Business and Summary of Accounting Policies (Policy)

12 Months Ended

Jan. 29, 2011

Business and Summary of Accounting Policies

Business

Business

As of January 29, 2011, Kohl's Corporation operated 1,089 family-oriented department stores that feature exclusive and national brand apparel, footwear, accessories, soft home products and housewares targeted to middle-income customers. Our stores are located in 49 states.

Our authorized capital stock consists of 800 million shares of $0.01 par value common stock and 10 million shares of $0.01 par value preferred stock.

Consolidation

Consolidation

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Kohl's Corporation and its subsidiaries including Kohl's Department Stores, Inc., its primary operating company. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.

Accounting Period

Accounting Period

Our fiscal year ends on the Saturday closest to January 31. Unless otherwise noted, references to years in this report relate to fiscal years, rather than to calendar years. Fiscal year 2010 ("2010") ended on January 29, 2011. Fiscal year 2009 ("2009") ended on January 30, 2010. Fiscal year 2008 ("2008") ended on January 31, 2009. Fiscal 2010, 2009 and 2008 were 52-week years.

Use of Estimates

Use of Estimates

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates. 

Reclassifications

Reclassifications

Certain reclassifications have been made to the prior period Consolidated Statements of Income and Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows to conform to the 2010 presentation.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and Cash Equivalents

           In addition to money market investments, cash equivalents include commercial paper with an original maturity of three months or less. We carry these investments at cost which approximates fair value.

Also included in cash and cash equivalents are amounts due from credit card transactions with settlement terms of less than five days. Credit and debit card receivables included within cash were $70 million at January 29, 2011 and $68 million at January 30, 2010.

Long-term Investments

Long-term Investments

Long-term investments consist primarily of investments in auction rate securities ("ARS") which are classified as available-for-sale securities and recorded at market.

Merchandise Inventories

Merchandise Inventories

Merchandise inventories are valued at the lower of cost or market with cost determined on the first-in, first-out ("FIFO") basis using the retail inventory method ("RIM"). Under RIM, the valuation of inventory at cost and the resulting gross margins are calculated by applying a cost-to-retail ratio to the retail value inventory. RIM is an averaging method that has been widely used in the retail industry due to its practicality. The use of RIM will result in inventory being valued at the lower of cost or market since permanent markdowns are currently taken as a reduction of the retail value of inventory. We record an additional reserve when the future estimated selling price is less than cost.

Property and Equipment

Property and Equipment

Property and equipment consist of the following:

	Jan. 29, 2011			Jan. 30, 2010
	(In Millions)
	(Restated)
Land	$	1,033		$	1,041
Buildings and improvements:
Owned		6,931			6,520
Leased		1,754			1,697
Store fixtures and equipment		2,309			2,169
Computer hardware and software		696			553
Construction in progress		172			139
Total property and equipment		12,895			12,119
Less accumulated depreciation		(4,203	)		(3,613	)
	$	8,692		$	8,506

Construction in progress includes land and improvements for locations not yet opened and for the expansion and remodeling of existing locations in process at the end of each year.

Property and equipment is recorded at cost, less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is calculated using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets. Leased property and improvements to leased property are amortized on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease or useful life of the asset, whichever is less.

The annual provisions for depreciation and amortization generally use the following ranges of useful lives:

Buildings and improvements	8-40 years
Store fixtures and equipment	3-15 years
Property under capital lease and financing obligations	5-40 years
Computer hardware and software	3-8 years

Capitalized Interest

Capitalized Interest

We capitalize interest on the acquisition and construction of new locations and expansion of existing locations and depreciate that amount over the lives of the related assets. Capitalized interest was $6 million for 2010, $5 million for 2009 and $8 million for 2008.

Long-Lived Assets

Long-Lived Assets

All property and equipment and other long-lived assets are reviewed when events or changes in circumstances indicate that the asset's carrying value may not be recoverable. If such indicators are present, it is determined whether the sum of the estimated undiscounted future cash flows attributable to such assets is less than their carrying amounts. No material impairments were recorded in 2010, 2009, or 2008 as a result of the tests performed.

Accrued Liabilities

Accrued Liabilities

Accrued liabilities consist of the following:

	Jan. 29, 2011		Jan. 30, 2010
	(In Millions)
	(Restated)
Various liabilities to customers	$	267	$	221
Payroll and related fringe benefits		184		201
Sales, property and use taxes		159		156
Due to JPMorgan Chase		84		121
Accrued construction costs		97		76
Accrued interest		21		22
Other		218		208
	$	1,030	$	1,005

The various liabilities to customers include gift cards and merchandise return cards that have been issued but not presented for redemption.

Self-Insurance

Self-Insurance

We use a combination of insurance and self-insurance for a number of risks including workers' compensation, general liability and employee-related health care benefits, a portion of which is paid by our associates. Liabilities associated with these losses include estimates of both reported losses and losses incurred but not yet reported. We use a third-party actuary, which considers historical claims experience, demographic factors, severity factors and other actuarial assumptions, to estimate the liabilities associated with these risks. We retain the initial risk of $500,000 per occurrence under our workers' compensation insurance policy and $250,000 per occurrence under our general liability policy. The lifetime medical payment limit of $1.5 million per plan participant was eliminated on December 31, 2010. Total estimated liabilities for workers' compensation, general liability and employee-related health benefits, excluding administrative expenses and before pre-funding, were approximately $89 million at January 29, 2011 and $85 million at January 30, 2010. Although these amounts are actuarially determined based on analysis of historical trends, the amounts that we will ultimately disburse could differ from these estimates.

Long-term Liabilities

Long-term Liabilities

Other long-term liabilities consist of the following:

	Jan. 29, 2011		Jan. 30, 2010
	(In Millions)
	(Restated)
Property-related liabilities (straight-line rents and rent incentives)	$	198	$	162
Unrecognized tax benefits, including accrued interest and penalties		120		114
Deferred compensation		38		35
Other		24		28
	$	380	$	339

Treasury Stock

Treasury Stock

We account for repurchases of common stock using the cost method with common stock in treasury classified in the Consolidated Balance Sheets as a reduction of shareholders' equity.

Revenue Recognition

Revenue Recognition

Revenue from the sale of merchandise at our stores is recognized at the time of sale, net of any returns. E-Commerce sales are recorded based on estimated receipt of merchandise by the customer. Net sales do not include sales tax as we are considered a pass-through conduit for collecting and remitting sales taxes.

Revenue from gift card sales is recognized when the gift card is redeemed. Gift card breakage revenue is based on historical redemption patterns and represents the balance of gift cards for which we believe the likelihood of redemption by a customer is remote.

Cost of Merchandise Sold and Selling, General and Administrative Expenses

Cost of Merchandise Sold and Selling, General and Administrative Expenses

The following table illustrates the primary costs classified in Cost of Merchandise Sold and Selling, General and Administrative Expenses:

Cost of Merchandise Sold

Selling, General and Administrative Expenses

•        Total cost of products sold including product development costs, net of vendor payments other than reimbursement of specific, incremental and identifiable costs •        Inventory shrink •        Markdowns •        Freight expenses associated with moving merchandise from our vendors to our distribution centers •        Shipping and handling expenses of E-Commerce sales •        Terms cash discount

•        Compensation and benefit costs including: •        Stores •        Corporate headquarters, including buying and merchandising •        Distribution centers •        Rent expense and other occupancy and operating costs of our retail, distribution and corporate facilities •        Net revenues from the Kohl's credit card agreement with JPMorgan Chase •        Freight expenses associated with moving merchandise from our distribution centers to our retail stores, and among distribution and retail facilities •        Advertising expenses, offset by vendor payments for reimbursement of specific, incremental and identifiable costs •        Costs incurred prior to new store openings, such as advertising, hiring and training costs for new employees, processing and transporting initial merchandise, and rent expense •        Other administrative costs

The classification of these expenses varies across the retail industry.

Vendor Allowances

Vendor Allowances

We receive consideration for a variety of vendor-sponsored programs, such as markdown allowances, volume rebates and promotion and advertising support. The vendor consideration is recorded either as a reduction of inventory costs or Selling, General and Administrative ("SG&A") expenses based on the application of Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") No. 605, Subtopic 50, "Customer Payments and Incentives." Promotional and advertising allowances are intended to offset our advertising costs to promote vendors' merchandise. Markdown allowances and volume rebates are recorded as a reduction of inventory costs.

Leases

Leases

We lease certain property and equipment used in our operations.

We are often involved extensively in the construction of leased stores. In many cases, we are responsible for construction cost over runs or construct non-standard tenant improvements (e.g. roof or HVAC systems). As a result of this involvement, we are deemed the "owner" for accounting purposes during the construction period, so are required to capitalize the construction costs on our Balance Sheet. Upon completion of the project, we perform a sale-leaseback analysis pursuant to ASC 840, Leases, to determine if we can remove the assets from our Balance Sheet. In many of our leases, we are reimbursed a portion of the construction costs via adjusted rental and/or cash payments or have terms which fix the rental payments for a significant percentage of the leased asset's economic life. These items are generally considered "continuing involvement" which precludes us from derecognizing the assets from our Balance Sheet when construction is complete. In conjunction with these leases, we also record financing obligations equal to the cash proceeds or fair market value of the assets received from the landlord. At the end of the lease term, including exercise of any renewal options, the net remaining financing obligation over the net carrying value of the fixed asset will be recognized as a non-cash gain on sale of the property. We do not report rent expense for the properties which are owned for accounting purposes. Rather, rental payments under the lease are recognized as a reduction of the financing obligation and interest expense.

Some of our property and equipment is held under capital leases. These assets are included in property and equipment and depreciated over the term of the lease. We do not report rent expense for capital leases. Rather, rental payments under the lease are recognized as a reduction of the capital lease obligation and interest expense.

All other leases are considered operating leases in accordance with ASC 840. Assets subject to an operating lease and the related lease payments are not recorded on our balance sheet. Rent expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the expected lease term.

The lease term for all types of leases begins on the date we become legally obligated for the rent payments or we take possession of the building or land, whichever is earlier. The lease term includes cancelable option periods where failure to exercise such options would result in an economic penalty. Failure to exercise such options would result in the recognition of accelerated depreciation expense of the related assets.

Advertising

Advertising

Advertising costs, which include primarily television and radio broadcast, direct mail, and newspaper circulars, are expensed when the advertisement is first seen. Advertising costs, net of related vendor allowances, were as follows:

		$1,017			$1,017			$1,017
	2010			2009			2008
	(In Millions)
Gross advertising costs	$	1,017		$	988		$	1,037
Vendor allowances		(148	)		(142	)		(147	)
Net advertising costs	$	869		$	846		$	890
Net advertising costs as a percent of net sales		4.7	%		4.9	%		5.4	%

Income Taxes

Income Taxes

Income taxes are accounted for under the asset and liability method. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are recorded based on differences between the amounts of assets and liabilities recognized for financial reporting purposes and such amounts recognized for income tax purposes. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are calculated using the enacted tax rates and laws that are expected to be in effect when the differences are expected to reverse. We establish valuation allowances for deferred tax assets when we believe it is more likely than not that the asset will not be realizable for tax purposes.

We recognize interest and penalty expense related to unrecognized tax benefits in our provision for income tax expense.

Net Income Per Share

Net Income Per Share

Basic net income per share is net income divided by the average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted net income per share includes incremental shares assumed to be issued upon exercise of stock options.

The information required to compute basic and diluted net income per share is as follows:

		$1,017		$1,017		$1,017
	2010		2009		2008
	(In Millions except per share data)
	(Restated)
Numerator—net income	$	1,120	$	973	$	857
Denominator—weighted average shares
Basic		304		305		306
Impact of dilutive employee stock options (a)		2		1		1
Diluted		306		306		307
Net income per share:
Basic	$	3.69	$	3.19	$	2.80
Diluted	$	3.66	$	3.17	$	2.80

(a) Excludes 8 million options for 2010, 17 million options for 2009 and 18 million options for 2008 as the impact of such options was antidilutive.

Stock Options

Stock Options

Stock-based compensation expense, including stock options and nonvested stock awards, is recognized on a straight-line basis over the vesting period based on the fair value of awards which are expected to vest. The fair value of all share-based awards is estimated on the date of grant.