Earnings per share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2020	Nov. 01, 2019	Aug. 02, 2019	May 03, 2019	Feb. 01, 2019	Nov. 02, 2018	Aug. 03, 2018	May 04, 2018	Jan. 31, 2020	Feb. 01, 2019	Feb. 02, 2018
Net Income
Basic Earnings	$ 535,437	$ 365,550	$ 426,555	$ 385,013	$ 483,241	$ 334,142	$ 407,237	$ 364,852	$ 1,712,555	$ 1,589,472	$ 1,538,960
Diluted Earnings									$ 1,712,555	$ 1,589,472	$ 1,538,960
Shares
Shares outstanding, basic									256,553	265,155	272,751
Effect of dilutive share-based awards									1,500	950	611
Shares outstanding, diluted									258,053	266,105	273,362
Per Share Amount
Basic earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 2.11	$ 1.43	$ 1.65	$ 1.49	$ 1.85	$ 1.26	$ 1.53	$ 1.36	$ 6.68	$ 5.99	$ 5.64
Diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 2.10	$ 1.42	$ 1.65	$ 1.48	$ 1.84	$ 1.26	$ 1.52	$ 1.36	$ 6.64	$ 5.97	$ 5.63
Share-based awards outstanding excluded from computation of diluted earnings per share									300	800	2,100