorSupply.com.