Restructuring, Impairment, Store Closing and Other Costs

12 Months Ended

Feb. 01, 2020

Restructuring Costs and Asset Impairment Charges [Abstract]

Restructuring, Impairment, and Other Activities Disclosure

Restructuring, impairment, store closing and other costs (income) consist of the following:

	2019		2018			2017
	(millions)
Restructuring	$	123	$	80		$	142
Asset Impairments	197		64			53
Other	34		(8		)	(9		)
	$	354	$	136		$	186

During 2019, the Company closed or announced the closure of 30 Macy's stores. On February 4, 2020, the Company announced its Polaris strategy, a three-year plan designed to stabilize profitability and position the Company for sustainable, profitable growth. The strategy, developed in 2019, includes initiatives focused on strengthening customer relationships, curating quality fashion, accelerating digital growth, optimizing the Company's store portfolio and resetting its cost base. In conjunction with these initiatives, the Company announced plans to close approximately 125 of its least productive stores over the next three years, including the 30 announced in 2019. As part of the reset of its cost base, the Company developed a plan to streamline the organization through reductions in corporate and support functions, campus consolidations and the consolidation of the Company's sole headquarters to New York City, New York. In 2019, the Company recognized Polaris-related costs of approximately $318 million, of which approximately $161 million were non-cash impairment charges associated with store closures and campus consolidations and approximately $157 million were cash costs primarily related to severance and human resource-related activities and other costs.

A summary of the restructuring and other cash activity for 2019 related to the Polaris strategy, which are included within accounts payable and accrued liabilities, is as follows:

	Severance and other benefits			Professional fees and other related charges			Total
	(millions)
Balance at February 2, 2019	$	—		$	—		$	—
Additions charged to expense	121			36			157
Cash payments	(6		)	(27		)	(33		)
Balance at February 1, 2020	$	115		$	9		$	124

As the Company continues to execute on the initiatives identified under the Polaris strategy, the Company expects to incur additional costs in 2020 of approximately $82 million to $102 million. The Company may incur significant additional charges in future periods as it more fully defines incremental Polaris strategy initiatives and moves into the execution phases of these projects. Since the scope of such efforts are not fully known at this time, the benefits of such initiatives, and any related charges or capital expenditures, are not currently quantifiable. Actions associated with the Polaris strategy are currently expected to continue through 2022.

During 2018, the Company closed or announced the closure of ten Macy's stores. In addition, the Company introduced a plan in 2018 that reduced the complexity of the upper management structure to increase the speed of decision making, reduce costs and respond to changing customer expectations. Restructuring, impairment, store closing and other costs for 2018 included costs and expenses, including severance and other human-resource related costs, primarily associated with the organizational changes and store closings announced in January 2019. For 2018, the Company recorded expense of approximately $80 million of severance and other human resource-related costs associated with these restructuring activities.

During 2017, the Company closed or announced the closure of sixteen Macy's stores, part of the approximately 100 planned closings announced in August 2016. During January 2018 and August 2017, the Company announced restructuring

efforts, including the consolidation of three functions (merchandising, planning and private brands) into a single merchandising function as well as organizational changes for certain store and non-store functions. Restructuring, impairment, store closing and other costs for 2017 included costs and expenses, including severance and other human-resource related costs, primarily associated with the organizational changes and store closings announced in January 2018 and August 2017.

The Company expects to pay out the majority of the 2019 accrued severance costs, which are included in accounts payable and accrued liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheets, prior to the end of the second quarter of 2020. The 2018 and 2017 accrued severance costs, which were included in accounts payable and accrued liabilities on the respective Consolidated Balance Sheets, were paid out in the year subsequent to incurring such severance costs.