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Description Of Business And Basis Of Presentation (Policy)

3 Months Ended

May 02, 2020

Description Of Business And Basis Of Presentation [Abstract]

Description of Business

L Brands, Inc. (the "Company”) operates in the highly competitive specialty retail business. The Company is a specialty retailer of home fragrance products, body care, soaps and sanitizers, women’s intimate and other apparel, and personal and beauty care products. The Company sells its merchandise through company-owned specialty retail stores in the U.S., Canada, U.K., Ireland and Greater China (China and Hong Kong), 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:


•	Bath & Body Works


•	Victoria’s Secret


•	PINK

On February 20, 2020, the Company and an affiliate of Sycamore Partners Management, L.P. ("Sycamore"), entered into a Transaction Agreement (the "Transaction Agreement") pursuant to which, among other things, the Company would have sold a 55% interest in the Company's Victoria's Secret and PINK businesses (collectively, "Victoria's Secret").

On April 22, 2020, the Company received a notice from Sycamore purporting to terminate the Transaction Agreement. Sycamore also filed a lawsuit in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware on April 22, 2020 seeking a declaratory judgment that its termination of the Transaction Agreement was valid.

On May 4, 2020, the Company and Sycamore mutually agreed to terminate the Transaction Agreement. In connection with the termination of the Transaction Agreement, the Company and Sycamore agreed to settle all pending litigation in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Agreement and mutually release all claims in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Agreement. The Company did not incur any termination penalties in connection with the termination of the Transaction Agreement.

The Company remains committed to establishing Bath & Body Works as a pure-play public company and is taking the necessary steps to prepare Victoria's Secret to operate as a separate standalone company. Management is actively engaged in implementing a comprehensive profit improvement plan that will better position the Company to evaluate the next steps for the separation of the Victoria's Secret business. The Company determined that Victoria's Secret did not meet the held for sale criteria as of May 2, 2020.

Impacts of COVID-19

In March 2020, the coronavirus pandemic ("COVID-19") was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization. This pandemic has negatively affected the U.S. and global economies, disrupted global supply chains and financial markets, and led to significant travel and transportation restrictions, including mandatory closures and orders to “shelter-in-place.” The situation and preventative or protective actions that governments around the world have taken to contain the spread of COVID-19 have resulted in a period of disruption, including closure of the Company's stores, limited store operating hours, reduced customer traffic and consumer spending and delays in manufacturing and shipping of products and raw materials in the U.S., China and other countries. During this period, the Company is focused on protecting the health and safety of its customers, employees, contractors, suppliers, and other business partners. The Company is also working with its suppliers to minimize potential disruptions, while managing the Company's business in response to a changing dynamic.

The Company's business operations and financial performance for the first quarter of 2020 were materially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. All the Company's stores in North America were closed on March 17th, and only approximately 20 Bath & Body Works stores were opened as of the end of the first quarter. Additionally, operations for Victoria’s Secret Direct were temporarily suspended for approximately one week in late March, while Bath & Body Works Direct remained open for the duration of the first quarter. Since the global COVID-19 crisis began, the Company has taken prudent actions to manage expenses and to maintain its solid cash position and financial flexibility through the pandemic, including:


•	Furloughing most store associates as of April 5, while continuing to provide healthcare benefits for eligible associates;


•	Suspending associate merit increases;


•	Reducing salaries for senior vice presidents and above by 20%;


•	Suspending cash compensation for the Company's former Chairman and CEO, Leslie H. Wexner, and for all members of the Board of Directors;


•	Reducing capital expenditures forecast from $550 million to approximately $250 million;


•	Reducing Spring (first and second quarter) inventory receipts versus last year by approximately 45% at Victoria's Secret and PINK, and by approximately 20% at Bath & Body Works;


•	Suspending the quarterly cash dividend beginning in the second quarter of fiscal 2020;


•	Suspending store rent payments beginning in April. The Company is in active discussions with its landlords to negotiate with respect to these rent payments and go-forward occupancy costs;


•	Amending its revolving credit facility to an asset-backed loan revolving credit facility that does not contain a leverage ratio financial maintenance covenant; and


•	Extending payment terms to vendors.

The Company remains committed to managing inventory, expenses and capital conservatively to preserve cash and maximize liquidity.

On March 27, 2020, the U.S. government enacted the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”) which, among other things, provides employer payroll tax credits for wages paid to employees who are unable to work during the coronavirus outbreak and options to defer payroll tax payments. Based on the Company's evaluation of the CARES Act, it qualifies for certain employer payroll tax credits, which will offset operating expenses. During the first quarter of 2020, the Company recognized $52 million of qualified payroll tax credits that reduced its store operating expenses.

The Company suspended store rent payments beginning in April, and is in active discussions with its landlords to negotiate with respect to these rent payments and go-forward occupancy costs. The Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued guidance in April, which allows COVID-19-related rent concessions to be treated as variable rent. The Company did not recognize any material COVID-19-related rent concessions as of May 2, 2020, as it has not yet finalized negotiations with its landlords.

Fiscal Year

The Company’s fiscal year ends on the Saturday nearest to January 31. As used herein, “first quarter of 2020” and “first quarter of 2019” refer to the thirteen-week periods ended May 2, 2020 and May 4, 2019, 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 (Loss) 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 May 2, 2020 and May 4, 2019 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 2019 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

Due to the impacts of COVID-19 and seasonal variations in the retail industry, the results of operations for the interim period is not necessarily indicative of the results expected for the full fiscal year.

Derivative Financial Instruments

The Company uses derivative financial instruments to manage exposure to foreign currency exchange rates. The Company does not use derivative instruments for trading purposes. All derivative instruments are recorded on the Consolidated Balance Sheets at fair value.

The earnings of the Company's wholly owned foreign businesses are subject to exchange rate risk as substantially all the merchandise is sourced through U.S. dollar transactions. The Company uses foreign currency forward contracts designated as cash flow hedges to mitigate this foreign currency exposure for its Canadian and U.K. businesses. Amounts are reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) upon sale of the hedged merchandise to the customer. These gains and losses are recognized in Costs of Goods Sold, Buying and Occupancy in the Consolidated Statements of Income (Loss). The fair value of designated cash flow hedges is not significant as of May 2, 2020.

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 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

Credit Losses

In June 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses, which requires the use of a forward-looking expected loss impairment model for accounts receivable and certain other financial instruments. The Company adopted the standard in the first quarter of fiscal 2020. The adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated results of operations, financial position or cash flows.

Guarantor Reporting

In March 2020, the SEC issued a final rule, Financial Disclosures About Guarantors and Issuers of Guaranteed Securities and Affiliates Whose Securities Collateralize a Registrant’s Securities, that simplifies the disclosure requirements related to registered securities under Rule 3-10 of Regulation S-X. The rule replaces the requirement to provide condensed consolidating financial information with a requirement to present summarized financial information of the issuers and guarantors. It also requires qualitative disclosures with respect to information about guarantors, the terms and conditions of guarantees and the factors that may affect payment. These disclosures may be provided outside the footnotes to the Company’s consolidated financial statements. The Company early adopted the reporting requirements of the rule in the first quarter of fiscal 2020, and elected to provide these disclosures in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

Inventory

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