Cash and Cash Equivalents, Short-term Investments and Long-term Investments - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
Jan. 28, 2012	Jan. 29, 2011	Jan. 30, 2010
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Proceeds from sale of available-for-sale securities	$ 240,797,000	$ 177,472,000	$ 80,353,000
Realized loss on sale of investment securities		(25,674,000)	(3,689,000)
Purchase of available-for-sale securities	193,851,000	62,797,000	0
Loss on sale of available-for-sale securities previous included in OCI		(12,142,000)	(940,000)
Gross unrealized holding losses	0	0
ARS Call Option
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Expiration of right to repurchase securities and/or receive certain additional proceeds		Oct. 29, 2013
Assessed Value Of The ARS Call Option Upon Origination	400,000
Fair value of the ARS Call Option	800,000
ARS
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities sold, carrying value		191,400,000
Proceeds from sale of available-for-sale securities		177,472,000
Realized loss on sale of investment securities		(24,426,000)
Loss on sale of available-for-sale securities previous included in OCI		10,900,000
Available-for-sale securities sold, par value		$ 119,700,000

Assessed Value Of The ARS Call Option Upon Origination

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Auction rate securities, at Fair Value

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Available for Sale Securities Sold, Par Value

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Expiration date of the option.

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This item represents the gross unrealized losses for securities, at a point in time, which are categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading securities.

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The net realized gain (loss) on investments sold during the period, not including gains (losses) on securities separately or otherwise categorized as trading, available-for-sale, or held-to-maturity, which, for cash flow reporting, is a component of proceeds from investing activities.

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Pre tax reclassification adjustment for gains or losses realized upon the sale of securities.

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The cash outflow to acquire debt and equity securities not classified as either held-to-maturity securities or trading securities which would be classified as available-for-sale securities and reported at fair value, with unrealized gains and losses excluded from earnings and reported in a separate component of shareholders' equity.

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