2. Basis of Presentation

Basis of Consolidation

The consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with United States Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“US GAAP”), and present the financial position, results of operations and cash flows of the Company and all entities in which the Company has a controlling voting interest. The consolidated financial statements also include the accounts of any variable interest entities in which the Company is considered to be the primary beneficiary and such entities are required to be consolidated in accordance with US GAAP. There were no variable interest entities as of July 28, 2012.

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

Common Stock Split

On April 3, 2012, the Company effected a two-for-one common stock split in the form of a 100% stock dividend, to stockholders of record at the close of business on March 20, 2012. All common share and per common share data, except par value per share, presented in the consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes has been adjusted to reflect the stock split.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with US GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and footnotes thereto. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates.

Significant estimates inherent in the preparation of the consolidated financial statements include: the realizability of inventory; reserves for litigation and other contingencies; useful lives and impairments of long-lived tangible and intangible assets; accounting for income taxes and related uncertain tax positions; the valuation of stock-based compensation and related expected forfeiture rates; insurance reserves; and accounting for business combinations.

Fiscal Year

The company utilizes a 52-53 week fiscal year ending on the last Saturday in July. As such, fiscal year 2012 ended on July 28, 2012 and reflected a 52-week period (“Fiscal 2012"); fiscal year 2011 ended on July 30, 2011 and reflected a 52-week period (“Fiscal 2011”); and fiscal year 2010 ended July 31, 2010 and reflected a 53-week period (“Fiscal 2010”).

The financial position and operating results of the Company’s newly acquired sourcing operations of Charming Shoppes located in Hong Kong (“Charming Sourcing”) are reported on a one-month lag. Accordingly, the Company’s operating results for Fiscal 2012 include the operating results of Charming Sourcing for only a two-week, post-acquisition period ended June 30, 2012. The net effect of this reporting lag is not material to the consolidated financial statements.

Discontinued Operations

In connection with the acquisition of Charming Shoppes in June 2012, certain acquired businesses have been classified as a component of discontinued operations within the consolidated financial statements.

In particular, the Company announced, contemporaneously with the closing of the acquisition of Charming Shoppes, its intent to cease operating the acquired Fashion Bug business. The Fashion Bug business, consisting of approximately 600 retail stores, is expected to be closed down by early in calendar year 2013 through an orderly liquidation of the related net assets.

In addition, the Company also announced, contemporaneously with the closing of the acquisition of Charming Shoppes, its intent to sell the acquired Figi’s business. The Figi’s business, which markets food and specialty gift products, is expected to be sold by the one-year anniversary date of the closing of the acquisition of Charming Shoppes.

As those businesses are available for disposal in their present conditions and active disposition efforts have already been implemented at prices that are reasonable in relation to current fair value, such businesses have been classified as discontinued operations within the consolidated financial statements. As such, assets and liabilities relating to discontinued operations have been segregated and separately disclosed in the balance sheet as of the end of Fiscal 2012. In turn, operating results for those businesses, including $66.4 million of revenues for the post-acquisition period in Fiscal 2012, have also been segregated and reported separately in the statement of operations for Fiscal 2012.

The major components of assets and liabilities related to discontinued operations are summarized below:

	July 28, 2012
	(millions)
Accounts receivable	$	6.8
Inventory		77.2
Property and equipment, net		31.9
Intangible assets, net		5.0
Other assets		12.7
Total assets related to discontinued operations	$	133.6

Accounts payable and accrued expenses	$	93.6
Lease-related liabilities		18.0
Other liabilities		7.0
Total liabilities related to discontinued operations	$	118.6

Reclassifications

Segment Information

Historically, the Company was a single-brand retailer operating under the name of dressbarn. As such, all corporate overhead costs were reported historically within the dressbarn operating segment. As the Company’s legal entity structure evolved with the acquisitions of the maurices brand in Fiscal 2005 and the Justice brand in Fiscal 2010, the Company allocated approximately $2 million of corporate overhead costs annually to each of those operating segments from the dressbarn operating segment. The remainder of the corporate overhead costs continued to be reported primarily within the dressbarn operating segment.

In January 2011, the Company completed an internal corporate reorganization and established a new holding company, named Ascena Retail Group, Inc., to own the interests of each of the Justice, maurices and dressbarn brands through wholly owned subsidiaries. In connection therewith, beginning in Fiscal 2012, the Company implemented a new methodology to allocate corporate overhead costs to each of its operating segments on a reasonable basis.

In order to conform to this new cost allocation methodology, the Company has recasted historically reported segment operating results in order to enhance the comparability of its segmental operating performance. There have been no changes in total net sales, total operating income, or total depreciation and amortization expense as a result of this change. See Note 20 for further discussion of the Company’s segment information and the effect of this change.

Occupancy, Distribution and Buying Costs

Historically, the Company included occupancy, distribution and buying costs within cost of goods sold on the face of its statement of operations. However, in the fourth quarter of Fiscal 2012, in connection with conforming the financial presentation of Charming Shoppes, the Company decided to present each of the aggregate of occupancy, distribution and buying costs and gross margin separately on the face of its statement of operations. In addition, certain costs, such as store utility costs, were reclassified from selling, general and administrative expenses to occupancy, distribution and buying costs. Financial information for all prior periods has been reclassified in order to conform to the current period’s presentation. There have been no changes in historical operating income or historical net income for any period as a result of these changes.

Other Reclassifications

Certain other immaterial reclassifications also have been made to the prior period’s financial information in order to conform to the current period’s presentation.