Acquisitions	9 Months Ended
Oct. 31, 2011
Acquisitions [Abstract]
Acquisitions	Note 11. Acquisitions Certain acquisitions completed or in process during the nine-month period are as follows: Massmart Holdings Limited ("Massmart"): In June 2011, the Company completed a tender offer for approximately 51% ownership in Massmart, a South African retailer with approximately 290 stores in 13 sub-Saharan African countries. The purchase price for approximately 51% of Massmart was approximately ZAR 16.9 billion ($2.5 billion). The assets acquired were approximately $6.4 billion, including approximately $3.5 billion in goodwill; liabilities assumed were approximately $1.9 billion; and the non-controlling interest was approximately $2.0 billion. As of October 31, 2011, the allocation of the Massmart purchase price to the fair value of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed is preliminary. The Company began consolidating Massmart's results in its fiscal 2012 third quarter reporting period. Netto Food Stores Limited ("Netto"): In April 2011, the Company completed the regulatory approved acquisition of 147 Netto stores from Dansk Supermarked in the United Kingdom and the Company plans to convert these stores to the ASDA brand by the end of fiscal 2012. The final purchase price for the acquisition was approximately £750 million ($1.2 billion). The assets acquired were approximately $1.3 billion, including approximately $748 million in goodwill, and liabilities assumed were approximately $103 million. As of October 31, 2011, the allocation of the Netto purchase price to the fair value of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed is preliminary. Bounteous Company Limited ("BCL"): In February 2007, the Company purchased an initial 35% interest in BCL, which operates in China under the Trust-Mart banner. The Company paid $264 million for its initial 35% interest and, as additional consideration, paid $376 million to extinguish a third-party loan issued to the selling BCL shareholders that was secured by the pledge of the remaining equity of BCL. Concurrent with its initial investment in BCL, the Company entered into a Shareholders' Agreement, which provides the Company with voting rights associated with a portion of the common stock of BCL securing the loan, amounting to an additional 30% of the aggregate outstanding shares. Pursuant to the Share Purchase Agreement, the Company was committed to purchase the remaining interest in BCL on or before November 26, 2010, subject to certain conditions. The Company and the selling shareholder have mutually agreed to extend the closing, while certain conditions of the contract are being completed. The parties are now in the process of completing the local registrations for the Trustmart stores and expect to complete the sale of the remaining equity interest in Trustmart as soon as practicable following that process.

Acquisitions

9 Months Ended

Oct. 31, 2011

Note 11. Acquisitions

Certain acquisitions completed or in process during the nine-month period are as follows:

Massmart Holdings Limited ("Massmart"): In June 2011, the Company completed a tender offer for approximately 51% ownership in Massmart, a South African retailer with approximately 290 stores in 13 sub-Saharan African countries. The purchase price for approximately 51% of Massmart was approximately ZAR 16.9 billion ($2.5 billion). The assets acquired were approximately $6.4 billion, including approximately $3.5 billion in goodwill; liabilities assumed were approximately $1.9 billion; and the non-controlling interest was approximately $2.0 billion. As of October 31, 2011, the allocation of the Massmart purchase price to the fair value of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed is preliminary. The Company began consolidating Massmart's results in its fiscal 2012 third quarter reporting period.

Netto Food Stores Limited ("Netto"): In April 2011, the Company completed the regulatory approved acquisition of 147 Netto stores from Dansk Supermarked in the United Kingdom and the Company plans to convert these stores to the ASDA brand by the end of fiscal 2012. The final purchase price for the acquisition was approximately £750 million ($1.2 billion). The assets acquired were approximately $1.3 billion, including approximately $748 million in goodwill, and liabilities assumed were approximately $103 million. As of October 31, 2011, the allocation of the Netto purchase price to the fair value of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed is preliminary.

Bounteous Company Limited ("BCL"): In February 2007, the Company purchased an initial 35% interest in BCL, which operates in China under the Trust-Mart banner. The Company paid $264 million for its initial 35% interest and, as additional consideration, paid $376 million to extinguish a third-party loan issued to the selling BCL shareholders that was secured by the pledge of the remaining equity of BCL. Concurrent with its initial investment in BCL, the Company entered into a Shareholders' Agreement, which provides the Company with voting rights associated with a portion of the common stock of BCL securing the loan, amounting to an additional 30% of the aggregate outstanding shares. Pursuant to the Share Purchase Agreement, the Company was committed to purchase the remaining interest in BCL on or before November 26, 2010, subject to certain conditions. The Company and the selling shareholder have mutually agreed to extend the closing, while certain conditions of the contract are being completed. The parties are now in the process of completing the local registrations for the Trustmart stores and expect to complete the sale of the remaining equity interest in Trustmart as soon as practicable following that process.