Quarterly Financial Data (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	1 Months Ended												3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
	Nov. 30, 2014	Aug. 31, 2014	May 31, 2014	Feb. 28, 2014	Nov. 30, 2013	Aug. 31, 2013	May 31, 2013	Jan. 31, 2013	Nov. 30, 2012	Aug. 31, 2012	May 31, 2012	Jan. 31, 2012	Jan. 31, 2015		Nov. 01, 2014		Aug. 02, 2014		May 03, 2014		Feb. 01, 2014		Nov. 02, 2013		Aug. 03, 2013		May 04, 2013		Jan. 31, 2015	Feb. 01, 2014	Feb. 02, 2013
Quarterly Financial Data [Abstract]
Sales													$ 3,032,698		$ 2,598,820		$ 2,729,566		$ 2,680,593		$ 2,741,040		$ 2,398,122		$ 2,551,277		$ 2,539,914		$ 11,041,677	$ 10,230,353	$ 9,721,065
Cost of goods sold													2,203,570		1,882,185		1,944,017		1,908,184		1,992,101		1,746,235		1,823,777		1,798,811		7,937,956	7,360,924	7,011,428
Selling, general and administrative													430,342		410,002		395,225		379,802		401,345		381,860		381,193		361,968		1,615,371	1,526,366	1,437,886
Total interest expense (income), net													2,406		777		(95)		(104)		(129)		(152)		(175)		209		2,984	(247)	6,907
Total costs and expenses													2,636,318		2,292,964		2,339,147		2,287,882		2,393,317		2,127,943		2,204,795		2,160,988		9,556,311	8,887,043	8,456,221
Earnings before taxes													396,380		305,856		390,419		392,711		347,723		270,179		346,482		378,926		1,485,366	1,343,310	1,264,844
Provision for taxes on earnings													147,850		113,136		150,858		148,798		129,770		98,561		133,361		144,314		560,642	506,006	478,081
Net earnings													$ 248,530		$ 192,720		$ 239,561		$ 243,913		$ 217,953		$ 171,618		$ 213,121		$ 234,612		$ 924,724	$ 837,304	$ 786,763
Basic (in dollars per share)													$ 1.21	[1]	$ 0.94	[1]	$ 1.15	[1]	$ 1.17	[1]	$ 1.04	[1]	$ 0.81	[1]	$ 1.00	[1]	$ 1.09	[1]	$ 4.47	$ 3.93	$ 3.59
Diluted (in dollars per share)													$ 1.20	[1]	$ 0.93	[1]	$ 1.14	[1]	$ 1.15	[1]	$ 1.02	[1]	$ 0.80	[1]	$ 0.98	[1]	$ 1.07	[1]	$ 4.42	$ 3.88	$ 3.53
Cash dividends declared per share on common stock (in dollars per share)	$ 0.20	$ 0.20	$ 0.20	$ 0.20	$ 0.17	$ 0.17	$ 0.17	$ 0.17	$ 0.14	$ 0.14	$ 0.14	$ 0.14	$ 0.20		$ 0.20		$ 0.20		$ 0.20		$ 0.17		$ 0.17		$ 0.17		$ 0		$ 0.80	$ 0.51	$ 0.59
High [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Stock price													$ 96.94		$ 80.83		$ 69.66		$ 74.09		$ 81.64		$ 77.63		$ 69.2		$ 66.07		$ 96.94	$ 81.64
Low [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Stock price													$ 80.44		$ 64.64		$ 62.15		$ 65.78		$ 67.66		$ 64.76		$ 63.29		$ 55.23		$ 80.44	$ 67.66

[1] EPS is computed independently for each of the quarters presented. The sum of the quarters may not equal the total year amount due to the impact of changes in average quarterly shares outstanding.