Macy's 2014 Annual Report Download - page 60

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
F-13
Gift Cards
The Company only offers no-fee, non-expiring gift cards to its customers. At the time gift cards are sold, no revenue
is recognized; rather, the Company records an accrued liability to customers. The liability is relieved and revenue is
recognized equal to the amount redeemed at the time gift cards are redeemed for merchandise. The Company records
income from unredeemed gift cards (breakage) as a reduction of SG&A expenses, and income is recorded in proportion
and over the time period gift cards are actually redeemed. At least three years of historical data, updated annually, is used to
determine actual redemption patterns.
Self-Insurance Reserves
The Company, through its insurance subsidiary, is self-insured for workers compensation and general liability claims
up to certain maximum liability amounts. Although the amounts accrued are actuarially determined based on analysis of
historical trends of losses, settlements, litigation costs and other factors, the amounts the Company will ultimately disburse
could differ from such accrued amounts.
Post Employment and Postretirement Obligations
The Company, through its actuaries, utilizes assumptions when estimating the liabilities for pension and other
employee benefit plans. These assumptions, where applicable, include the discount rates used to determine the actuarial
present value of projected benefit obligations, the rate of increase in future compensation levels, the long-term rate of
return on assets and the growth in health care costs. The cost of these benefits is generally recognized in the Consolidated
Financial Statements over an employee’s term of service with the Company, and the accrued benefits are reported in
accounts payable and accrued liabilities and other liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheets, as appropriate.
Income Taxes
Income taxes are accounted for under the asset and liability method. Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are
recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of
existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases, and net operating loss and tax credit carryforwards. Deferred
income tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in
which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred income tax assets and
liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in the Consolidated Statements of Income in the period that includes the
enactment date. Deferred income tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance when it is more likely than not that some
portion of the deferred income tax assets will not be realized.
Derivatives
The Company records derivative transactions according to the provisions of ASC Topic 815 “Derivatives and
Hedging,” which establishes accounting and reporting standards for derivative instruments and hedging activities and
requires recognition of all derivatives as either assets or liabilities and measurement of those instruments at fair value. The
Company makes limited use of derivative financial instruments. The Company does not use financial instruments for
trading or other speculative purposes and is not a party to any leveraged financial instruments. On the date that the
Company enters into a derivative contract, the Company designates the derivative instrument as either a fair value hedge, a
cash flow hedge or as a free-standing derivative instrument, each of which would receive different accounting treatment.
Prior to entering into a hedge transaction, the Company formally documents the relationship between hedging instruments
and hedged items, as well as the risk management objective and strategy for undertaking various hedge transactions.
Derivative instruments that the Company may use as part of its interest rate risk management strategy include interest rate
swap and interest rate cap agreements and Treasury lock agreements. At January 31, 2015, the Company was not a party to
any derivative financial instruments.
Stock Based Compensation
The Company records stock-based compensation expense according to the provisions of ASC Topic 718,
“Compensation – Stock Compensation.” ASC Topic 718 requires all share-based payments to employees, including grants
of employee stock options, to be recognized in the financial statements based on their fair values. Under the provisions of
ASC Topic 718, the Company determines the appropriate fair value model to be used for valuing share-based payments and
the amortization method for compensation cost.