Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	12 Months Ended
Jan. 28, 2017
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Fiscal Year	Fiscal year — The Company’s fiscal year is comprised of the 52 or 53-week period ending on the Saturday closest to January 31. Accordingly, fiscal 2016 represented the 52 weeks ended on January 28, 2017, fiscal 2015 represented the 52 weeks ended on January 30, 2016 and fiscal 2014 represented the 52 weeks ended on January 31, 2015.
Reclassifications	Reclassifications — Certain amounts in the fiscal 2015 consolidated financial statements have been reclassified to conform to the fiscal 2016 presentation. These reclassifications had no effect on reported net income. In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2016, the Company concluded that it was appropriate to classify related party transactions separately in the consolidated financial statements. In fiscal 2015, this information was provided in the notes to the consolidated financial statements. See “Note 10 — Related Party Transactions” for further discussion. Also, in the first quarter of fiscal 2016, the Company adopted accounting guidance which affected the presentation of deferred tax liabilities and assets as discussed below in Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements. This guidance was applied retrospectively for all periods presented and therefore the presentation of previously reported deferred tax assets has been changed to conform to the presentation used in the current period. The adoption of this guidance resulted in the reclassification of deferred tax assets of $3.3 million from current assets to a reduction in noncurrent liabilities in the condensed consolidated balance sheets as of January 30, 2016.
Cash Equivalents	Cash equivalents — Cash and cash equivalents consist of cash on deposit in banks and payments due from banks for customer credit cards, as they generally settle within 24-48 hours.
Cost of sales (exclusive of depreciation) and inventory valuation	Cost of sales (exclusive of depreciation) and inventory valuation — Cost of sales (exclusive of depreciation) includes costs of product purchased from vendors, including inbound freight, receiving costs, inspection costs, warehousing costs, outbound freight, inventory damage and shrinkage, loyalty reward program charges, payroll and overhead associated with our distribution facility and its network and store occupancy costs. The Company’s inventory is stated at the lower of cost or market, net of reserves and allowances, with cost determined using the average cost method, with average cost approximating current cost. The Company estimates the amount of shrinkage that has occurred through theft or damage and adjusts that amount to actual at the time of its physical inventory counts which occur throughout the fiscal year. The Company also evaluates the cost of inventory by category and class of merchandise in relation to the estimated sales price. This evaluation is performed to ensure that inventory is not carried at a value in excess of the amount expected to be realized upon the sale of the merchandise.
Vendor Allowances	Vendor allowances — The Company receives various payments and allowances from vendors, including rebates and other credits. The amounts received are subject to the terms of vendor agreements, which generally do not state an expiration date, but are subject to ongoing negotiations that may be impacted in the future based on changes in market conditions and changes in the profitability, quality, or sell-through of the related merchandise. For all such vendor allowances, the Company records the vendor funds as a reduction of inventories. As the related inventory is sold, such allowances and credits are recognized as a reduction to cost of sales.
Property and Equipment	Property and equipment — Property and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is computed on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives of the respective assets. Furniture, fixtures and equipment are generally depreciated over five years. Leasehold improvements are amortized over the shorter of the useful life of the asset or the expected lease term, typically ranging from five to 10 years. Maintenance and repairs are expensed as incurred, and improvements are capitalized. Gains or losses on the disposition of fixed assets are recorded upon disposal of the related asset. As of January 28, 2017 and January 30, 2016, non-cash investing activities related to property and equipment being purchased, but awaiting payment in accounts payable, was approximately $1.4 million and $2.6 million, respectively.
Cost of Internal Use Software	Cost of internal use software — The Company capitalizes the cost of computer software developed or obtained for internal use. Capitalized computer software costs consist primarily of payroll-related and consulting costs incurred during the application development stage. The Company expenses costs related to preliminary project assessments, research and development, re-engineering, training and application maintenance as they are incurred. Capitalized software costs are amortized on a straight-line basis over an estimated life of three to 10 years. For fiscal years 2016, 2015 and 2014, the Company recorded approximately $6.1 million, $5.3 million and $4.0 million, respectively, for depreciation of capitalized software. The net book value of these assets totaled $24.9 million and $22.8 million at the end of fiscal years 2016 and 2015, respectively. At the end of fiscal years 2016 and 2015, property and equipment included capitalized computer software currently under development of $3.1 million and $2.0 million, respectively.
Asset Retirement Obligations	Asset retirement obligations — The Company recognizes a liability for the fair value of required asset retirement obligations (“ARO”) when such obligations are incurred. The Company’s AROs are primarily associated with leasehold improvements which, at the end of a lease, the Company is contractually obligated to remove in order to comply with the lease agreement. At the inception of a lease with such conditions, the Company records an ARO liability and a corresponding capital asset in an amount equal to the estimated fair value of the obligation. The liability is estimated based on various assumptions requiring management’s judgment and is accreted to its projected future value over time. The capitalized asset is depreciated using the convention for depreciation of leasehold improvement assets. Upon satisfaction of the ARO conditions, any difference between the recorded ARO liability and the actual retirement costs incurred is recognized as an operating gain or loss in the consolidated statements of income. As of January 28, 2017 and January 30, 2016, the liability for asset retirement obligations was approximately $659,000 and $574,000, respectively.
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets	Impairment of long-lived assets — The Company evaluates the recoverability of the carrying amounts of long-lived assets whenever events or changes in circumstances dictate that their carrying values may not be recoverable. This review includes the evaluation of individual underperforming retail stores and assessing the recoverability of the carrying values of the assets related to the stores. Future cash flows are projected for the remaining lease life. The Company calculates the fair values of long-lived assets using the age-life method. If the estimated fair values are less than the carrying values of the assets, the Company records an impairment charge equal to the difference, if any, between the assets’ fair values and carrying values.
Insurance Reserves	Insurance reserves — Workers’ compensation, general liability and employee medical insurance programs are predominately self-insured. It is the Company’s policy to record a self-insurance liability using estimates of claims incurred but not yet reported or paid, based on historical claims experience and actuarial methods. Actual results can vary from estimates for many reasons, including, among others, inflation rates, claim settlement patterns, litigation trends and legal interpretations. The Company monitors its claims experience in light of these factors and revises its estimates of insurance reserves accordingly. The level of insurance reserves may increase or decrease as a result of these changing circumstances or trends. During the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2016 and 2015, the Company recorded an adjustment related to positive changes in its actuarial estimates for workers’ compensation and general liability reserves. The adjustments in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2016 and 2015 resulted in a quarter-over-quarter benefit of approximately $1.7 million ($1.1 million after tax) and $1.1 million ($0.7 million after tax), respectively, or $0.07 and $0.04 per diluted share, respectively. As of January 28, 2017, the Company’s net self-insurance reserve estimates were $5.0 million compared to $5.2 million as of January 30, 2016.
Customer Loyalty Program	Customer loyalty program — The Company has established a loyalty program called the K Club, whereby members earn loyalty points in return for making purchases in the Company’s stores, including the e-Commerce store. Attaining specified loyalty point levels results in the issuance of discount certificates to the customer. The Company accrues for the expected liability associated with the discount certificates issued, as well as the accumulated points that have not yet resulted in the issuance of a certificate, adjusted for expected redemption rates. This liability is included as a component of accrued expenses on the consolidated balance sheet and the changes to the liability are included within cost of sales on the consolidated statements of income. The Company has also established a private-label credit card program for its customers. Customers in the private label credit card program who enroll in K Club are eligible to earn double the points of a regular loyalty program member. The card program is operated and managed by a third-party bank that assumes all credit risk with no recourse to the Company.
Deferred Rent	Deferred rent — Many of the Company’s operating leases contain predetermined fixed escalations of minimum rentals during the initial term. Additionally, the Company does not typically pay rent during the construction period for new stores. For these leases, the Company recognizes the related rental expense on a straight-line basis over the life of the lease commencing with the date of initial access to the leased space, and records the difference between amounts charged to operations and amounts paid as a liability. As of January 28, 2017, the cumulative net excess of recorded rent expense over lease payments totaled $14.8 million, of which $1.6 million was reflected as a current liability in accrued expenses and $13.2 million was reflected as a noncurrent liability in deferred rent on the consolidated balance sheet. As of January 30, 2016, the cumulative net excess of recorded rent expense over lease payments totaled $13.0 million, of which $1.2 million was reflected as a current liability in accrued expenses and $11.8 million was reflected as a noncurrent liability in deferred rent on the consolidated balance sheet. The Company also receives incentives from landlords in the form of construction allowances. These construction allowances are recorded as deferred rent and amortized as a reduction to rent expense over the lease term. As of January 28, 2017, the unamortized amount of construction allowances totaled $47.1 million, of which $7.6 million was reflected as a current liability in accrued expenses and $39.5 million was reflected as a noncurrent liability in deferred rent on the consolidated balance sheet. As of January 30, 2016, the unamortized amount of construction allowances totaled $43.4 million, of which $6.9 million was reflected as a current liability in accrued expenses and $36.5 million was reflected as a noncurrent liability in deferred rent on the consolidated balance sheet.
Revenue Recognition	Revenue recognition — The Company recognizes revenue at the time of sale of merchandise to customers in its stores. e-Commerce revenue is recorded when orders are shipped and title passes to customers. Net sales include the sale of merchandise, net of returns and exclusive of sales taxes. Gift card sales are recognized as revenue when tendered for payment. While the Company honors all gift cards presented for payment, the Company determines the likelihood of redemption to be remote for certain gift card balances due to long periods of inactivity. The Company uses the redemption recognition method to account for breakage for unused gift card amounts where breakage is recognized as gift cards are redeemed for the purchase of goods based upon a historical breakage rate. In these circumstances, to the extent the Company determines there is no requirement for remitting card balances to government agencies under unclaimed property laws, such amounts are recognized in the consolidated statement of income as breakage revenue. The Company recognized approximately $1.1 million, $994,000 and $853,000 in gift card breakage during fiscal 2016, fiscal 2015 and fiscal 2014, respectively.
Compensation and Benefits	Compensation and benefits — Compensation and benefits includes all store and corporate office salaries and wages and incentive pay as well as stock compensation, employee health benefits, 401(k) plan benefits, deferred compensation benefits, social security and unemployment taxes.
Other Operating Expenses	Other operating expenses — Other operating expenses consist of such items as insurance, advertising, utilities, property taxes, supplies, travel, card processing and other bank fees, losses on disposal of assets and various other store and corporate expenses.
Store Preopening Expenses	Store preopening expenses — Store preopening expenses, which consist primarily of payroll and occupancy costs, are expensed as incurred.
Advertising Expenses	Advertising expenses — Advertising costs are expensed in the period in which the related activity first takes place. These expenses include costs associated with specific marketing campaigns, e-mail communications, paid search and other digital advertising, social media, public relations, in-store collateral and signage and other expenses related to the in-store experience. Total advertising expense was $9.3 million, $9.6 million and $9.3 million for fiscal years 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively.
Income Taxes	Income taxes — Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized based on the differences between the financial statement and the tax law treatment of certain items. Realization of certain components of deferred tax assets is dependent upon the occurrence of future events. The Company records valuation allowances to reduce its deferred tax assets to the amount it believes is more likely than not to be realized. These valuation allowances can be impacted by changes in tax laws, changes to statutory tax rates, and future taxable income levels and are based on the Company’s judgment, estimates and assumptions regarding those future events. In the event the Company were to determine that it would not be able to realize all or a portion of the net deferred tax assets in the future, the Company would increase the valuation allowance through a charge to income tax expense in the period that such determination is made. Conversely, if the Company were to determine that it would be able to realize its deferred tax assets in the future, in excess of the net carrying amounts, the Company would decrease the recorded valuation allowance through a decrease to income tax expense in the period that such determination is made. The Company provides for uncertain tax positions and the related interest and penalties, if any, based upon management’s assessment of whether a tax benefit is more likely than not to be sustained upon examination by tax authorities. The Company recognizes interest and penalties accrued related to unrecognized tax benefits in income tax expense. To the extent the Company prevails in matters for which a liability for an unrecognized tax benefit is established or is required to pay amounts in excess of the liability, the Company’s effective tax rate in a given financial statement period may be affected. The Company’s income tax returns are subject to audit by local, state and federal authorities, and the Company is typically engaged in various tax examinations at any given time. Tax contingencies often arise due to uncertainty or differing interpretations of the application of tax rules throughout the various jurisdictions in which the Company operates. The contingencies are influenced by items such as tax audits, changes in tax laws, litigation, appeals and experience with previous similar tax positions. The Company regularly reviews its tax reserves for these items and assesses the adequacy of the amount recorded. The Company evaluates potential exposures associated with its various tax filings by estimating a liability for uncertain tax positions based on a two-step process. The first step is to evaluate the tax position for recognition by determining if the weight of available evidence indicates that it is more likely than not that the position will be sustained on audit, including resolution of related appeals or litigation processes, if any. The second step requires estimation and measurement of the tax benefit as the largest amount that is more than 50% likely to be recognized upon settlement.
Sales and Use Taxes	Sales and use taxes — Governmental authorities assess sales and use taxes on the sale and purchase of goods and services. The Company excludes taxes collected from customers in its reported sales results. Such amounts are reflected as accrued expenses until remitted to the taxing authorities.
Concentrations of Risk	Concentrations of risk — Most of the Company’s merchandise is purchased through vendors in the United States who import the merchandise manufactured primarily in China. However, the Company believes alternative merchandise sources could be procured over a relatively short period of time.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments	Fair value of financial instruments — The carrying amounts of cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, other current assets and accounts payable approximate fair value because of their short maturities.
Earnings Per Share	Earnings per share — Basic earnings per share is computed by dividing net income by the weighted average number of shares outstanding during each period presented, which excludes non-vested restricted stock. Diluted earnings per share is computed by dividing net income by the weighted average number of shares outstanding plus the dilutive effect of stock equivalents outstanding during the applicable periods using the treasury stock method. Diluted earnings per share reflects the potential dilution that could occur if options to purchase stock were exercised into common stock and if outstanding grants of restricted stock were vested. Stock options that were not included in the computation of diluted earnings per share, because to do so would have been antidilutive, were approximately 629,000 shares, 316,000 shares and 426,000 shares for fiscal 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively.
Comprehensive Income	Comprehensive income — Comprehensive income does not differ from the consolidated net income presented in the consolidated statements of income.
Operating Segments	Operating segments — The Company has determined that each of its stores is an operating segment. The operating performance of all stores has been aggregated into one reportable segment. The Company’s operating segments are aggregated for financial reporting purposes because they are similar in each of the following areas: economic characteristics, class of consumer, nature of products and distribution methods. Revenues from external customers are derived from merchandise sales, and the Company does not rely on any major customers as a source of revenue. Across its store base, the Company operates one store format under the Kirkland’s name in which each store offers the same general mix of merchandise with similar categories and similar customers. The Company believes that disaggregating its operating segments would not provide meaningful additional information.
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements	Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements — In May 2014, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606)” (“ASU 2014-09”). Under ASU 2014-09, an entity will recognize revenue when it transfers promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects what it expects in exchange for the goods or services. ASU 2014-09 also requires more detailed disclosures to enable users of financial statements to understand the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers. In July 2015, the FASB approved a one-year deferral of ASU 2014-09. As a result of the deferral, the amendments in ASU 2014-09 will be effective for the Company at the beginning of its fiscal 2018 year. Companies that transition to this new standard may either retrospectively restate each prior reporting period or reflect the cumulative effect of initially applying the updates with an adjustment to retained earnings at the date of adoption. The Company is still evaluating transition approaches as well as the impact the adoption of ASU 2014-09 will have on its consolidated financial statements. In November 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-17, “Income Taxes (Topic 740): Balance Sheet Classification of Deferred Taxes”. This update requires that deferred tax liabilities and assets be classified as noncurrent in the consolidated balance sheet. ASU 2015-17 may be applied either prospectively to all deferred tax liabilities and assets or retrospectively to all periods presented. The updated guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016, and interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. The Company adopted this guidance in the first quarter of fiscal 2016. The Company elected to apply this guidance retrospectively for all periods presented. The adoption of this guidance affected the presentation of the deferred tax liabilities and assets within the Company’s consolidated balance sheet; however, the updated guidance did not affect the accounting for deferred tax liabilities and assets. Other than the change in presentation, the adoption of this guidance did not have any material impacts on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842)”, which supersedes the existing guidance for lease accounting, Leases (Topic 840) (“ASU 2016-02”). ASU 2016-02 requires lessees to recognize a lease liability and a right-of-use asset for all leases. Lessor accounting remains largely unchanged. The amendments in this ASU are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018 and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted for all entities. ASU 2016-02 requires a modified retrospective approach for all leases existing at, or entered into after the date of initial adoption, with an option to elect to use certain transition relief. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this new standard on its consolidated financial statements and is anticipating a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements because the Company is party to a significant number of lease contracts. In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-09, “Compensation—Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting” (“ASU 2016-09”). ASU 2016-09 addresses several aspects of the accounting for share-based compensation transactions including: (a) income tax consequences when awards vest or are settled, (b) classification of awards as either equity or liabilities, (c) a policy election to account for forfeitures as they occur rather than on an estimated basis and (d) classification of excess tax impacts on the statement of cash flows. The updated guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016, and interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. The Company will adopt this guidance in the first quarter of fiscal 2017. The amendments requiring recognition of excess tax benefits and tax deficiencies in the income statement will be applied prospectively. The inclusion of excess tax benefits and deficiencies as a component of our income tax expense will increase volatility within our provision for income taxes as the amount of excess tax benefits or deficiencies from share-based compensation awards are dependent on our stock price at the date the awards are exercised or settled. The Company does not expect the impact to be material to the consolidated results of operations; however, such determination is subject to change based on facts and circumstances at the time when awards vest or settle. The Company accounts for forfeitures of share-based awards when they occur. The Company will elect to apply the amendments related to the presentation of excess tax benefits on the statement of cash flows using a retrospective transition method, and as a result, excess tax benefits related to share-based awards which are currently classified as cash flows from financing activities will be reclassified as cash flows from operating activities.
Stock-based Compensation	Stock-based compensation — Stock-based compensation includes stock option grants, restricted stock unit grants, and other transactions under the Company’s equity plans. Total stock-based compensation expense (a component of compensation and benefits) was approximately $3.2 million, $3.8 million and $2.8 million for fiscal years 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively. Included in stock-based compensation expense for fiscal 2015 is approximately $600,000 of stock-based compensation expense that resulted from the accelerated vesting of stock options and restricted stock units upon the retirement of the Company’s former Chief Executive Officer. Employee stock purchase plan — In July 2002, the Company adopted an Employee Stock Purchase Plan (“ESPP”) which was amended in 2006, 2008 and 2016. Under the ESPP, full-time employees who have completed twelve consecutive months of service are allowed to purchase shares of the Company’s common stock, subject to certain limitations, through payroll deduction, at 85% of the fair market value. The Company’s ESPP was originally authorized to issue up to 500,000 shares of common stock. In June 2016, the shareholders ratified the amendment to the Company’s ESPP to increase the number of shares of common stock authorized to be issued under the ESPP by 125,000 shares with an annual increase thereafter each January 1 commencing on January 1, 2017 by up to an additional 35,000 shares. During fiscal 2016, 2015 and 2014, there were 31,879, 19,423 and 19,062 shares of common stock, respectively, issued to participants under the ESPP. As of January 28, 2017, the amount authorized under the ESPP was 660,000 with approximately 141,290 shares remaining under the authorization.
Other Postretirement Plans Policy	401(k) savings plan — The Company maintains a defined contribution 401(k) employee benefit plan, which covers all employees meeting certain age and service requirements. Up to 6% of the employee’s compensation may be matched at the Company’s discretion, subject to statutory limitations. For all fiscal years presented, this discretionary percentage was 50% of an employee’s contribution subject to Plan maximums. The Company’s matching contributions were approximately $531,000, $521,000 and $457,000 in fiscal 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively. The Company has the option to make additional contributions to the Plan on behalf of covered employees; however, no such contributions were made in fiscal 2016, 2015, or 2014. Deferred compensation plan — The Company maintains The Executive Non-Qualified Excess Plan (the “Deferred Compensation Plan”). The Deferred Compensation Plan is available for certain employees whose benefits under the 401(k) Savings Plan are limited due to provisions of the Internal Revenue Code. The Company’s matching contributions to this Plan were approximately $48,000, $63,000 and $52,000 in fiscal years 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Jan. 28, 2017

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Fiscal year — The Company’s fiscal year is comprised of the 52 or 53-week period ending on the Saturday closest to January 31. Accordingly, fiscal 2016 represented the 52 weeks ended on January 28, 2017, fiscal 2015 represented the 52 weeks ended on January 30, 2016 and fiscal 2014 represented the 52 weeks ended on January 31, 2015.

Reclassifications

Reclassifications — Certain amounts in the fiscal 2015 consolidated financial statements have been reclassified to conform to the fiscal 2016 presentation. These reclassifications had no effect on reported net income. In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2016, the Company concluded that it was appropriate to classify related party transactions separately in the consolidated financial statements. In fiscal 2015, this information was provided in the notes to the consolidated financial statements. See “Note 10 — Related Party Transactions” for further discussion.

Also, in the first quarter of fiscal 2016, the Company adopted accounting guidance which affected the presentation of deferred tax liabilities and assets as discussed below in Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements. This guidance was applied retrospectively for all periods presented and therefore the presentation of previously reported deferred tax assets has been changed to conform to the presentation used in the current period. The adoption of this guidance resulted in the reclassification of deferred tax assets of $3.3 million from current assets to a reduction in noncurrent liabilities in the condensed consolidated balance sheets as of January 30, 2016.

Cash Equivalents

Cash equivalents — Cash and cash equivalents consist of cash on deposit in banks and payments due from banks for customer credit cards, as they generally settle within 24-48 hours.

Cost of sales (exclusive of depreciation) and inventory valuation

Cost of sales (exclusive of depreciation) and inventory valuation — Cost of sales (exclusive of depreciation) includes costs of product purchased from vendors, including inbound freight, receiving costs, inspection costs, warehousing costs, outbound freight, inventory damage and shrinkage, loyalty reward program charges, payroll and overhead associated with our distribution facility and its network and store occupancy costs. The Company’s inventory is stated at the lower of cost or market, net of reserves and allowances, with cost determined using the average cost method, with average cost approximating current cost. The Company estimates the amount of shrinkage that has occurred through theft or damage and adjusts that amount to actual at the time of its physical inventory counts which occur throughout the fiscal year. The Company also evaluates the cost of inventory by category and class of merchandise in relation to the estimated sales price. This evaluation is performed to ensure that inventory is not carried at a value in excess of the amount expected to be realized upon the sale of the merchandise.

Vendor Allowances

Vendor allowances — The Company receives various payments and allowances from vendors, including rebates and other credits. The amounts received are subject to the terms of vendor agreements, which generally do not state an expiration date, but are subject to ongoing negotiations that may be impacted in the future based on changes in market conditions and changes in the profitability, quality, or sell-through of the related merchandise. For all such vendor allowances, the Company records the vendor funds as a reduction of inventories. As the related inventory is sold, such allowances and credits are recognized as a reduction to cost of sales.

Property and Equipment

Property and equipment — Property and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is computed on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives of the respective assets. Furniture, fixtures and equipment are generally depreciated over five years. Leasehold improvements are amortized over the shorter of the useful life of the asset or the expected lease term, typically ranging from five to 10 years. Maintenance and repairs are expensed as incurred, and improvements are capitalized. Gains or losses on the disposition of fixed assets are recorded upon disposal of the related asset. As of January 28, 2017 and January 30, 2016, non-cash investing activities related to property and equipment being purchased, but awaiting payment in accounts payable, was approximately $1.4 million and $2.6 million, respectively.

Cost of Internal Use Software

Cost of internal use software — The Company capitalizes the cost of computer software developed or obtained for internal use. Capitalized computer software costs consist primarily of payroll-related and consulting costs incurred during the application development stage. The Company expenses costs related to preliminary project assessments, research and development, re-engineering, training and application maintenance as they are incurred. Capitalized software costs are amortized on a straight-line basis over an estimated life of three to 10 years. For fiscal years 2016, 2015 and 2014, the Company recorded approximately $6.1 million, $5.3 million and $4.0 million, respectively, for depreciation of capitalized software. The net book value of these assets totaled $24.9 million and $22.8 million at the end of fiscal years 2016 and 2015, respectively. At the end of fiscal years 2016 and 2015, property and equipment included capitalized computer software currently under development of $3.1 million and $2.0 million, respectively.

Asset Retirement Obligations

Asset retirement obligations — The Company recognizes a liability for the fair value of required asset retirement obligations (“ARO”) when such obligations are incurred. The Company’s AROs are primarily associated with leasehold improvements which, at the end of a lease, the Company is contractually obligated to remove in order to comply with the lease agreement. At the inception of a lease with such conditions, the Company records an ARO liability and a corresponding capital asset in an amount equal to the estimated fair value of the obligation. The liability is estimated based on various assumptions requiring management’s judgment and is accreted to its projected future value over time. The capitalized asset is depreciated using the convention for depreciation of leasehold improvement assets. Upon satisfaction of the ARO conditions, any difference between the recorded ARO liability and the actual retirement costs incurred is recognized as an operating gain or loss in the consolidated statements of income. As of January 28, 2017 and January 30, 2016, the liability for asset retirement obligations was approximately $659,000 and $574,000, respectively.

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

Impairment of long-lived assets — The Company evaluates the recoverability of the carrying amounts of long-lived assets whenever events or changes in circumstances dictate that their carrying values may not be recoverable. This review includes the evaluation of individual underperforming retail stores and assessing the recoverability of the carrying values of the assets related to the stores. Future cash flows are projected for the remaining lease life. The Company calculates the fair values of long-lived assets using the age-life method. If the estimated fair values are less than the carrying values of the assets, the Company records an impairment charge equal to the difference, if any, between the assets’ fair values and carrying values.

Insurance Reserves

Insurance reserves — Workers’ compensation, general liability and employee medical insurance programs are predominately self-insured. It is the Company’s policy to record a self-insurance liability using estimates of claims incurred but not yet reported or paid, based on historical claims experience and actuarial methods. Actual results can vary from estimates for many reasons, including, among others, inflation rates, claim settlement patterns, litigation trends and legal interpretations. The Company monitors its claims experience in light of these factors and revises its estimates of insurance reserves accordingly. The level of insurance reserves may increase or decrease as a result of these changing circumstances or trends.

During the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2016 and 2015, the Company recorded an adjustment related to positive changes in its actuarial estimates for workers’ compensation and general liability reserves. The adjustments in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2016 and 2015 resulted in a quarter-over-quarter benefit of approximately $1.7 million ($1.1 million after tax) and $1.1 million ($0.7 million after tax), respectively, or $0.07 and $0.04 per diluted share, respectively. As of January 28, 2017, the Company’s net self-insurance reserve estimates were $5.0 million compared to $5.2 million as of January 30, 2016.

Customer Loyalty Program

Customer loyalty program — The Company has established a loyalty program called the K Club, whereby members earn loyalty points in return for making purchases in the Company’s stores, including the e-Commerce store. Attaining specified loyalty point levels results in the issuance of discount certificates to the customer. The Company accrues for the expected liability associated with the discount certificates issued, as well as the accumulated points that have not yet resulted in the issuance of a certificate, adjusted for expected redemption rates. This liability is included as a component of accrued expenses on the consolidated balance sheet and the changes to the liability are included within cost of sales on the consolidated statements of income.

The Company has also established a private-label credit card program for its customers. Customers in the private label credit card program who enroll in K Club are eligible to earn double the points of a regular loyalty program member. The card program is operated and managed by a third-party bank that assumes all credit risk with no recourse to the Company.

Deferred Rent

Deferred rent — Many of the Company’s operating leases contain predetermined fixed escalations of minimum rentals during the initial term. Additionally, the Company does not typically pay rent during the construction period for new stores. For these leases, the Company recognizes the related rental expense on a straight-line basis over the life of the lease commencing with the date of initial access to the leased space, and records the difference between amounts charged to operations and amounts paid as a liability. As of January 28, 2017, the cumulative net excess of recorded rent expense over lease payments totaled $14.8 million, of which $1.6 million was reflected as a current liability in accrued expenses and $13.2 million was reflected as a noncurrent liability in deferred rent on the consolidated balance sheet. As of January 30, 2016, the cumulative net excess of recorded rent expense over lease payments totaled $13.0 million, of which $1.2 million was reflected as a current liability in accrued expenses and $11.8 million was reflected as a noncurrent liability in deferred rent on the consolidated balance sheet.

The Company also receives incentives from landlords in the form of construction allowances. These construction allowances are recorded as deferred rent and amortized as a reduction to rent expense over the lease term. As of January 28, 2017, the unamortized amount of construction allowances totaled $47.1 million, of which $7.6 million was reflected as a current liability in accrued expenses and $39.5 million was reflected as a noncurrent liability in deferred rent on the consolidated balance sheet. As of January 30, 2016, the unamortized amount of construction allowances totaled $43.4 million, of which $6.9 million was reflected as a current liability in accrued expenses and $36.5 million was reflected as a noncurrent liability in deferred rent on the consolidated balance sheet.

Revenue Recognition

Revenue recognition — The Company recognizes revenue at the time of sale of merchandise to customers in its stores. e-Commerce revenue is recorded when orders are shipped and title passes to customers. Net sales include the sale of merchandise, net of returns and exclusive of sales taxes.

Gift card sales are recognized as revenue when tendered for payment. While the Company honors all gift cards presented for payment, the Company determines the likelihood of redemption to be remote for certain gift card balances due to long periods of inactivity. The Company uses the redemption recognition method to account for breakage for unused gift card amounts where breakage is recognized as gift cards are redeemed for the purchase of goods based upon a historical breakage rate. In these circumstances, to the extent the Company determines there is no requirement for remitting card balances to government agencies under unclaimed property laws, such amounts are recognized in the consolidated statement of income as breakage revenue. The Company recognized approximately $1.1 million, $994,000 and $853,000 in gift card breakage during fiscal 2016, fiscal 2015 and fiscal 2014, respectively.

Compensation and Benefits

Compensation and benefits — Compensation and benefits includes all store and corporate office salaries and wages and incentive pay as well as stock compensation, employee health benefits, 401(k) plan benefits, deferred compensation benefits, social security and unemployment taxes.

Other Operating Expenses

Other operating expenses — Other operating expenses consist of such items as insurance, advertising, utilities, property taxes, supplies, travel, card processing and other bank fees, losses on disposal of assets and various other store and corporate expenses.

Store Preopening Expenses

Store preopening expenses — Store preopening expenses, which consist primarily of payroll and occupancy costs, are expensed as incurred.

Advertising Expenses

Advertising expenses — Advertising costs are expensed in the period in which the related activity first takes place. These expenses include costs associated with specific marketing campaigns, e-mail communications, paid search and other digital advertising, social media, public relations, in-store collateral and signage and other expenses related to the in-store experience. Total advertising expense was $9.3 million, $9.6 million and $9.3 million for fiscal years 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

Income Taxes

Income taxes — Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized based on the differences between the financial statement and the tax law treatment of certain items. Realization of certain components of deferred tax assets is dependent upon the occurrence of future events. The Company records valuation allowances to reduce its deferred tax assets to the amount it believes is more likely than not to be realized. These valuation allowances can be impacted by changes in tax laws, changes to statutory tax rates, and future taxable income levels and are based on the Company’s judgment, estimates and assumptions regarding those future events. In the event the Company were to determine that it would not be able to realize all or a portion of the net deferred tax assets in the future, the Company would increase the valuation allowance through a charge to income tax expense in the period that such determination is made. Conversely, if the Company were to determine that it would be able to realize its deferred tax assets in the future, in excess of the net carrying amounts, the Company would decrease the recorded valuation allowance through a decrease to income tax expense in the period that such determination is made.

The Company provides for uncertain tax positions and the related interest and penalties, if any, based upon management’s assessment of whether a tax benefit is more likely than not to be sustained upon examination by tax authorities. The Company recognizes interest and penalties accrued related to unrecognized tax benefits in income tax expense. To the extent the Company prevails in matters for which a liability for an unrecognized tax benefit is established or is required to pay amounts in excess of the liability, the Company’s effective tax rate in a given financial statement period may be affected.

The Company’s income tax returns are subject to audit by local, state and federal authorities, and the Company is typically engaged in various tax examinations at any given time. Tax contingencies often arise due to uncertainty or differing interpretations of the application of tax rules throughout the various jurisdictions in which the Company operates. The contingencies are influenced by items such as tax audits, changes in tax laws, litigation, appeals and experience with previous similar tax positions. The Company regularly reviews its tax reserves for these items and assesses the adequacy of the amount recorded. The Company evaluates potential exposures associated with its various tax filings by estimating a liability for uncertain tax positions based on a two-step process. The first step is to evaluate the tax position for recognition by determining if the weight of available evidence indicates that it is more likely than not that the position will be sustained on audit, including resolution of related appeals or litigation processes, if any. The second step requires estimation and measurement of the tax benefit as the largest amount that is more than 50% likely to be recognized upon settlement.

Sales and Use Taxes

Sales and use taxes — Governmental authorities assess sales and use taxes on the sale and purchase of goods and services. The Company excludes taxes collected from customers in its reported sales results. Such amounts are reflected as accrued expenses until remitted to the taxing authorities.

Concentrations of Risk

Concentrations of risk — Most of the Company’s merchandise is purchased through vendors in the United States who import the merchandise manufactured primarily in China. However, the Company believes alternative merchandise sources could be procured over a relatively short period of time.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

Fair value of financial instruments — The carrying amounts of cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, other current assets and accounts payable approximate fair value because of their short maturities.

Earnings Per Share

Earnings per share — Basic earnings per share is computed by dividing net income by the weighted average number of shares outstanding during each period presented, which excludes non-vested restricted stock. Diluted earnings per share is computed by dividing net income by the weighted average number of shares outstanding plus the dilutive effect of stock equivalents outstanding during the applicable periods using the treasury stock method. Diluted earnings per share reflects the potential dilution that could occur if options to purchase stock were exercised into common stock and if outstanding grants of restricted stock were vested. Stock options that were not included in the computation of diluted earnings per share, because to do so would have been antidilutive, were approximately 629,000 shares, 316,000 shares and 426,000 shares for fiscal 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

Comprehensive Income

Comprehensive income — Comprehensive income does not differ from the consolidated net income presented in the consolidated statements of income.

Operating Segments

Operating segments — The Company has determined that each of its stores is an operating segment. The operating performance of all stores has been aggregated into one reportable segment. The Company’s operating segments are aggregated for financial reporting purposes because they are similar in each of the following areas: economic characteristics, class of consumer, nature of products and distribution methods. Revenues from external customers are derived from merchandise sales, and the Company does not rely on any major customers as a source of revenue. Across its store base, the Company operates one store format under the Kirkland’s name in which each store offers the same general mix of merchandise with similar categories and similar customers. The Company believes that disaggregating its operating segments would not provide meaningful additional information.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements — In May 2014, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606)” (“ASU 2014-09”). Under ASU 2014-09, an entity will recognize revenue when it transfers promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects what it expects in exchange for the goods or services. ASU 2014-09 also requires more detailed disclosures to enable users of financial statements to understand the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers. In July 2015, the FASB approved a one-year deferral of ASU 2014-09. As a result of the deferral, the amendments in ASU 2014-09 will be effective for the Company at the beginning of its fiscal 2018 year. Companies that transition to this new standard may either retrospectively restate each prior reporting period or reflect the cumulative effect of initially applying the updates with an adjustment to retained earnings at the date of adoption. The Company is still evaluating transition approaches as well as the impact the adoption of ASU 2014-09 will have on its consolidated financial statements.

In November 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-17, “Income Taxes (Topic 740): Balance Sheet Classification of Deferred Taxes”. This update requires that deferred tax liabilities and assets be classified as noncurrent in the consolidated balance sheet. ASU 2015-17 may be applied either prospectively to all deferred tax liabilities and assets or retrospectively to all periods presented. The updated guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016, and interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. The Company adopted this guidance in the first quarter of fiscal 2016. The Company elected to apply this guidance retrospectively for all periods presented. The adoption of this guidance affected the presentation of the deferred tax liabilities and assets within the Company’s consolidated balance sheet; however, the updated guidance did not affect the accounting for deferred tax liabilities and assets. Other than the change in presentation, the adoption of this guidance did not have any material impacts on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842)”, which supersedes the existing guidance for lease accounting, Leases (Topic 840) (“ASU 2016-02”). ASU 2016-02 requires lessees to recognize a lease liability and a right-of-use asset for all leases. Lessor accounting remains largely unchanged. The amendments in this ASU are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018 and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted for all entities. ASU 2016-02 requires a modified retrospective approach for all leases existing at, or entered into after the date of initial adoption, with an option to elect to use certain transition relief. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this new standard on its consolidated financial statements and is anticipating a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements because the Company is party to a significant number of lease contracts.

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-09, “Compensation—Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting” (“ASU 2016-09”). ASU 2016-09 addresses several aspects of the accounting for share-based compensation transactions including: (a) income tax consequences when awards vest or are settled, (b) classification of awards as either equity or liabilities, (c) a policy election to account for forfeitures as they occur rather than on an estimated basis and (d) classification of excess tax impacts on the statement of cash flows. The updated guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016, and interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. The Company will adopt this guidance in the first quarter of fiscal 2017. The amendments requiring recognition of excess tax benefits and tax deficiencies in the income statement will be applied prospectively. The inclusion of excess tax benefits and deficiencies as a component of our income tax expense will increase volatility within our provision for income taxes as the amount of excess tax benefits or deficiencies from share-based compensation awards are dependent on our stock price at the date the awards are exercised or settled. The Company does not expect the impact to be material to the consolidated results of operations; however, such determination is subject to change based on facts and circumstances at the time when awards vest or settle. The Company accounts for forfeitures of share-based awards when they occur. The Company will elect to apply the amendments related to the presentation of excess tax benefits on the statement of cash flows using a retrospective transition method, and as a result, excess tax benefits related to share-based awards which are currently classified as cash flows from financing activities will be reclassified as cash flows from operating activities.

Stock-based Compensation

Stock-based compensation — Stock-based compensation includes stock option grants, restricted stock unit grants, and other transactions under the Company’s equity plans. Total stock-based compensation expense (a component of compensation and benefits) was approximately $3.2 million, $3.8 million and $2.8 million for fiscal years 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively. Included in stock-based compensation expense for fiscal 2015 is approximately $600,000 of stock-based compensation expense that resulted from the accelerated vesting of stock options and restricted stock units upon the retirement of the Company’s former Chief Executive Officer.

Employee stock purchase plan — In July 2002, the Company adopted an Employee Stock Purchase Plan (“ESPP”) which was amended in 2006, 2008 and 2016. Under the ESPP, full-time employees who have completed twelve consecutive months of service are allowed to purchase shares of the Company’s common stock, subject to certain limitations, through payroll deduction, at 85% of the fair market value. The Company’s ESPP was originally authorized to issue up to 500,000 shares of common stock. In June 2016, the shareholders ratified the amendment to the Company’s ESPP to increase the number of shares of common stock authorized to be issued under the ESPP by 125,000 shares with an annual increase thereafter each January 1 commencing on January 1, 2017 by up to an additional 35,000 shares. During fiscal 2016, 2015 and 2014, there were 31,879, 19,423 and 19,062 shares of common stock, respectively, issued to participants under the ESPP. As of January 28, 2017, the amount authorized under the ESPP was 660,000 with approximately 141,290 shares remaining under the authorization.