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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
6 Months Ended
Jun. 15, 2013
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
1. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Nature of Operations

Wolverine World Wide, Inc. is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of a broad range of quality casual footwear and apparel; performance outdoor and athletic footwear and apparel; children’s footwear, industrial work shoes; boots and apparel; and uniform shoes and boots. The Company’s portfolio of owned and licensed brands includes: Bates®, Cat® Footwear, Chaco®, Cushe®, Harley-Davidson® Footwear, Hush Puppies®, HyTest®, Keds®, Merrell®, Patagonia® Footwear, Saucony®, Sebago®, Soft Style®, Sperry Top-Sider®, Stride Rite® and Wolverine®. Licensing and distribution arrangements with third-parties extend the global reach of the Company’s brand portfolio.

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited consolidated condensed financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”) for interim financial information and with the instructions to the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and Rule 10-01 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by U.S. GAAP for a complete presentation of the financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for fair presentation have been included in the accompanying financial statements. For further information, refer to the consolidated financial statements and footnotes included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 29, 2012.

Correction of Immaterial Error

The Company made a correction to an immaterial error, related to certain accounts receivable allowances disclosed in the consolidated financial statements included in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 29, 2012 (the “2012 Form 10-K”). In the consolidated balance sheets in the 2012 Form 10-K, the amount parenthetically disclosed for allowances at December 29, 2012 in the “Accounts receivable, less allowances” line item should have been $26.7 million. The Company has corrected this parenthetical disclosure of accounts receivable allowances prospectively in the consolidated condensed balance sheet for the current quarter in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. This correction had no impact on the fiscal 2012 net earnings, cash flows or the amount of “Accounts receivable, less allowances.”

Revenue Recognition

Revenue is recognized on the sale of products manufactured or sourced by the Company when the related goods have been shipped, legal title has passed to the customer and collectability is reasonably assured. Revenue generated from licensees and distributors involving products bearing the Company’s trademarks is recognized as earned according to stated contractual terms upon either the purchase or shipment of branded products by licensees and distributors.

The Company records provisions for estimated sales returns and allowances at the time of sale based on historical rates of returns and allowances and specific identification of outstanding returns not yet received from customers. However, estimates of actual returns and allowances in any future period are inherently uncertain and actual returns and allowances may differ from these estimates. If actual or expected future returns and allowances were significantly greater or lower than established reserves, a reduction or increase to net revenues would be recorded in the period this determination was made.

Cost of Goods Sold

Cost of goods sold includes the actual product costs, including inbound and certain outbound freight charges, purchasing, sourcing, inspection and receiving costs. Warehousing costs are included in selling, general and administrative expenses with the exception of certain consumer direct warehousing costs which are included in cost of goods sold.

Seasonality

The Company’s business is subject to seasonal influences and the Company’s fiscal year has 12 weeks in each of the first three fiscal quarters and, depending on the fiscal calendar, 16 or 17 weeks in the fourth fiscal quarter. Both of these factors can cause significant differences in revenue, earnings and cash flows from quarter to quarter; however, the differences have followed a consistent pattern in previous years.