FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS AND DERIVATIVES

6 Months Ended

Jul. 28, 2012

FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS AND DERIVATIVES

FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS AND DERIVATIVES

NOTE 11—FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS AND DERIVATIVES

The Company’s fair value measurements consist of (a) financial assets and liabilities that are recognized or disclosed at fair value in the Company’s financial statements on a recurring basis (at least annually) and (b) all non-recurring non-financial assets and liabilities.

Fair value is defined as the exit price, or the amount that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants as of the measurement date. There is a hierarchy for inputs used in measuring fair value that maximizes the use of observable inputs and minimizes the use of unobservable inputs by requiring that the most observable inputs be used when available. Observable inputs are inputs market participants would use in valuing the asset or liability developed based on market data obtained from sources independent of the Company. Unobservable inputs are inputs that reflect the Company’s assumptions about the factors market participants would use in valuing the asset or liability developed based upon the best information available in the circumstances. The hierarchy is broken down into three levels. Level 1 inputs are quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities. Level 2 inputs include quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets. Level 3 inputs are unobservable inputs for the asset or liability. Categorization within the valuation hierarchy is based upon the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement.

The following table provides information by level for assets and liabilities that are measured at fair value, on a recurring basis:

(dollar amounts in thousands)	Fair Value at		Fair Value Measurements Using Inputs Considered as
Description	July 28, 2012		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$	150,833	$	150,833	$	—	$	—
Collateral investments (1)	17,276		17,276		—		—
Rabbi trust assets (1)	3,596		—		3,596		—
Liabilities:
Other liabilities
Derivative liability (2)	9,494		—		9,494		—

(dollar amounts in thousands)	Fair Value at		Fair Value Measurements Using Inputs Considered as
Description	January 28, 2012		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$	58,244	$	58,244	$	—	$	—
Collateral investments (1)	17,276		17,276		—		—
Rabbi trust assets (1)	3,576		—		3,576		—
Liabilities:
Other liabilities
Derivative liability (2)	12,540		—		12,540		—

(1) included in other long-term assets

(2) included in other long-term liabilities

As of January 28, 2012 the Company invested $17.3 million in restricted accounts as collateral for its retained liabilities included within existing insurance programs in lieu of previously outstanding letters of credit, of which $4.8 million was invested during the first half of fiscal year 2011.

The Company has one interest rate swap designated as a cash flow hedge on $145.0 million of the Company’s Senior Secured Term Loan that is due in October 2013. The swap is used to minimize interest rate exposure and overall interest costs by converting the variable component of the total interest rate to a fixed rate of 5.036%. Since February 1, 2008, this swap was deemed to be fully effective and all adjustments in the interest rate swap’s fair value have been recorded to accumulated other comprehensive loss.

The table below shows the effect of the Company’s interest rate swap on the consolidated financial statements for the periods indicated:

(dollar amounts in thousands)	Amount of Gain in Other Comprehensive Income/ (Loss) (Effective Portion)		Earnings Statement Classification	Amount of Loss Recognized in Earnings (Effective Portion) (a)
Thirteen weeks ended July 28, 2012	$	897	Interest expense	$	(1,685	)
Thirteen weeks ended July 30, 2011	$	150	Interest expense	$	(1,772	)
Twenty-six weeks ended July 28, 2012	$	1,904	Interest expense	$	(3,339	)
Twenty-six weeks ended July 30, 2011	$	648	Interest expense	$	(3,491	)

(a) represents the effective portion of the loss reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss

The fair value of the derivative was $9.5 million and $12.5 million payable at July 28, 2012 and January 28, 2012, respectively. Of the $3.0 million decrease in the fair value during the twenty-six weeks ended July 28, 2012, $1.9 million net of tax was recorded to accumulated other comprehensive loss on the consolidated balance sheet.

Non-financial assets measured at fair value on a non-recurring basis:

Certain assets are measured at fair value on a non-recurring basis, that is, the assets are subject to fair value adjustments in certain circumstances such as when there is evidence of impairment. These measures of fair value, and related inputs, are considered level 2 or level 3 measures under the fair value hierarchy. During the second quarter of fiscal 2011, the Company recorded a $0.4 million impairment charge related to stores classified as held and used. The Company used a probability-weighted approach and estimates of expected future cash flows to determine the fair value of the stores. Discount and growth rate assumptions were derived from current economic conditions, management’s expectations and projected trends of current operating results. The fair market value estimate is classified as a Level 3 measure within the fair value hierarchy.