Description Of Business And Basis Of Presentation (Policy)

9 Months Ended

Nov. 03, 2018

Description Of Business And Basis Of Presentation [Abstract]

Inventories are principally valued at the lower of cost, on a weighted-average cost basis, or net realizable value.

Description of Business

L Brands, Inc. (“the Company”) operates in the highly competitive specialty retail business. The Company is a specialty retailer of women’s intimate and other apparel, personal care, beauty and home fragrance products. The Company sells its merchandise through company-owned specialty retail stores in the United States (“U.S.”), Canada, United Kingdom (“U.K.”), Ireland and Greater China (China and Hong Kong), which are primarily mall-based, and through its websites and other channels. The Company's other international operations are primarily through franchise, license and wholesale partners. The Company currently operates the following retail brands:


•	Victoria’s Secret


•	PINK


•	Bath & Body Works


•	La Senza


•	Henri Bendel

Fiscal Year

The Company’s fiscal year ends on the Saturday nearest to January 31. As used herein, “third quarter of 2018” and “third quarter of 2017” refer to the thirteen-week periods ended November 3, 2018 and October 28, 2017, respectively. “Year-to-date 2018” and “year-to-date 2017” refer to the thirty-nine-week periods ending November 3, 2018 and October 28, 2017, respectively.

Basis Of Consolidation

Basis of Consolidation

The Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

The Company accounts for investments in unconsolidated entities where it exercises significant influence, but does not have control, using the equity method. Under the equity method of accounting, the Company recognizes its share of the investee's net income or loss. Losses are only recognized to the extent the Company has positive carrying value related to the investee. Carrying values are only reduced below zero if the Company has an obligation to provide funding to the investee. The Company’s share of net income or loss of unconsolidated entities from which the Company purchases merchandise or merchandise components is included in Costs of Goods Sold, Buying and Occupancy in the Consolidated Statements of Income (Loss). The Company’s share of net income or loss of all other unconsolidated entities is included in Other Income in the Consolidated Statements of Income (Loss). The Company’s equity method investments are required to be reviewed for impairment when it is determined there may be an other-than-temporary loss in value.

Interim Financial Statements

The Consolidated Financial Statements as of and for the periods ended November 3, 2018 and October 28, 2017 are unaudited and are presented pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). These Consolidated Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with the Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes thereto contained in the Company’s 2017 Annual Report on Form 10-K.

In the opinion of management, the accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements reflect all adjustments which are of a normal recurring nature and necessary for a fair presentation of the results for the interim periods.

Seasonality Of Business

Seasonality of Business

Due to seasonal variations in the retail industry, the results of operations for any interim period are not necessarily indicative of the results expected for the full fiscal year.

Concentration Of Credit Risk

Concentration of Credit Risk

The Company maintains cash and cash equivalents and derivative contracts with various major financial institutions. The Company monitors the relative credit standing of financial institutions with whom the Company transacts and limits the amount of credit exposure with any one entity. Typically, the Company’s investment portfolio is primarily comprised of U.S. government obligations, U.S. Treasury and AAA-rated money market funds, commercial paper and bank deposits.

The Company also periodically reviews the relative credit standing of franchise, license and wholesale partners and other entities to which the Company grants credit terms in the normal course of business. The Company records an allowance for uncollectable accounts when it becomes probable that the counterparty will be unable to pay.

Use of Estimates, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Use of Estimates in the Preparation of Financial Statements

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period, as well as the related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements. Actual results may differ from those estimates, and the Company revises its estimates and assumptions as new information becomes available.

New Accounting Pronouncements

Revenue from Contracts with Customers

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, which was further clarified and amended in 2015 and 2016. This guidance requires companies to recognize revenue in a manner that depicts the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in amounts that reflect the consideration to which a company expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. The new standard also results in enhanced disclosures about the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers.

The Company adopted the standard in the first quarter of 2018 under the modified retrospective approach. Under the standard, income from the Victoria's Secret private label credit card arrangement, which was historically presented as a reduction to General, Administrative and Store Operating Expenses, is presented as revenue. Further, historical accounting related to loyalty points earned under the Victoria's Secret customer loyalty program changed as the Company now defers revenue associated with customer loyalty points until the points are redeemed using a relative stand-alone selling price method. The standard also changed accounting for sales returns which requires balance sheet presentation on a gross basis.

In the first quarter of 2018, the Company recorded a cumulative catch-up adjustment resulting in a reduction to opening retained earnings, net of tax, of $28 million. The cumulative adjustment primarily related to the deferral of revenue related to outstanding points, net of estimated forfeitures, under the Victoria's Secret customer loyalty program. In addition, Net Sales and General, Administrative and Store Operating Expenses both increased $46 million and $119 million in the third quarter and year-to-date 2018 Consolidated Statements of Income (Loss), respectively. Further, gross presentation of the Company's sales return reserve resulted in a $5 million increase in Other Current Assets and Accrued Expenses and Other on the November 3, 2018 Consolidated Balance Sheet.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

In January 2016, the FASB issued ASC 321, Investments - Equity Securities, which addresses certain aspects of the recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure of financial instruments. The standard requires the recognition of changes in the fair value of marketable equity securities in net income as compared to historical treatment in accumulated other comprehensive income on the balance sheet. The Company adopted the standard in the first quarter of 2018 and recorded an increase to opening retained earnings, net of tax, of $2 million.

Leases

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASC 842, Leases, which requires companies classified as lessees to account for most leases on their balance sheets but recognize expenses on their income statements in a manner similar to today’s accounting. The standard also will result in enhanced quantitative and qualitative disclosures, including significant judgments made by management, to provide greater insight into the extent of revenue and expense recognized and expected to be recognized from existing leases. In July 2018, the FASB approved an amendment to the standard that provides companies a transition option that would not require earlier periods to be restated upon adoption. The standard is effective beginning in fiscal 2019, with early adoption permitted.

The Company is currently evaluating the impacts that this standard will have on its Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income, Balance Sheets and Statements of Cash Flows. The Company currently expects that most of its operating lease commitments will be recognized as operating lease liabilities and right-of-use assets upon adoption of the standard. Thus, the Company expects adoption will result in a material increase to the assets and liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheet. The Company will adopt the standard in the first quarter of 2019 and apply the standard prospectively as of the adoption date.

Hedging Activities

In August 2017, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") 2017-12, Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities, which is intended to better align risk management activities and financial reporting for hedging relationships. The standard eliminates the requirement to separately measure and report hedge ineffectiveness and generally requires the entire change in the fair value of a hedging instrument to be presented in the same income statement line as the hedged item. It also eases certain documentation and assessment requirements. This guidance will be effective beginning in fiscal 2019, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this standard on its Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income, Balance Sheets and Statements of Cash Flows.

Goodwill

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-04, Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment, which simplifies the subsequent measurement of goodwill. The standard eliminates the second step from the goodwill impairment test, which requires a hypothetical purchase price allocation to determine the implied fair value of goodwill. Under the new standard, the goodwill impairment charge will be the excess of the reporting unit's carrying value over its fair value, not to exceed the total amount of goodwill allocated to the reporting unit. This guidance will be effective beginning in fiscal 2020, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this standard.