Current and long-term obligations (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Jan. 29, 2016	Jan. 31, 2014	Oct. 20, 2015	Jan. 30, 2015
Current and long-term obligations
Debt issuance costs, net	$ (18,100)			$ (15,462)
Current and long-term obligations	2,970,554			2,725,123
Less: current portion	(1,379)			(101,158)
Long-term obligations	2,969,175			2,623,965
Letters of credit outstanding	38,700
Loss on debt retirement, net	326	$ 18,871
Scheduled debt maturities including capital lease obligations
2016	1,379
2017	501,290
2018	400,892
2019	1,020
2020	676,980
Thereafter	$ 1,409,835
Senior unsecured credit facility, maturity October 20, 2020
Current and long-term obligations
Debt issue costs			$ 2,600
Commitment fee rate	0.15%
Weighted average interest rate (as a percent)	1.65%
Loss on debt retirement, net	$ 300
Senior unsecured credit facility, maturity October 20, 2020 | LIBOR loans
Current and long-term obligations
Variable rate basis	LIBOR
Spread on variable rate (as a percent)	1.10%
Senior unsecured credit facility, maturity October 20, 2020 | Base-rate loans
Current and long-term obligations
Variable rate basis	base-rate
Spread on variable rate (as a percent)	0.10%
Senior unsecured credit facility, maturity October 20, 2020, Term Facility
Current and long-term obligations
Current and long-term obligations	$ 425,000			925,000
Amount borrowed			425,000
Senior unsecured credit facility, maturity October 20, 2020, Revolving Facility
Current and long-term obligations
Current and long-term obligations	251,000
Maximum financing under credit agreements	1,000,000		1,000,000
Borrowing availability under credit facility	722,000
Senior unsecured credit facility, maturity October 20, 2020, Revolving Facility | Letters of credit
Current and long-term obligations
Maximum financing under credit agreements	175,000		175,000
Letters of credit outstanding	$ 27,000
Senior notes
Current and long-term obligations
Redemption price as a percentage of principal amount	101.00%
4.125% Senior Notes due July 15, 2017
Current and long-term obligations
Current and long-term obligations	$ 500,000			$ 500,000
Stated interest rate (as a percent)	4.125%			4.125%
1.875% Senior Notes due April 15, 2018
Current and long-term obligations
Current and long-term obligations	$ 399,797			$ 399,706
Discount on debt issuance	$ 203			$ 294
Stated interest rate (as a percent)	1.875%			1.875%
3.25% Senior Notes due April 15, 2023
Current and long-term obligations
Current and long-term obligations	$ 898,225			$ 898,009
Discount on debt issuance	$ 1,775			$ 1,991
Stated interest rate (as a percent)	3.25%			3.25%
4.150% Senior Notes due Nov 1, 2025
Current and long-term obligations
Current and long-term obligations	$ 499,236
Discount on debt issuance	$ 764		800
Debt issue costs			4,400
Amount borrowed			$ 500,000
Stated interest rate (as a percent)	4.15%		4.15%
Capital lease obligations
Current and long-term obligations
Current and long-term obligations	$ 4,806			$ 5,875
Tax increment financing due February 1, 2035
Current and long-term obligations
Current and long-term obligations	$ 10,590			$ 11,995