SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND RELATED MATTERS


A.	Nature of Operations

Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. and subsidiaries (the “Company”) is an omnichannel retailer selling a wide assortment of domestics merchandise and home furnishings which operates under the names Bed Bath & Beyond (“BBB”), Christmas Tree Shops, Christmas Tree Shops andThat! or andThat! (collectively, “CTS”), Harmon, Harmon Face Values or Face Values (collectively, “Harmon”), buybuy BABY (“Baby”) and World Market, Cost Plus World Market or Cost Plus (collectively, “Cost Plus World Market”). Customers can purchase products from the Company either in-store, online, with a mobile device or through a customer contact center. The Company generally has the ability to have customer purchases picked up in-store or shipped direct to the customer from the Company’s distribution facilities, stores or vendors. In addition, the Company operates Of a Kind, an e-commerce website that features specially commissioned, limited edition items from emerging fashion and home designers; One Kings Lane, an authority in home décor and design, offering a unique collection of select home goods, designer and vintage items; PersonalizationMall.com (“PMall”), an industry-leading online retailer of personalized products; Chef Central, a retailer of kitchenware, cookware and homeware items catering to cooking and baking enthusiasts; and Decorist, an online interior design platform that provides personalized home design services. The Company also operates Linen Holdings, a provider of a variety of textile products, amenities and other goods to institutional customers in the hospitality, cruise line, healthcare and other industries. Additionally, the Company is a partner in a joint venture which operates retail stores in Mexico under the name Bed Bath & Beyond.

The Company accounts for its operations as two operating segments: North American Retail and Institutional Sales. The Institutional Sales operating segment, which is comprised of Linen Holdings, does not meet the quantitative thresholds under U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and therefore is not a reportable segment. Net sales outside of the U.S. for the Company were not material for fiscal 2018, 2017, and 2016. As the Company operates in the retail industry, its results of operations are affected by general economic conditions and consumer spending habits.


B.	Fiscal Year

The Company’s fiscal year is comprised of the 52 or 53-week period ending on the Saturday nearest February 28th. Accordingly, fiscal 2018 and fiscal 2016 represented 52 weeks and ended on March 2, 2019 and February 25, 2017, respectively. Fiscal 2017 represented 53 weeks and ended March 3, 2018.


C.	Principles of Consolidation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries. The Company accounts for its investment in the joint venture under the equity method.

The fiscal 2017 and 2016 consolidated statements of cash flows were revised to include restricted cash due to the adoption of the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB"), Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") 2016-18, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Restricted Cash in fiscal 2018.

All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.


D.	Use of Estimates

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles requires the Company to establish accounting policies and to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. The Company bases its estimates on historical experience and on other assumptions that it believes to be relevant under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying value of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. In particular, judgment is used in areas such as inventory valuation, impairment of long-lived assets, impairment of auction rate securities, goodwill and other indefinite lived intangible assets, accruals for self insurance, litigation, store opening, expansion, relocation and closing costs, the provision for sales returns, vendor allowances, stock-based compensation and income and certain other taxes. Actual results could differ from these estimates.


E.	Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-09, Compensation - Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting, which simplifies several aspects of the accounting for share-based payment transactions, including the accounting for income taxes, forfeitures and statutory tax withholding requirements, as well as classification in the statement of cash flows. ASU 2016-09 requires, on a prospective basis, recognition of excess tax benefits and tax deficiencies (resulting from an increase or decrease in the fair value of an award from grant date to the vesting or exercise date) in the provision for income taxes as a discrete item in the period in which they occur. The ASU also changes the classification of excess tax benefits from a financing activity to an operating activity in the Company’s consolidated statements of cash flows. In addition, ASU 2016-09 allows companies to make an accounting policy election to either estimate expected forfeitures or account for them as they occur. ASU 2016-09 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016, and interim periods within those years, with early adoption permitted. The Company adopted ASU 2016-09 during the first quarter of fiscal 2017. During the fiscal year ended March 3, 2018, the Company recognized in income tax expense discrete tax expenses of $13.0 million related to tax deficiencies. Additionally, the Company elected to account for forfeitures as an estimate of the number of awards that are expected to vest, which is consistent with its accounting policy prior to adoption of ASU 2016-09. The Company adopted the provisions of ASU 2016-09 related to changes in the consolidated statements of cash flows on a retrospective basis. As such, excess tax benefits are now classified as an operating activity in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows instead of as a financing activity. As a result, excess tax benefits of $1.5 million for the twelve months February 25, 2017 were reclassified from financing activities to operating activities. ASU 2016-09 also requires that the value of shares withheld from employees upon vesting of stock awards in order to satisfy any applicable tax withholding requirements is presented within financing activities in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows, which is consistent with the Company’s historical presentation, and therefore had no impact to the Company.

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606). This guidance requires an entity to recognize revenue in a manner that depicts the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. The new standard also will result in enhanced disclosures about the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers. In July 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-14, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Deferral of the Effective Date. This guidance deferred the effective date of ASU 2014-09 for one year from the original effective date. In accordance with the deferral, ASU 2014-09 is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within that reporting period. In 2016, the FASB issued several amendments to clarify various aspects of the implementation guidance. ASU 2014-09 can be adopted either retrospectively to each prior reporting period presented or as a cumulative-effect adjustment as of the date of adoption. At the beginning of the first quarter of fiscal 2018, the Company adopted ASU 2014-09 using the modified retrospective transition method and recognized the cumulative effect of applying this standard to opening retained earnings. The Company recorded a net after-tax reduction to opening retained earnings of approximately $4.2 million as of March 4, 2018. The comparative financial information has not been adjusted and continues to be reported under ASC Topic 605, Revenue Recognition (Topic 605).

The majority of the Company’s revenue is generated from the sale of products in its retail stores, which will continue to be recognized when control of the product is transferred to the customer. The adoption of ASU 2014-09 resulted in the following changes:


•	A change in the timing of recognizing advertising expense related to direct response advertising. These costs that were previously expensed over the period during which the sales were expected to occur will now be expensed on the first day of the direct response advertising event.


•	A change in the presentation of the sales return reserve on the consolidated balance sheet, as estimated costs of returns will be recorded as a current asset rather than netted with the sales return reserve.


•	Changes in the presentation of certain other revenue streams on the consolidated statement of earnings between net sales, cost of sales, and selling, general and administrative expenses.

The below tables set forth the adjustments to the Company’s consolidated statement of earnings and consolidated balance sheet as a result of the newly adopted revenue recognition standard.



	Twelve months ended March 2, 2019
(In thousands)	As Reported			Balances Without Adoption of ASU 2014-09			Impact of Adoption Increase/(Decrease)

Net sales	$	12,028,797		$	12,038,964		$	(10,167	)
Cost of sales	7,924,817			7,960,335			(35,518		)
Gross profit	4,103,980			4,078,629			25,351
Selling, general and administrative expenses	3,681,210			3,657,157			24,053
Goodwill and other impairments	509,905			509,905			—
Operating (loss) profit	(87,135		)	(88,433		)	1,298
Interest expense, net	69,474			69,474			—
(Loss) earnings before provision for income taxes	(156,609		)	(157,907		)	1,298
(Benefit) provision for income taxes	(19,385		)	(19,696		)	311
Net (loss) earnings	$	(137,224	)	$	(138,211	)	$	987
Net (loss) earnings per share - Diluted	$	(1.02	)	$	(1.03	)	$	0.01



	March 2, 2019
(In thousands)	As Reported		Balances Without Adoption of ASU 2014-09		Impact of Adoption Increase/(Decrease)

Assets
Merchandise inventories	$	2,618,922	$	2,620,679	$	(1,757	)
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	296,280		253,431		42,849

Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	$	623,734	$	566,902	$	56,832
Merchandise credit and gift card liabilities	339,322		350,567		(11,245		)
Retained earnings	11,112,887		11,116,121		(3,234		)

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-01, Business Combinations (Topic 805): Clarifying the Definition of a Business. ASU 2017-01 requires that when substantially all of the fair value of the gross assets acquired (or disposed of) is concentrated in a single identifiable asset or a group of identifiable assets, the set of assets would not represent a business. Also, in order to be considered a business, an acquisition would have to include an input and a substantive process that together significantly contribute to the ability to produce outputs. Under the update, fewer sets of assets are expected to be considered businesses. ASU 2017-01 is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within that reporting period. The Company adopted this guidance at the beginning of the first quarter of fiscal 2018 and it did not have a material effect on the Company's consolidated financial position, results of operations, or cash flows.

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-04, Intangibles – Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment. ASU 2017-04 eliminates the requirement to calculate the implied fair value of goodwill to measure the amount of impairment loss, if any, under the second step of the current goodwill impairment test. Under the update, the goodwill impairment loss would be measured as the amount by which a reporting unit’s carrying value exceeds its fair value, not to exceed the carrying amount of goodwill. ASU 2017-04 is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted. The Company adopted this guidance in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018 and performed its annual goodwill impairment test in accordance with ASU 2017-04, which resulted in a non-cash pre-tax goodwill impairment charge of $325.2 million.

In November 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-18, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Restricted Cash, which requires entities to include restricted cash with cash and cash equivalents when reconciling the beginning-of -period and end-of period total amounts presented in the statement of cash flows. ASU 2016-18 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, with early adoption permitted. The Company adopted this standard in fiscal 2018 on a retrospective basis, which did not result in a material impact the Company's consolidated statements of cash flows.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). This guidance requires an entity to recognize lease liabilities and a right-of-use asset for all leases on the balance sheet and to disclose key information about the entity's leasing arrangements. ASU 2016-02 is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within that reporting period, with earlier adoption permitted. In July 2018, the FASB approved an amendment to the new guidance that allows companies the option of using the effective date of the new standard as the initial application (at the beginning of the period in which it is adopted, rather than at the beginning of the earliest comparative period) and to recognize the effects of applying the new ASU as a cumulative effect adjustment to the opening balance sheet or retained earnings. Based on the effective dates, the Company will adopt the new guidance at the beginning of the first quarter of fiscal 2019 using the new transition election to not restate comparative periods. The Company will elect the package of practical expedients upon adoption, which permits the Company to not reassess under the new standard the Company's prior conclusions about lease identification, lease classification, and initial direct costs. In addition, the Company will elect not to separate lease and non-lease components for all real estate leases and does not expect to elect the hindsight practical expedient. Lastly, the Company expects to elect a short-term lease exception policy, permitting it to exclude the recognition requirements of this standard from leases with initial terms of 12 months or less. Upon adoption, the Company expects to recognize right-of-use assets of approximately $1.8 billion to $2.2 billion and operating lease liabilities of approximately $2.0 billion to $2.4 billion on its consolidated balance sheet, with no significant change to its consolidated statements of operations or cash flows. In addition, the actual right-of-use asset amount will depend on the finalization of any impairment of the right-of-use assets, which is currently being reviewed by the Company and this adjustment will be recorded as a cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings upon adoption.


F.	Cash and Cash Equivalents

The Company considers all highly liquid instruments purchased with original maturities of three months or less to be cash equivalents. Included in cash and cash equivalents are credit and debit card receivables from banks, which typically settle within five business days, of $92.9 million and $95.6 million as of March 2, 2019 and March 3, 2018, respectively.


G.	Investment Securities

Investment securities consist primarily of U.S. Treasury Bills with remaining maturities of less than one year and auction rate securities, which are securities with interest rates that reset periodically through an auction process. The U.S. Treasury Bills are classified as short term held-to-maturity securities and are stated at their amortized cost which approximates fair value. Auction rate securities are classified as available-for-sale and are stated at fair value, which had historically been consistent with cost or par value due to interest rates which reset periodically, typically every 7, 28 or 35 days. As a result, there generally were no cumulative gross unrealized holding gains or losses relating to these auction rate securities. However, beginning in mid-February 2008 due to market conditions, the auction process for the Company’s auction rate securities failed and continues to fail. These failed auctions result in a lack of liquidity in the securities, and affect their estimated fair values at March 2, 2019 and March 3, 2018, but do not affect the underlying collateral of the securities. (See “Fair Value Measurements,” Note 4 and “Investment Securities,” Note 5). All income from these investments is recorded as interest income.

Those investment securities which the Company has the ability and intent to hold until maturity are classified as held-to-maturity investments and are stated at amortized cost. Those investment securities which are bought and held principally for the purpose of selling them in the near term are classified as trading securities and are stated at fair market value.

Premiums are amortized and discounts are accreted over the life of the security as adjustments to interest income using the effective interest method. Dividend and interest income are recognized when earned.


H.	Inventory Valuation

Merchandise inventories are stated at the lower of cost or market. Inventory costs are primarily calculated using the weighted average retail inventory method.

Under the retail inventory method, the valuation of inventories at cost and the resulting gross margins are calculated by applying a cost-to-retail ratio to the retail values of inventories. The cost associated with determining the cost-to-retail ratio includes: merchandise purchases, net of returns to vendors, discounts and volume and incentive rebates; inbound freight expenses; duty, insurance and commissions.

At any one time, inventories include items that have been written down to the Company’s best estimate of their realizable value. Judgment is required in estimating realizable value and factors considered are the age of merchandise and anticipated demand. Actual realizable value could differ materially from this estimate based upon future customer demand or economic conditions.

The Company estimates its reserve for shrinkage throughout the year based on historical shrinkage and any current trends, if applicable. Actual shrinkage is recorded at year end based upon the results of the Company’s physical inventory counts for locations at which counts were conducted. For locations where physical inventory counts were not conducted in the fiscal year, an estimated shrink reserve is recorded based on historical shrinkage and any current trends, if applicable. Historically, the Company’s shrinkage has not been volatile.

The Company accrues for merchandise in transit once it takes legal ownership and title to the merchandise; as such, an estimate for merchandise in transit is included in the Company’s merchandise inventories.


I.	Property and Equipment

Property and equipment are stated at cost and are depreciated primarily using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets (forty years for buildings; five to twenty years for furniture, fixtures and equipment; and three to ten years for computer equipment and software). Leasehold improvements are amortized using the straight-line method over the lesser of their estimated useful life or the life of the lease. Depreciation expense is primarily included within selling, general and administrative expenses.

The cost of maintenance and repairs is charged to earnings as incurred; significant renewals and betterments are capitalized. Maintenance and repairs amounted to $132.4 million, $125.7 million, and $131.6 million for fiscal 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively.


J.	Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

The Company reviews long-lived assets for impairment when events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying value of these assets may exceed their current fair values. Recoverability of assets to be held and used is measured by a comparison of the carrying amount of an asset to the estimated undiscounted future cash flows expected to be generated by the asset. If the carrying amount of an asset exceeds its estimated future cash flows, an impairment charge is recognized for the amount by which the carrying amount of the asset exceeds the fair value of the assets. Assets to be disposed of would be separately presented in the balance sheet and reported at the lower of the carrying amount or fair value less costs to sell, and are no longer depreciated. The assets and liabilities of a disposal group classified as held for sale would be presented separately in the appropriate asset and liability sections of the balance sheet. In fiscal 2018, the Company recorded a $23.0 million non-cash pre-tax impairment charge within goodwill and other impairments in the consolidated statement of operations for certain store-level assets. There were no impairments to long-lived assets in fiscal 2017 or 2016. In the future, if events or market conditions affect the estimated fair value to the extent that a long-lived asset is impaired, the Company will adjust the carrying value of these long-lived assets in the period in which the impairment occurs.


K.	Goodwill and Other Indefinite Lived Intangible Assets

The Company reviews goodwill and other intangibles that have indefinite lives for impairment annually as of the end of the fiscal year or when events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying value of these assets might exceed their current fair values. Impairment testing is based upon the best information available including estimates of fair value which incorporate assumptions marketplace participants would use in making their estimates of fair value. Significant assumptions and estimates are required, including, but not limited to, projecting future cash flows, determining appropriate discount rates and terminal growth rates, and other assumptions, to estimate the fair value of goodwill and indefinite lived intangible assets. Although the Company believes the assumptions and estimates made are reasonable and appropriate, different assumptions and estimates could materially impact its reported financial results. In addition, sustained declines in the Company's stock price and related market capitalization could impact key assumptions in the overall estimated fair values of its reporting units and could result in non-cash impairment charges that could be material to the Company's consolidated balance sheet or results of operations. Prior to March 2, 2019, the Company has not historically recorded an impairment to its goodwill and other indefinite lived intangible assets.

As of March 2, 2019, the Company completed a quantitative impairment analysis of goodwill related to its reporting units by comparing the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount. The Company performed a discounted cash flow analysis and market multiple analysis for each reporting unit. Based upon the analysis performed, the Company recognized non-cash pre-tax goodwill impairment charges of $285.1 million and $40.1 million for the North American Retail and Institutional Sales reporting units, respectively. The non-cash pre-tax impairment charges were primarily the result of a sustained decline in the Company's market capitalization.

Other indefinite-lived intangible assets were recorded as a result of acquisitions and primarily consist of tradenames. The Company values its tradenames using a relief-from-royalty approach, which assumes the value of the tradename is the discounted cash flows of the amount that would be paid by a hypothetical market participant had they not owned the tradename and instead licensed the tradename from another company. As of March 2, 2019, for certain other indefinite lived intangible assets, the Company completed a quantitative impairment analysis by comparing the fair value of the tradenames to their carrying value and recognized a non-cash pre-tax tradename impairment charge of $161.7 million, within goodwill and other impairments in the consolidated statement of operations, for certain of the tradenames within the North American Retail reporting unit. As of March 2, 2019, for the remaining other indefinite lived intangibles assets, the Company assessed qualitative factors in order to determine wither any events and circumstances existed which indicated that it was more likely than not that the fair value of these other indefinite lived assets did not exceed their carrying values and concluded no such events or circumstances existed which would require an impairment test be performed. In the future, if events or market conditions affect the estimated fair value to the extent that an asset is impaired, the Company will adjust the carrying value of these assets in the period in which the impairment occurs.

Included within other assets in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets as of March 2, 2019 and March 3, 2018, respectively, are $143.8 million and $305.4 million for indefinite lived tradenames and trademarks.


L.	Self Insurance

The Company utilizes a combination of insurance and self insurance for a number of risks including workers’ compensation, general liability, cyber liability, property liability, automobile liability and employee related health care benefits (a portion of which is paid by its employees). Liabilities associated with the risks that the Company retains are estimated by considering historical claims experience, demographic factors, severity factors and other actuarial assumptions. Although the Company’s claims experience has not displayed substantial volatility in the past, actual experience could materially vary from its historical experience in the future. Factors that affect these estimates include but are not limited to: inflation, the number and severity of claims and regulatory changes. In the future, if the Company concludes an adjustment to self insurance accruals is required, the liability will be adjusted accordingly.


M.	Deferred Rent

The Company accounts for scheduled rent increases contained in its leases on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease beginning as of the date the Company obtained possession of the leased premises. Deferred rent amounted to $75.2 million and $81.6 million as of March 2, 2019 and March 3, 2018, respectively.

Cash or lease incentives (“tenant allowances”) received pursuant to certain store leases are recognized on a straight-line basis as a reduction to rent over the lease term. The unamortized portion of tenant allowances is included in deferred rent and other liabilities. The unamortized portion of tenant allowances amounted to $127.4 million and $133.4 million as of March 2, 2019 and March 3, 2018, respectively.


N.	Shareholders’ Equity

The Company has authorization to make repurchases of its common shares from time to time in the open market or through other parameters approved by the Board of Directors pursuant to existing rules and regulations.

Between December 2004 and September 2015, the Company’s Board of Directors authorized, through several share repurchase programs, the repurchase of $11.950 billion of its shares of common stock. Since 2004 through the end of fiscal 2018, the Company has repurchased approximately $10.6 billion of its common stock through share repurchase programs. The Company also acquires shares of its common stock to cover employee related taxes withheld on vested restricted stock and performance stock unit awards.

During fiscal 2018, the Company repurchased approximately 9.1 million shares of its common stock at a total cost of approximately $148.1 million. During fiscal 2017, the Company repurchased approximately 8.0 million shares of its common stock at a total cost of approximately $252.4 million. During fiscal 2016 the Company repurchased approximately 12.3 million shares of its common stock at a total cost of approximately $547.0 million. The Company has approximately $1.3 billion remaining of authorized share repurchases as of March 2, 2019.

During fiscal 2016, the Company’s Board of Directors authorized a quarterly dividend program. During fiscal 2018 and 2017, total cash dividends of $86.3 million and $80.9 million were paid, respectively. Subsequent to the end of the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018, on April 10, 2019, the Company’s Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend increase to $0.17 per share to be paid on July 16, 2019 to shareholders of record at the close of business on June 14, 2019. The Company expects to pay quarterly cash dividends on its common stock in the future, subject to the determination by the Board of Directors, based on an evaluation of the Company’s earnings, financial condition and requirements, business conditions and other factors.

Cash dividends, if any, are accrued as a liability on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets and recorded as a decrease to additional paid-in capital when declared.


O.	Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The Company’s financial instruments include cash and cash equivalents, investment securities, accounts payable, long term debt and certain other liabilities. The Company’s investment securities consist primarily of U.S. Treasury securities, which are stated at amortized cost, and auction rate securities, which are stated at their approximate fair value. The book value of the financial instruments, excluding the Company’s long term debt, is representative of their fair values (See “Fair Value Measurements,” Note 4). The fair value of the Company’s long term debt is approximately $1.157 billion as of March 2, 2019, which is based on quoted prices in active markets for identical instruments (i.e., Level 1 valuation), compared to the carrying value of approximately $1.495 billion.


P.	Revenue Recognition

Sales are recognized upon purchase by customers at the Company’s retail stores or upon delivery for products purchased from its websites. The value of point-of-sale coupons and point-of-sale rebates that result in a reduction of the price paid by the customer are recorded as a reduction of sales. Shipping and handling fees that are billed to a customer in a sale transaction are recorded in sales. Taxes, such as sales tax, use tax and value added tax, are not included in sales.

Revenues from gift cards, gift certificates and merchandise credits are recognized when redeemed. Gift cards have no provisions for reduction in the value of unused card balances over defined time periods and have no expiration dates. In fiscal 2018, the Company recognized net sales for gift card and merchandise credit redemptions of approximately $126.3 million which were included in merchandise credit and gift card liabilities on the consolidated balance sheet as of March 3, 2018.

Sales returns are provided for in the period that the related sales are recorded based on historical experience. Although the estimate for sales returns has not varied materially from historical provisions, actual experience could vary from historical experience in the future if the level of sales return activity changes materially. In the future, if the Company concludes that an adjustment is required due to material changes in the returns activity, the liability for estimated returns and the corresponding right of return asset will be adjusted accordingly. As of March 2, 2019, the liability for estimated returns of $90.4 million is included in accrued expenses and other current liabilities and the corresponding right of return asset for merchandise of $53.4 million is included in prepaid expenses and other current assets.

The Company sells a wide assortment of domestics merchandise and home furnishings. Domestics merchandise includes categories such as bed linens and related items, bath items and kitchen textiles. Home furnishings include categories such as kitchen and tabletop items, fine tabletop, basic housewares, general home furnishings (including furniture and wall décor), consumables and certain juvenile products. Sales of domestics merchandise and home furnishings accounted for approximately 35.4% and 64.6% of net sales, respectively, for fiscal 2018, 35.5% and 64.5% of net sales, respectively, for fiscal 2017 and 36.8% and 63.2% of net sales, respectively, for fiscal 2016.


Q.	Cost of Sales

Cost of sales includes the cost of merchandise, buying costs and costs of the Company’s distribution network including inbound freight charges, distribution facility costs, receiving costs, internal transfer costs and shipping and handling costs.


R.	Vendor Allowances

The Company receives allowances from vendors in the normal course of business for various reasons including direct cooperative advertising, purchase volume and reimbursement for other expenses. Annual terms for each allowance include the basis for earning the allowance and payment terms, which vary by agreement. All vendor allowances are recorded as a reduction of inventory cost, except for direct cooperative advertising allowances which are specific, incremental and identifiable. The Company recognizes purchase volume allowances as a reduction of the cost of inventory in the quarter in which milestones are achieved. Advertising costs were reduced by direct cooperative allowances of $37.0 million, $38.5 million, and $37.4 million for fiscal 2018, 2017, and 2016, respectively.


S.	Store Opening, Expansion, Relocation and Closing Costs

Store opening, expansion, relocation and closing costs, including markdowns, asset residual values and projected occupancy costs, are charged to earnings as incurred.


T.	Advertising Costs

Prior to fiscal 2018, expenses associated with direct response advertising were expensed over the period in which the sales were expected to occur, generally five to eight weeks. Beginning in fiscal 2018, due to the adoption of ASU 2014-09, advertising expense related to direct response advertising are expensed on the first day of the direct response advertising event. All other expenses associated with store advertising are charged to earnings as incurred. Net advertising costs amounted to$463.2 million, $444.4 million, and $381.1 million for fiscal 2018, 2017, and 2016, respectively.


U.	Stock-Based Compensation

The Company measures all employee stock-based compensation awards using a fair value method and records such expense in its consolidated financial statements. Currently, the Company’s stock-based compensation relates to restricted stock awards, stock options and performance stock units. The Company’s restricted stock awards are considered nonvested share awards.


V.	Income Taxes

The Company files a consolidated federal income tax return. Income tax returns are also filed with each taxable jurisdiction in which the Company conducts business.

The Company accounts for its income taxes using the asset and liability method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to the differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases and operating loss and tax credit carry-forwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the year in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in earnings in the period that includes the enactment date.

On December 22, 2017, the U.S. government enacted comprehensive tax legislation commonly referred to as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, (the “Tax Act”). The Tax Act included a mandatory one-time tax on accumulated earnings of foreign subsidiaries, and as a result, all previously unremitted earnings for which no U.S. deferred tax liability had been previously accrued has now been subject to U.S. tax. Notwithstanding the U.S. taxation of these amounts, the Company intends to continue to reinvest the unremitted earnings of its Canadian subsidiary. Accordingly, no additional provision has been made for U.S. or additional non-U.S. taxes with respect to these earnings, except for the transition tax resulting from the Tax Act. In the event of repatriation to the U.S., it is expected that such earnings would be subject to non-U.S. withholding taxes offset, in whole or in part, by U.S. foreign tax credits.

The Company recognizes the tax benefit from an uncertain tax position only if it is at least more likely than not that the tax position will be sustained on examination by the taxing authorities, based on the technical merits of the position. The tax benefits recognized in the financial statements from such a position are measured based on the largest benefit that has a greater than fifty percent likelihood of being realized upon settlement with the taxing authorities.

Judgment is required in determining the provision for income taxes and related accruals, deferred tax assets and liabilities. In the ordinary course of business, there are transactions and calculations where the ultimate tax outcome is uncertain. Additionally, the Company’s tax returns are subject to audit by various tax authorities. Although the Company believes that its estimates are reasonable, actual results could differ from these estimates.


W.	Earnings per Share

The Company presents earnings per share on a basic and diluted basis. Basic earnings per share is computed by dividing net earnings by the weighted average number of shares outstanding. Diluted earnings per share is computed by dividing net earnings by the weighted average number of shares outstanding, including the dilutive effect of stock-based awards as calculated under the treasury stock method.

Stock-based awards of approximately 8.2 million, 8.0 million, and 4.4 million shares were excluded from the computation of diluted earnings per share as the effect would be anti-dilutive for fiscal 2018, 2017, and 2016, respectively.