Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	9 Months Ended
Oct. 31, 2015
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	Note A. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Basis of Presentation: The consolidated interim financial statements are unaudited and, in the opinion of management, reflect all normal recurring adjustments, accruals and deferrals among periods required to match costs properly with the related revenue or activity, considered necessary by The TJX Companies, Inc. (together with its subsidiaries, “TJX”) for a fair statement of its financial statements for the periods reported, all in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) consistently applied. The consolidated interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements, including the related notes, contained in TJX’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2015 (“fiscal 2015”). These interim results are not necessarily indicative of results for the full fiscal year, because TJX’s business, in common with the businesses of retailers generally, is subject to seasonal influences, with higher levels of sales and income generally realized in the second half of the year. The January 31, 2015 balance sheet data was derived from audited financial statements, but does not include all disclosures required by GAAP. Fiscal Year: TJX’s fiscal year ends on the Saturday nearest to the last day of January of each year. The current fiscal year ends January 30, 2016 (“fiscal 2016”) and is a 52-week fiscal year. Fiscal 2015 was also a 52-week fiscal year. Share-Based Compensation: TJX accounts for share-based compensation by estimating the fair value of each award on the date of grant. TJX uses the Black-Scholes option pricing model for stock options awarded and uses the market price on the grant date for performance-based restricted stock awards. Total share-based compensation expense was $27.3 million for the quarter ended October 31, 2015 and $25.7 million for the quarter ended November 1, 2014. Total share-based compensation expense was $71.1 million for the nine months ended October 31, 2015 and $67.7 million for the nine months ended November 1, 2014. These amounts include stock option expense as well as restricted and deferred stock amortization. There were options to purchase 1.5 million shares of common stock exercised during the quarter ended October 31, 2015 and options to purchase 3.6 million shares of common stock exercised during the nine months ended October 31, 2015. There were options outstanding to purchase 30.3 million shares of common stock as of October 31, 2015. As of October 31, 2015, there was $141.1 million of total unrecognized compensation cost related to nonvested share-based compensation arrangements granted under TJX’s stock incentive plan. Cash and Cash Equivalents: TJX generally considers highly liquid investments with a maturity of 90 days or less at the date of purchase to be cash equivalents. As of October 31, 2015, TJX’s cash and cash equivalents held by its foreign subsidiaries were $1,072.5 million, of which $297.9 million was held in countries where TJX has the intention to reinvest any undistributed earnings indefinitely. Investments: Investments with maturities greater than 90 days but less than one year at the date of purchase are included in short-term investments. These investments are classified as trading securities and are stated at fair value. Investments are classified as either short- or long-term based on their original maturities. TJX’s investments are primarily high-grade commercial paper, institutional money market funds and time deposits with major banks. Merchandise Inventories: Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or market. TJX uses the retail method for valuing inventories at all of its divisions, except at Sierra Trading Post (“STP”). TJX utilizes a permanent markdown strategy and lowers the cost value of the inventory that is subject to markdown at the time the retail prices are lowered in the stores. TJX accrues for inventory obligations at the time inventory is shipped. As a result, merchandise inventories on TJX’s balance sheet include an accrual for in-transit inventory of $816.6 million at October 31, 2015, $495.2 million at January 31, 2015 and $661.1 million at November 1, 2014. Comparable amounts were reflected in accounts payable at those dates. Leases: Construction of TJX Canada’s new home office in Canada has been completed and TJX is precluded from derecognizing the asset due to continuing involvement beyond a normal leaseback. Therefore, the lease is accounted for as a financing transaction and the asset and related financing obligation recorded at January 31, 2015 remain on the consolidated balance sheet at October 31, 2015. New Accounting Standards: In May 2014, a pronouncement was issued that creates common revenue recognition guidance for U.S. GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards. The new guidance supersedes most preexisting revenue recognition guidance. The core principle of the guidance is that an entity should recognize revenue to depict 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 was originally scheduled to be effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim periods within that reporting period. In April 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board proposed an update to this rule which would defer its effective date for one year. The proposed update stipulates the new standard would be effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, and interim periods therein, with an option to adopt the standard on the originally scheduled effective date. The standard shall be applied either retrospectively to each period presented or as a cumulative-effect adjustment as of the date of adoption. For TJX, the standard will be effective in the first quarter of the fiscal year ending January 26, 2019. TJX is currently evaluating the impact of the new pronouncement on its consolidated financial statements. In April 2015, a pronouncement was issued that allows employers with fiscal year ends that do not coincide with a calendar month end to make an accounting policy election to measure defined benefit plan assets and obligations as of the end of the month closest to their fiscal year end. This update is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2015. TJX does not expect this new guidance to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements. In April 2015, a pronouncement was issued that requires debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability, consistent with debt discounts. The guidance is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2015. For TJX, the standard will be effective in the first quarter of fiscal 2017. TJX does not expect this new guidance to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements. In September 2015, a pronouncement was issued that eliminates the requirement to restate prior period financial statements for measurement period adjustments following a business combination. The guidance requires that the cumulative impact of a measurement period adjustment be recognized in the reporting period in which the adjustment is identified. The portion of the adjustment which relates to a prior period should either be presented separately on the face of the income statement or disclosed in the notes. The guidance is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2015, with early adoption permitted. The guidance is to be applied prospectively to adjustments to provisional amounts that occur after the effective date. TJX does not expect this new guidance to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements. Revisions: The cash flow impact of purchases and sales of investments designed to meet obligations under TJX’s Executive Savings Plan of approximately $13.2 million in the November 1, 2014 statement of cash flows has been adjusted to correct the presentation from ‘Other’, in operating activity, to ‘Purchase of investments’ or ‘Sales and maturities of investments’ in cash flows from investing activity. These revisions to the statement of cash flows represent errors that are not deemed to be material, individually or in the aggregate, to the prior period financial statements.

Note A. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Presentation: The consolidated interim financial statements are unaudited and, in the opinion of management, reflect all normal recurring adjustments, accruals and deferrals among periods required to match costs properly with the related revenue or activity, considered necessary by The TJX Companies, Inc. (together with its subsidiaries, “TJX”) for a fair statement of its financial statements for the periods reported, all in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) consistently applied. The consolidated interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements, including the related notes, contained in TJX’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2015 (“fiscal 2015”).

These interim results are not necessarily indicative of results for the full fiscal year, because TJX’s business, in common with the businesses of retailers generally, is subject to seasonal influences, with higher levels of sales and income generally realized in the second half of the year.

The January 31, 2015 balance sheet data was derived from audited financial statements, but does not include all disclosures required by GAAP.

Fiscal Year: TJX’s fiscal year ends on the Saturday nearest to the last day of January of each year. The current fiscal year ends January 30, 2016 (“fiscal 2016”) and is a 52-week fiscal year. Fiscal 2015 was also a 52-week fiscal year.

Share-Based Compensation: TJX accounts for share-based compensation by estimating the fair value of each award on the date of grant. TJX uses the Black-Scholes option pricing model for stock options awarded and uses the market price on the grant date for performance-based restricted stock awards. Total share-based compensation expense was $27.3 million for the quarter ended October 31, 2015 and $25.7 million for the quarter ended November 1, 2014. Total share-based compensation expense was $71.1 million for the nine months ended October 31, 2015 and $67.7 million for the nine months ended November 1, 2014. These amounts include stock option expense as well as restricted and deferred stock amortization. There were options to purchase 1.5 million shares of common stock exercised during the quarter ended October 31, 2015 and options to purchase 3.6 million shares of common stock exercised during the nine months ended October 31, 2015. There were options outstanding to purchase 30.3 million shares of common stock as of October 31, 2015. As of October 31, 2015, there was $141.1 million of total unrecognized compensation cost related to nonvested share-based compensation arrangements granted under TJX’s stock incentive plan.

Cash and Cash Equivalents: TJX generally considers highly liquid investments with a maturity of 90 days or less at the date of purchase to be cash equivalents. As of October 31, 2015, TJX’s cash and cash equivalents held by its foreign subsidiaries were $1,072.5 million, of which $297.9 million was held in countries where TJX has the intention to reinvest any undistributed earnings indefinitely.

Investments: Investments with maturities greater than 90 days but less than one year at the date of purchase are included in short-term investments. These investments are classified as trading securities and are stated at fair value. Investments are classified as either short- or long-term based on their original maturities. TJX’s investments are primarily high-grade commercial paper, institutional money market funds and time deposits with major banks.

Merchandise Inventories: Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or market. TJX uses the retail method for valuing inventories at all of its divisions, except at Sierra Trading Post (“STP”). TJX utilizes a permanent markdown strategy and lowers the cost value of the inventory that is subject to markdown at the time the retail prices are lowered in the stores. TJX accrues for inventory obligations at the time inventory is shipped. As a result, merchandise inventories on TJX’s balance sheet include an accrual for in-transit inventory of $816.6 million at October 31, 2015, $495.2 million at January 31, 2015 and $661.1 million at November 1, 2014. Comparable amounts were reflected in accounts payable at those dates.

Leases: Construction of TJX Canada’s new home office in Canada has been completed and TJX is precluded from derecognizing the asset due to continuing involvement beyond a normal leaseback. Therefore, the lease is accounted for as a financing transaction and the asset and related financing obligation recorded at January 31, 2015 remain on the consolidated balance sheet at October 31, 2015.

New Accounting Standards: In May 2014, a pronouncement was issued that creates common revenue recognition guidance for U.S. GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards. The new guidance supersedes most preexisting revenue recognition guidance. The core principle of the guidance is that an entity should recognize revenue to depict 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 was originally scheduled to be effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim periods within that reporting period. In April 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board proposed an update to this rule which would defer its effective date for one year. The proposed update stipulates the new standard would be effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, and interim periods therein, with an option to adopt the standard on the originally scheduled effective date. The standard shall be applied either retrospectively to each period presented or as a cumulative-effect adjustment as of the date of adoption. For TJX, the standard will be effective in the first quarter of the fiscal year ending January 26, 2019. TJX is currently evaluating the impact of the new pronouncement on its consolidated financial statements.

In April 2015, a pronouncement was issued that allows employers with fiscal year ends that do not coincide with a calendar month end to make an accounting policy election to measure defined benefit plan assets and obligations as of the end of the month closest to their fiscal year end. This update is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2015. TJX does not expect this new guidance to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

In April 2015, a pronouncement was issued that requires debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability, consistent with debt discounts. The guidance is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2015. For TJX, the standard will be effective in the first quarter of fiscal 2017. TJX does not expect this new guidance to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

In September 2015, a pronouncement was issued that eliminates the requirement to restate prior period financial statements for measurement period adjustments following a business combination. The guidance requires that the cumulative impact of a measurement period adjustment be recognized in the reporting period in which the adjustment is identified. The portion of the adjustment which relates to a prior period should either be presented separately on the face of the income statement or disclosed in the notes. The guidance is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2015, with early adoption permitted. The guidance is to be applied prospectively to adjustments to provisional amounts that occur after the effective date. TJX does not expect this new guidance to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

Revisions: The cash flow impact of purchases and sales of investments designed to meet obligations under TJX’s Executive Savings Plan of approximately $13.2 million in the November 1, 2014 statement of cash flows has been adjusted to correct the presentation from ‘Other’, in operating activity, to ‘Purchase of investments’ or ‘Sales and maturities of investments’ in cash flows from investing activity. These revisions to the statement of cash flows represent errors that are not deemed to be material, individually or in the aggregate, to the prior period financial statements.