Blackhawk Network 10-Q 17 Oct 13 2013 Q3 Quarterly report Financial data

Document_and_Entity_Informatio

Document and Entity Information	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 07, 2013	Oct. 09, 2013	Oct. 09, 2013
		Class A common stock [Member]	Class B common stock [Member]
Document Information [Line Items]
Document Type	10-Q
Amendment Flag	FALSE
Document Period End Date	7-Sep-13
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2013
Document Fiscal Period Focus	Q3
Trading Symbol	HAWK
Entity Registrant Name	BLACKHAWK NETWORK HOLDINGS, INC
Entity Central Index Key	1411488
Current Fiscal Year End Date	-16
Entity Filer Category	Non-accelerated Filer
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		11,549,713	40,426,352

Condensed_Consolidated_Balance

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (USD $)	Sep. 07, 2013	Dec. 29, 2012
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$103,453	$172,665
Overnight cash advances to Parent	9,000	495,000
Settlement receivables, net ($18,011 and $75,124 from Parent)	167,945	510,853
Accounts receivable, net ($2,061 and $4,229 from Parent)	91,634	101,001
Deferred income taxes	10,499	10,499
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	57,674	53,968
Total current assets	440,205	1,343,986
Property, equipment and technology, net	71,384	66,998
Intangible assets, net	22,198	1,699
Goodwill	42,729	42,729
Restricted cash		8,968
Deferred income taxes	983	1,937
Other assets ($4,962 and $0 from Parent)	70,473	67,394
TOTAL ASSETS	647,972	1,533,711
Current liabilities:
Settlement payables ($2,213 and $4,952 to Parent)	351,938	1,231,429
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities ($484 and $23,839 to Parent)	108,575	154,542
Total current liabilities	460,513	1,385,971
Warrant and common stock liabilities		26,675
Deferred income taxes	9,959	266
Other liabilities ($0 and $3,072 to Parent)	15,986	23,152
Total liabilities	486,458	1,436,064
Commitments and contingencies (see Note 5)
Redeemable equity		34,997
Stockholders' equity:
Preferred stock: $0.001 par value; 10,000 shares authorized; no shares issued
Additional paid-in capital	95,225	31,542
Treasury stock	-50
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	-2,930	298
Retained earnings	69,073	30,669
Total Blackhawk Network Holdings, Inc. equity	161,370	62,560
Non-controlling interest	144	90
Total stockholders' equity	161,514	62,650
TOTAL LIABILITIES, REDEEMABLE EQUITY AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY	647,972	1,533,711
Class A common stock [Member]
Stockholders' equity:
Common stock	11
Class B common stock [Member]
Stockholders' equity:
Common stock	$41	$51

Condensed_Consolidated_Balance1

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parenthetical) (USD $)	Sep. 07, 2013	Dec. 29, 2012
In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified
Settlement receivables, net	$167,945	$510,853
Accounts receivable, net	91,634	101,001
Other assets	70,473	67,394
Settlement payables	351,938	1,231,429
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	108,575	154,542
Other liabilities	15,986	23,152
Preferred stock, par value	$0.00	$0.00
Preferred stock, shares authorized	10,000	10,000
Preferred stock, shares issued	0	0
Class A common stock [Member]
Common stock, par value	$0.00	$0.00
Common stock, shares authorized	125,000	0
Common stock, shares issued	11,565	0
Class B common stock [Member]
Common stock, par value	$0.00	$0.00
Common stock, shares authorized	125,000	140,000
Common stock, shares issued	40,854	51,681
Safeway Inc. [Member]
Settlement receivables, net	18,011	75,124
Accounts receivable, net	2,061	4,229
Other assets	4,962	0
Settlement payables	2,213	4,952
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	484	23,839
Other liabilities	$0	$3,072

Condensed_Consolidated_Stateme

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 07, 2013	Sep. 08, 2012	Sep. 07, 2013	Sep. 08, 2012
OPERATING REVENUES:
Commissions and fees	$158,270	$133,993	$479,564	$411,356
Program, interchange, marketing and other fees	25,352	16,039	78,617	53,862
Product sales	22,374	14,619	58,727	40,954
Total operating revenues	205,996	164,651	616,908	506,172
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Distribution partner commissions	105,361	89,458	319,496	268,040
Processing and services	34,927	29,594	101,321	85,406
Sales and marketing	30,502	22,891	98,791	72,260
Costs of products sold	21,493	14,349	55,993	40,180
General and administrative	9,979	4,123	31,894	22,672
Total operating expenses	202,262	160,415	607,495	488,558
OPERATING INCOME	3,734	4,236	9,413	17,614
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE):
Interest income and other income, net	59	262	432	972
Interest expense		-1		-11
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAX EXPENSE	3,793	4,497	9,845	18,575
INCOME TAX EXPENSE	1,544	1,494	3,972	6,876
NET INCOME BEFORE ALLOCATION TO NON-CONTROLLING INTEREST	2,249	3,003	5,873	11,699
Add: Loss attributable to non-controlling interest (net of tax)	106	88	319	121
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO BLACKHAWK NETWORK HOLDINGS, INC.	$2,355	$3,091	$6,192	$11,820
EARNINGS PER SHARE - CLASS A AND CLASS B:
Basic	$0.05	$0.06	$0.12	$0.23
Diluted	$0.04	$0.06	$0.12	$0.23
Weighted average shares outstanding-basic	51,615	50,058	50,811	50,055
Weighted average shares outstanding-diluted	53,074	50,820	51,982	50,792

Condensed_Consolidated_Stateme1

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 07, 2013	Sep. 08, 2012	Sep. 07, 2013	Sep. 08, 2012
Statement Of Income And Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
NET INCOME BEFORE ALLOCATION TO NON-CONTROLLING INTEREST	$2,249	$3,003	$5,873	$11,699
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Currency translation adjustments	-1,413	1,440	-3,228	1,326
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME BEFORE ALLOCATION TO NON-CONTROLLING INTEREST	836	4,443	2,645	13,025
Add: Comprehensive loss attributable to non-controlling interest (net of tax)	106	88	319	121
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO BLACKHAWK NETWORK HOLDINGS, INC.	$942	$4,531	$2,964	$13,146

Condensed_Consolidated_Stateme2

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (USD $)	9 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 07, 2013	Sep. 08, 2012
OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
NET INCOME BEFORE ALLOCATION TO NON-CONTROLLING INTEREST	$5,873	$11,699
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash used in operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	16,963	12,882
Program development cost amortization	13,259	11,150
Change in allowance for doubtful accounts and sales adjustments	333	-415
Employee stock-based compensation expense	5,279	3,467
Distribution partner mark-to-market expense	6,961	1,928
Change in fair value of contingent consideration	-1,255	-3,636
Excess tax benefit from stock-based awards	-588
Other	80	262
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Settlement receivables	339,710	113,670
Settlement payables	-877,287	-669,008
Accounts receivable, current and long-term	16,421	12,648
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	-4,624	-5,566
Other assets	-19,894	-10,559
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	-22,029	-31,871
Other liabilities	165	739
Income taxes, net	-16,956	-18,611
Net cash used in operating activities	-537,589	-571,221
INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Change in overnight cash advances to Parent	486,000	470,750
Expenditures for property, equipment and technology and intangible assets	-21,349	-15,097
Change in restricted cash	8,968
Other	-250	-160
Net cash provided by investing activities	473,369	455,493
FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Dividends paid	-135
Payments for acquisition liability	-2,281
Payments for initial public offering costs	-4,694
Reimbursement for initial public offering costs	5,540
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	359	100
Excess tax benefit from stock-based awards	588
Payments for surrendered stock-based awards for taxes	-890	-374
Repurchase of redeemable common stock	-171	-937
Contribution from non-controlling interest	324	199
Net cash used in financing activities	-1,360	-1,012
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS	-3,632	1,405
DECREASE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS	-69,212	-115,335
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS-Beginning of year	172,665	153,674
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS-End of period	103,453	38,339
NON-CASH FINANCING AND INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Reclassification of warrant and common stock liabilities to additional paid-in capital upon initial public offering	27,121
Reclassification of redeemable equity to stockholders' equity upon initial public offering	36,171
Intangible assets recognized for the issuance of fully vested warrants	$22,183

Condensed_Consolidated_Stateme3

Condensed Consolidated Statement of Redeemable Equity and Stockholders' Equity (USD $)	Total	Redeemable Equity [Member]	Additional Paid-In Capital [Member]	Treasury Stock [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (loss) [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Total Blackhawk Network Holdings, Inc. Equity [Member]	Non-Controlling Interest [Member]	Class A common stock [Member]	Class B common stock [Member]
In Thousands, except Share data									Common Stock [Member]	Common Stock [Member]
Beginning balance at Dec. 29, 2012	$62,650		$31,542		$298	$30,669	$62,560	$90		$51
Redeemable Equity, Beginning balance at Dec. 29, 2012	34,997
Beginning balance, shares at Dec. 29, 2012										51,681,000
Comprehensive income	2,645				-3,228	6,192	2,964	-319
Stock-based employee compensation expense	5,279		5,279				5,279
Exercise of options, shares										45,000
Exercise of options	293	66	293				293
Surrender of stock-based equity awards for taxes, shares									23,000	-23,000
Surrender of stock-based equity awards for taxes	-425	-465	-375	-50			-425
Excess tax benefit from stock-based awards, net	588		588				588
Repurchase of redeemable common stock	-171
Issuance of restricted stock awards									42,000	228,000
Issuance of common stock upon vesting of restricted stock units										16,000
Mark-to-market adjustment on common stock and warrants issued to distribution partners	6,366		6,366				6,366
Issuance of fully vested warrants to distribution partners	22,332		22,332				22,332
Reclassification of warrant and common stock liabilities upon initial public offering	27,121		27,120				27,121			1
Exercise of warrant										406,957
Contribution from minority interest	373							373
Dividends paid	-135					-135	-135
Adjustment to redeemable equity	-1,744	1,744				-1,744	-1,744
Reclassification of redeemable equity upon initial public offering	36,171	-36,171	2,080			34,091	36,171
Conversion of Class B common stock to Class A common stock upon initial public offering, shares									11,500,000	-11,500,000
Conversion of Class B common stock to Class A common stock upon initial public offering									11	-11
Ending balance at Sep. 07, 2013	$161,514		$95,225	($50)	($2,930)	$69,073	$161,370	$144	$11	$41
Ending balance, shares at Sep. 07, 2013									11,565,000	40,854,000

The_Company_and_Significant_Ac

The Company and Significant Accounting Policies	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 07, 2013
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
The Company and Significant Accounting Policies	1. The Company and Significant Accounting Policies
	The Company
	Blackhawk Network Holdings, Inc., together with its subsidiaries (“Blackhawk” or the “Company”), is a majority-owned subsidiary of Safeway Inc. (“Safeway” or “Parent”). As of September 7, 2013, Safeway owned approximately 72.8% of Blackhawk’s outstanding common stock. Blackhawk is a prepaid payments network utilizing proprietary technology to offer a broad range of gift cards, other prepaid products and payment services. The Company’s payment network supports its three primary constituents: consumers who purchase the products and services the Company offers, content providers who offer branded products that are redeemable for goods and services, and distribution partners who sell those products. The Company’s product offerings include gift cards, prepaid telecom products and prepaid financial services products, including general purpose reloadable (“GPR”) cards and the Company’s reload network (collectively “prepaid products”). The Company offers gift cards from leading consumer brands (known as “closed loop”) as well as branded gift cards from leading payment network card associations such as American Express, MasterCard and Visa (known as “open loop”) and prepaid telecom products offered by prepaid wireless telecom brands. The Company also distributes GPR cards, including Green Dot and NetSpend branded cards, as well as PayPower, the Company’s proprietary GPR card. The Company operates a proprietary reload network named REloadit, which allows consumers to reload funds onto their previously purchased GPR cards. The Company distributes products across multiple high-traffic channels such as grocery, convenience, specialty and online retailers (referred to as “distribution partners”) in the Americas, Europe, Australia and Asia.
	Initial Public Offering
	On April 24, 2013, the Company completed an initial public offering (the “Offering”) of 11,500,000 shares of the Company’s Class A common stock at a price of $23.00 per share, which included 1,500,000 shares pursuant to the underwriters’ full exercise of their right to purchase additional shares. All such shares were sold by existing stockholders, and the Company received no proceeds from the sale of Class A common stock in the Offering. Immediately prior to the Offering, all then-outstanding shares of common stock were converted into Class B common stock on a share-for-share basis. All common share numbers and per common share data related to common stock before such conversion are reflected as Class B common stock in the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements and related notes. Shares of Class B common stock sold in the Offering were converted into Class A common stock. Shares of Class A and Class B common stock are substantially identical except that Class A common stock has one vote per share and Class B common stock has ten votes per share See Note 3 – Capital Stock.
	Basis of Presentation
	The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements of Blackhawk Network Holdings, Inc. are unaudited. These unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) and applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) regarding interim financial reporting. Certain information and note disclosures normally included in the financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations. Accordingly, these interim condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and related notes included in the Company’s Prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), with the SEC on April 18, 2013 (the “Prospectus”). These condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared on the same basis as the annual audited consolidated financial statements and, in the opinion of management, reflect all adjustments, which include only normal recurring adjustments, necessary to present fairly the Company’s financial position and results of operations for the interim periods presented. The results of the interim periods are not necessarily reflective of the results to be expected for the year ending December 28, 2013 or for any other interim period or other future year. The condensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 29, 2012 included herein was derived from the audited consolidated financial statements as of that date but does not include all disclosures required by GAAP, including notes to the financial statements.
	These condensed consolidated financial statements include Blackhawk Network Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and its wholly- or majority-owned domestic and foreign subsidiaries, including Blackhawk Network, Inc., an Arizona corporation, which is wholly-owned and the primary operating subsidiary of Blackhawk Network Holdings, Inc. All intercompany transactions and balances among Blackhawk and its subsidiaries have been eliminated in consolidation. These condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared as if Blackhawk existed on a stand-alone basis for the periods presented, but may not necessarily reflect the results of operations, financial position or cash flows that would have been achieved if the Company had existed on a stand-alone basis separate from its Parent during the periods presented.
	Blackhawk’s condensed consolidated financial statements include an allocation of expenses arising from certain shared services and infrastructure provided by Safeway. These expenses primarily relate to facilities rental and tax services and are allocated using actual costs or estimates based on the portion of services used by Blackhawk. Management believes that the allocation methodology is reasonable and considers the charges to be a reasonable reflection of the cost of benefits received. Blackhawk also provides certain marketing, distribution and program management services to Safeway for which it receives program fees or expense reimbursements. Generally, such amounts are recorded as revenue in Program, interchange, marketing and other fees when rendered to Safeway as a content provider or as a reduction to expense in Processing and services when rendered to Safeway as a distribution partner. See Note 6 – Related-Party Transactions.
	Significant Accounting Policies
	There have been no material changes to the Company’s significant accounting policies, as compared to the significant accounting policies described in the audited consolidated financial statements and related notes included in the Prospectus.
	Use of Estimates
	The preparation of the condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires the Company to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the condensed consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes to the condensed consolidated financial statements. The Company generally bases its estimates and assumptions on a combination of historical factors, current circumstances, and the experience and judgment of management. Significant estimates and assumptions include, among other things, allowances for doubtful accounts and sales adjustments, useful lives of assets, card redemption patterns and lives, delivery timing for product sales and valuation assumptions with respect to acquisition liabilities, goodwill, other intangible assets, common stock and income taxes. Actual results could differ from the Company’s estimates.
	Seasonality
	A significant portion of gift card sales occurs in late December of each year during the holiday selling season. As a result, the Company earns a significant portion of revenues, net income and cash inflows during the fourth fiscal quarter of each year and remits the majority of the cash, less commissions, to the Company’s content providers in January of the following year. The timing of the fiscal year-end, December holiday sales and the related January cash settlement with content providers significantly increases the Company’s Cash and cash equivalents, Overnight cash advances to Parent, Settlement receivables and Settlement payables balances at the end of each fiscal year relative to normal daily balances. The cash settlement with the Company’s content providers in January accounts for the majority of the use of cash from operating activities in its condensed consolidated statements of cash flows during its first three fiscal quarters. Additionally, operating income may fluctuate significantly during the first three fiscal quarters due to lower revenues and timing of certain expenses during such fiscal periods. As a result, quarterly financial results are not necessarily reflective of the results to be expected for the year, any other interim period or other future year.
	Treasury Stock
	Prior to the Offering, the Company recognized the repurchase of common stock related to employee equity awards as a settlement of Redeemable equity (see Note 2 – Fair Value Measurements). After the Offering, the Company uses the cost method when it purchases its own common stock as treasury shares and presents treasury stock as a reduction of Stockholders’ equity. As of September 7, 2013, treasury shares totaled approximately 439,000 shares.
	Stock-Based Employee Compensation
	The Company accounts for all stock-based awards to employees, including grants of employee stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock and restricted stock units, as compensation based on the fair value of the award at the grant date and amortizes the grant date fair value to expense over the requisite service period, which is generally the vesting period. The Company determines the fair value of restricted stock and restricted stock units as the grant date fair value of Blackhawk stock and determines the fair value of stock options and stock appreciation rights using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The Black-Scholes option pricing model incorporates certain assumptions, such as the risk-free interest rate, expected volatility, expected dividend yield and the expected life of options and appreciation rights in order to arrive at a fair value estimate. Stock-based employee compensation expense is classified in the Operating expenses line items corresponding to the applicable employee compensation expenses.
	Prior to the Offering, the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) periodically determined and established the fair value of the Company’s stock. Because there had been no public market for Blackhawk common stock prior to April 18, 2013, the Board determined the fair value of Blackhawk common stock at the time of grant by considering a number of objective and subjective factors, including discounted cash flow analysis, comparable company analysis, regular periodic valuations from an independent third-party valuation firm, overall market conditions, and the Company’s current, historical and expected future operating performance. This approach is consistent with the methods outlined in the AICPA Practice Aid, Valuation of Privately-Held-Company Equity Securities Issued as Compensation.
	The factors considered by the Board include periodic independent third-party valuation analyses, which were based upon a combination of market and income approaches. Under the market approach, consideration was given to pricing information for similar public companies, referred to as the guideline public company method, and to relevant transactions involving the sales of similar companies, called the mergers and acquisitions method. The income approach discounted expected future cash flows to their present value at a discount rate based upon the Company’s weighted-average cost of capital that considered the risk free rate, as well as risks associated with an investment in the business. The projections used in connection with the market and income valuation approaches were based on the Company’s expected operating results and cash flows over the forecast period. In determining the enterprise value, the Company has placed relatively equal weighting on the guideline public company method, the mergers and acquisitions method and the income approach. Since 2011, the Company weighted its valuation 100% on the guideline public company method due to the number of public company comparables, how closely they related to the Company, the Company’s consistently positive EBITDA generation and the expected EBITDA growth over the following years. The Company’s peer group comprised a number of U.S.-based publicly traded companies primarily focused on prepaid cards and processing of electronic payment transactions. There is inherent uncertainty and subjectivity in these fair value estimates. If different peer companies, discount rates and other assumptions had been used, the valuations would have been different.
	Reclassification
	In the accompanying condensed consolidated statements of cash flows, the Company has reclassified the working capital change related to long-term receivables from previously reported amounts in Other assets to Accounts receivables, current and long-term, as well as certain amounts related to employee equity awards within financing activities to conform to current presentation.

Fair_Value_Measurements

Fair Value Measurements	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 07, 2013
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]
Fair Value Measurements	2. Fair Value Measurements
	The Company measures certain assets, liabilities and equity instruments at fair value on a recurring basis. The table below summarizes the fair value of these assets, liabilities and equity instruments as of September 7, 2013 and December 29, 2012 (in thousands):
		September 7, 2013
		Level 1			Level 2			Level 3			Total
	Assets
	Cash and cash equivalents – Money market mutual funds	$	28,000		$	—		$	—		$	28,000
	Liabilities
	Contingent consideration	$	—		$	—		$	13,485		$	13,485
		December 29, 2012
		Level 1			Level 2			Level 3			Total
	Assets
	Cash and cash equivalents – Money market mutual funds	$	91,000		$	—		$	—		$	91,000
	Liabilities
	Contingent consideration	$	—		$	—		$	18,947		$	18,947
	Redeemable equity	$	—		$	—		$	34,997		$	34,997
	Level 1— Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities. Level 1 investments include money market mutual funds.
	Level 2— Inputs other than quoted prices included in Level 1 that are either directly or indirectly observable. The Company did not classify any amounts within Level 2 as of September 7, 2013 or December 29, 2012.
	In the 36 weeks ended September 7, 2013, there were no transfers between Level 1 and Level 2.
	Level 3— Unobservable inputs in which little or no market activity exists, therefore requiring an entity to develop its own assumptions about the inputs that market participants would use in pricing.
	Contingent Consideration – The Company estimates the fair value of contingent consideration by using a discounted cash flows methodology. As of September 7, 2013, the Company used a discount rate of 7.0%, reflecting the time value of money, the Company’s credit risk, the uncertainty in the cash flows and the Company’s estimated probability of achieving the relevant financial and operational milestones. A significant decrease (increase) in the Company’s credit standing, an increase (decrease) in the uncertainty in the cash flows or a decrease (increase) in the Company’s estimate of the probability of achieving the relevant financial and operational milestones could materially decrease (increase) the fair value of contingent consideration. The Company presents contingent consideration in Accounts payable and accrued liabilities and Other liabilities in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets.
	The change in fair value of contingent consideration classified as Level 3 for the 12 and 36 weeks ended September 7, 2013 and the 12 and 36 weeks ended September 8, 2012 is as follows (in thousands):
		September 7, 2013						September 8, 2012
		12 Weeks Ended			36 Weeks Ended			12 Weeks Ended			36 Weeks Ended
	Contingent Consideration
	Balance – Beginning of period	$	17,149		$	18,947		$	23,430		$	23,329
	Decrease in fair value of contingent consideration		(352	)		(1,255	)		(3,737	)		(3,636	)
	Settlements		(3,312	)		(4,207	)		—			—
	Balance – End of period	$	13,485		$	13,485		$	19,693		$	19,693
	The Company records the change in the fair value of the business acquisition liability in General and administrative expense and presents such change as a non-cash adjustment to net income in the accompanying condensed consolidated statements of cash flows. The change in fair value reflects the changes in the passage of time, expected timing of the contingent payments and the Company’s estimate of the probability of achieving the applicable financial and operational milestones. Settlements reflect the resolution of the contingency based on achievement of financial and operational milestones, and $3.3 million was payable as of September 7, 2013. During the 36 weeks ended September 7, 2013, the Company paid settlements totaling $2.3 million, of which $1.4 million resulted from fiscal 2012 financial and operational performance and presents such payments as a financing outflow at the acquisition-date fair value in the accompanying condensed consolidated statements of cash flows.
	Redeemable Equity – The redemptive value of instruments classified as Redeemable equity was based on the fair value of Blackhawk common stock. The Offering terminated the redemption feature of these instruments, and the Company reclassified Redeemable equity of $36.2 million to Stockholders’ equity.
	The change in fair value of Redeemable equity classified as Level 3 for the 36 weeks ended September 7, 2013 is as follows (in thousands):
		2013
	Redeemable Equity
	Balance as of December 29, 2012	$	34,997
	Additions		1,810
	Settlements		(36,807	)
	Balance as of September 7, 2013	$	—
	For Redeemable equity, additions resulted from the vesting of equity awards, which were accreted from Retained earnings, and the exercise of stock options. Settlements reflect the Company’s satisfaction of the put right whereby the shares become treasury shares, the purchase of surrendered equity awards for taxes and the termination of the redemption features as a result of the Offering.

Capital_Stock

Capital Stock	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 07, 2013
Equity [Abstract]
Capital Stock	3. Capital Stock
	Classes of Common Stock and Shares Authorized and Issued
	After the Offering, the Company’s common stock consists of Class A common stock and Class B common stock. Authorized Class A common stock consists of 125 million shares of $0.001 par value per share common stock. Class A common stock issued as of September 7, 2013 was approximately 11,565,000 shares, of which 11,550,000 shares were outstanding. Authorized Class B common stock consists of 125 million shares of $0.001 par value per share common stock. Class B common stock issued as of September 7, 2013 was approximately 40,854,000 shares, and Class B common stock outstanding was approximately 40,429,000 shares. The Company also has 10 million shares of authorized preferred stock with no shares outstanding as of September 7 2013.
	Reverse Split
	On April 1, 2013, the Company effected a 1-for-2 reverse stock split (the “Reverse Split”) by filing an amendment to its Certificate of Incorporation with the Delaware Secretary of State. As a result of the Reverse Split, the Company also adjusted the share amounts under its employee incentive plans and common stock and warrant agreements with third parties. All common share numbers and per common share data in the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements and related notes have been retroactively adjusted to reflect the Reverse Split and the amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation.
	Shares Issued in Conjunction with Initial Public Offering
	As discussed in Note 1, on April 24, 2013, the Company completed the Offering of 11,500,000 shares of the Company’s Class A common stock. In conjunction with the Offering, the Company issued 406,957 shares of Class B common stock as a result of the net exercise of a warrant to purchase 750,000 shares at an exercise price of $10.52 per share. Of the shares issued, 172,431 shares were sold in the Offering and accordingly converted to Class A common stock. The Company also issued 20,423 shares of Class B common stock as a result of the exercise of outstanding options at a weighted average exercise price of $6.78 per share, all of which shares were sold in the Offering and accordingly converted to Class A common stock. The Company received $0.1 million in cash as a result of the exercise of these options.
	Equity Awards Issued to Distribution Partners
	As a result of the Offering, the put and call rights with respect to 1,069,665 shares of Class B common stock issued to a distribution partner and a warrant to purchase 750,000 shares of Class B common stock issued to another distribution partner were terminated. The termination of the call rights eliminated the performance conditions of these equity instruments, and, accordingly, the Company expensed the remaining unamortized fair value of $6.0 million at the time of the Offering, determined as the excess of the Offering price of $23.00 per share over the put price of the common stock of $18.90 per share or the exercise price of the warrant of $10.52 per share, less amounts previously expensed, with an offsetting increase to Additional paid-in capital. Further, the Company reclassified Warrant and common stock liabilities related to these put rights of $27.1 million to Additional paid-in capital. The Offering also terminated the restriction on the cash that the Company had received for purchase of the Class B common stock issued to the distribution partner, and therefore the Company reclassified Restricted cash of $9.0 million to Cash and cash equivalents.
	On April 2, 2013, in conjunction with extending marketing and distribution services agreements with two distribution partners, the Company issued fully vested warrants to purchase 1,500,000 and 750,000 shares, respectively, at an exercise price of $20.00 per share with no service or performance conditions. As a result of the Offering, these warrants will become exercisable on October 16, 2013, which is 181 days after the date on which the Company’s registration statement filed in connection the Offering was declared effective by the SEC. The Company measured the fair value of the warrants using a Black-Scholes option pricing model as of the date of the Offering as $14.9 million and $7.3 million for the warrants to purchase 1,500,000 and 750,000 shares, respectively. The Company recorded the full values of the warrants in Additional paid-in capital with an offset to Intangible assets and amortizes the assets over the term of the related marketing and distribution services agreements of approximately five years to Sales and marketing expense. Additionally, on April 30, 2013, pursuant to a distribution partner’s anti-dilutive rights, the Company issued a warrant to purchase 15,306 shares at an exercise price of $20.00 per share. The Company recorded the fair value of the warrant of $0.1 million in Additional paid-in capital with an offset to Sales and marketing expense.
	Equity Awards to Blackhawk Employees
	In March 2013, the Board increased the shares available for grant under the Company’s equity incentive plans by 3,750,000 shares by increasing the number of shares available for issuance under the 2006 Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Unit Plan (the “2006 Plan”) and the 2007 Stock Option and Stock Appreciation Right Plan (the “2007 Plan”) by 250,000 shares of Class B common stock and 500,000 shares of Class B common stock, respectively, and approving the 2013 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2013 Plan”) to permit the issuance of up to 3,000,000 shares of Class A common stock. Under the terms of the 2013 Plan, the Company may award stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units and other incentive awards to Blackhawk employees, consultants, officers and directors. Additionally, following the Offering, the remaining shares reserved for issuance under the 2006 Plan and 2007 Plan, including those that later become available for future issuance as the result of the cancellation of awards, are available for issuance under the 2013 Plan as shares of Class A common stock. After the Offering, the Company ceased to grant awards under the 2006 Plan and 2007 Plan and granted awards under the 2013 Plan.
	During the 36 weeks ended September 7, 2013, the Board granted 864,250 stock options at a weighted-average exercise price of $20.14 per share and 270,250 shares of restricted stock.

Income_Taxes

Income Taxes	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 07, 2013
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Income Taxes	4. Income Taxes
	The Company’s effective tax rates were 40.7% and 33.2% for the 12 weeks ended September 7, 2013 and September 8, 2012, respectively, and were 40.3% and 37.0% for the 36 weeks ended September 7, 2013 and September 8, 2012, respectively. The effective rates for the 12 and 36 weeks ended September 7, 2013 were higher primarily due to lower amounts of non-taxable benefits for the decrease in the estimated fair value of the Cardpool contingent consideration liability, an operating loss in one of the Company’s foreign subsidiaries for which it did not recognize an income tax benefit and higher amounts of non-deductible expenses resulting from mark-to-market on redeemable common stock, partially offset by an increased benefit for foreign rate differential and other net individually immaterial items.
	In February 2013, the Company received a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) that permits the current deduction of a content provider fee that was previously amortized for the Company’s tax provision. As a result, the Company reclassified $8.1 million of deferred tax assets to income tax receivable from Parent and reduced its unrecognized tax benefit position by $4.4 million. The Company will collect the resulting net receivable of $3.7 million from Safeway when Safeway settles such amounts with the IRS. The gross unrecognized benefit at September 7, 2013 was $2.7 million.
	Effective December 30, 2012, the Company and Safeway amended their tax sharing agreement (“TSA”). The Company does not believe that the terms of the amended TSA will materially affect the Company’s consolidated financial statements.
	As a result of the Offering, the Company will no longer be included in Safeway’s federal tax return and certain state and local tax returns, and will begin to file tax returns and settle amounts due directly with such tax authorities. The Company will settle amounts due to or from Safeway related to fiscal periods prior to the Offering pursuant to the terms of the TSA and will continue to be included with Safeway in certain state and local tax returns and settle such amounts pursuant to the TSA. The Company does not expect that the change in tax status or settlement terms will materially affect its consolidated financial statements.

Commitments_and_Contingencies

Commitments and Contingencies	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 07, 2013
Commitments And Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Commitments and Contingencies	5. Commitments and Contingencies
	Legal Matters
	There are various claims and lawsuits arising in the normal course of business pending against the Company, some of which seek damages and other relief which, if granted, may require future cash expenditures. Management believes that any resulting liability would not materially affect the Company’s consolidated financial statements taken as a whole.
	Commitments
	From time to time, the Company enters into contracts containing provisions that require it to indemnify various parties against certain potential claims from third parties. Under contracts with certain issuing banks, the Company is responsible to the banks for any unrecovered overdrafts on cardholders’ accounts. Under contracts with certain content and distribution partners, the Company is responsible for potential losses resulting from certain claims from third parties. Because the indemnity amounts associated with these agreements are not explicitly stated, the maximum amount of the obligation cannot be reasonably estimated. Historically, the Company has paid limited amounts pursuant to these indemnification provisions.

RelatedParty_Transactions

Related-Party Transactions	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 07, 2013
Related Party Transactions [Abstract]
Related-Party Transactions	6. Related-Party Transactions
	Effective December 30, 2012, the Company and Safeway amended their distribution agreements to, among other things, extend the term to December 31, 2017 and to increase the amount of Distribution partner commissions expense paid to Safeway.
	Effective January 2013, the Company and Safeway increased the Company’s line of credit from Safeway from $25.0 million to $50.0 million and extended the term through February 2016.
	The following table presents the amounts of Operating revenues and Other income (expense) from (to) Safeway and Operating expenses to (from) Safeway included in the accompanying condensed consolidated statements of operations (in thousands):
		12 Weeks Ended						36 Weeks Ended
		September 7, 2013			September 8, 2012			September 7, 2013			September 8, 2012
	OPERATING REVENUES:
	Commissions and fees	$	376		$	468		$	1,493		$	1,671
	Program, interchange, marketing and other fees		321			278			1,053			1,011
	Product sales		1,669			1,468			3,552			3,159
	Total operating revenues		2,366			2,214			6,098			5,841
	OPERATING EXPENSES:
	Distribution partner commissions		9,887			7,843			30,973			24,425
	Processing and services		(1,105	)		(160	)		(1,453	)		(443	)
	Sales and marketing		27			98			90			282
	Costs of products sold		—			—			—			—
	General and administrative		611			631			1,949			1,928
	Total operating expenses		9,420			8,412			31,559			26,192
	OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE):
	Interest income and other income, net		25			143			201			580
	Interest expense		—			—			—			(10	)

Earnings_Per_Share

Earnings Per Share	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 07, 2013
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Earnings Per Share	7. Earnings Per Share
	The Company computes basic earnings per share (“EPS”) by dividing net income available to common stockholders by the weighted average shares outstanding during the period. The Company computes diluted EPS by dividing earnings available to common stockholders by the weighted average shares outstanding during the period and the impact of securities that, if exercised, would have a dilutive effect on EPS.
	The Company computes EPS under the two-class method, which is a method of computing EPS when an entity has both common stock and participating securities. Certain nonvested shares are considered participating securities because they have rights to receive nonforfeitable dividends at the same rate as common stock. Under the two-class method, the calculation of basic and diluted EPS excludes the income and distributions attributable to participating securities. Additionally, the weighted average shares outstanding exclude the impact of participating securities.
	Class A and Class B common stock have equal rights to dividends as declared by the Board. As a result, basic and diluted EPS are equivalent for Class A and Class B common stock for the 12 and 36 weeks ended September 7, 2013. For the 12 and 36 weeks ended September 8, 2012, Blackhawk’s common stock consisted solely of Class B common stock.
	The following table provides reconciliations of net income and shares used in calculating basic EPS to those used in calculating diluted EPS (in thousands except per share amounts):
		12 Weeks Ended						12 Weeks Ended
		September 7, 2013						September 8, 2012
		Basic			Diluted			Basic			Diluted
	Net income attributable to Blackhawk Network Holdings, Inc.	$	2,355		$	2,355		$	3,091		$	3,091
	Distributed and undistributed earnings allocated to participating securities		(14	)		(14	)		(76	)		(75	)
	Net income attributable to common stockholders	$	2,341		$	2,341		$	3,015		$	3,016
	Weighted-average common shares outstanding		51,615			51,615			50,058			50,058
	Common share equivalents					1,459						762
	Weighted-average shares outstanding					53,074						50,820
	Earnings per share – Class A and Class B	$	0.05		$	0.04		$	0.06		$	0.06
		36 Weeks Ended						36 Weeks Ended
		September 7, 2013						September 8, 2012
		Basic			Diluted			Basic			Diluted
	Net income attributable to Blackhawk Network Holdings, Inc.	$	6,192		$	6,192		$	11,820		$	11,820
	Distributed and undistributed earnings allocated to participating securities		(176	)		(174	)		(294	)		(294	)
	Net income attributable to common stockholders	$	6,016		$	6,018		$	11,526		$	11,526
	Weighted-average common shares outstanding		50,811			50,811			50,055			50,055
	Common share equivalents					1,171						737
	Weighted-average shares outstanding					51,982						50,792
	Earnings per share – Class A and Class B	$	0.12		$	0.12		$	0.23		$	0.23
	For the 12 and 36 weeks ended September 7, 2013, distributed and undistributed earnings allocated to participating securities included approximately $0 and $74,000, respectively, of payments for the dividend declared by the Board on December 14, 2012 to holders of nonvested stock that vested during such periods.
	Diluted weighted-average shares outstanding exclude approximately 35,000 and 364,000 common share equivalents for the 12 weeks ended September 7, 2013 and September 8, 2012, respectively, and 160,000 and 318,000 common share equivalents for the 36 weeks ended September 7, 2013 and September 8, 2012, respectively, because their effect would have been anti-dilutive.

The_Company_and_Significant_Ac1

The Company and Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 07, 2013
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
The Company	The Company
	Blackhawk Network Holdings, Inc., together with its subsidiaries (“Blackhawk” or the “Company”), is a majority-owned subsidiary of Safeway Inc. (“Safeway” or “Parent”). As of September 7, 2013, Safeway owned approximately 72.8% of Blackhawk’s outstanding common stock. Blackhawk is a prepaid payments network utilizing proprietary technology to offer a broad range of gift cards, other prepaid products and payment services. The Company’s payment network supports its three primary constituents: consumers who purchase the products and services the Company offers, content providers who offer branded products that are redeemable for goods and services, and distribution partners who sell those products. The Company’s product offerings include gift cards, prepaid telecom products and prepaid financial services products, including general purpose reloadable (“GPR”) cards and the Company’s reload network (collectively “prepaid products”). The Company offers gift cards from leading consumer brands (known as “closed loop”) as well as branded gift cards from leading payment network card associations such as American Express, MasterCard and Visa (known as “open loop”) and prepaid telecom products offered by prepaid wireless telecom brands. The Company also distributes GPR cards, including Green Dot and NetSpend branded cards, as well as PayPower, the Company’s proprietary GPR card. The Company operates a proprietary reload network named REloadit, which allows consumers to reload funds onto their previously purchased GPR cards. The Company distributes products across multiple high-traffic channels such as grocery, convenience, specialty and online retailers (referred to as “distribution partners”) in the Americas, Europe, Australia and Asia.
Initial Public Offering	Initial Public Offering
	On April 24, 2013, the Company completed an initial public offering (the “Offering”) of 11,500,000 shares of the Company’s Class A common stock at a price of $23.00 per share, which included 1,500,000 shares pursuant to the underwriters’ full exercise of their right to purchase additional shares. All such shares were sold by existing stockholders, and the Company received no proceeds from the sale of Class A common stock in the Offering. Immediately prior to the Offering, all then-outstanding shares of common stock were converted into Class B common stock on a share-for-share basis. All common share numbers and per common share data related to common stock before such conversion are reflected as Class B common stock in the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements and related notes. Shares of Class B common stock sold in the Offering were converted into Class A common stock. Shares of Class A and Class B common stock are substantially identical except that Class A common stock has one vote per share and Class B common stock has ten votes per share See Note 3 – Capital Stock.
Basis of Presentation	Basis of Presentation
	The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements of Blackhawk Network Holdings, Inc. are unaudited. These unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) and applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) regarding interim financial reporting. Certain information and note disclosures normally included in the financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations. Accordingly, these interim condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and related notes included in the Company’s Prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), with the SEC on April 18, 2013 (the “Prospectus”). These condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared on the same basis as the annual audited consolidated financial statements and, in the opinion of management, reflect all adjustments, which include only normal recurring adjustments, necessary to present fairly the Company’s financial position and results of operations for the interim periods presented. The results of the interim periods are not necessarily reflective of the results to be expected for the year ending December 28, 2013 or for any other interim period or other future year. The condensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 29, 2012, included herein was derived from the audited consolidated financial statements as of that date but does not include all disclosures required by GAAP, including notes to the financial statements.
	These condensed consolidated financial statements include Blackhawk Network Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and its wholly- or majority-owned domestic and foreign subsidiaries, including Blackhawk Network, Inc., an Arizona corporation, which is wholly-owned and the primary operating subsidiary of Blackhawk Network Holdings, Inc. All intercompany transactions and balances among Blackhawk and its subsidiaries have been eliminated in consolidation. These condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared as if Blackhawk existed on a stand-alone basis for the periods presented, but may not necessarily reflect the results of operations, financial position or cash flows that would have been achieved if the Company had existed on a stand-alone basis separate from its Parent during the periods presented.
	Blackhawk’s condensed consolidated financial statements include an allocation of expenses arising from certain shared services and infrastructure provided by Safeway. These expenses primarily relate to facilities rental and tax services and are allocated using actual costs or estimates based on the portion of services used by Blackhawk. Management believes that the allocation methodology is reasonable and considers the charges to be a reasonable reflection of the cost of benefits received. Blackhawk also provides certain marketing, distribution and program management services to Safeway for which it receives program fees or expense reimbursements. Generally, such amounts are recorded as revenue in Program, interchange, marketing and other fees when rendered to Safeway as a content provider or as a reduction to expense in Processing and services when rendered to Safeway as a distribution partner. See Note 6 – Related-Party Transactions.
Significant Accounting Policies	Significant Accounting Policies
	There have been no material changes to the Company’s significant accounting policies, as compared to the significant accounting policies described in the audited consolidated financial statements and related notes included in the Prospectus.
Use of Estimates	Use of Estimates
	The preparation of the condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires the Company to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the condensed consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes to the condensed consolidated financial statements. The Company generally bases its estimates and assumptions on a combination of historical factors, current circumstances, and the experience and judgment of management. Significant estimates and assumptions include, among other things, allowances for doubtful accounts and sales adjustments, useful lives of assets, card redemption patterns and lives, delivery timing for product sales and valuation assumptions with respect to acquisition liabilities, goodwill, other intangible assets, common stock and income taxes. Actual results could differ from the Company’s estimates.
Seasonality	Seasonality
	A significant portion of gift card sales occurs in late December of each year during the holiday selling season. As a result, the Company earns a significant portion of revenues, net income and cash inflows during the fourth fiscal quarter of each year and remits the majority of the cash, less commissions, to the Company’s content providers in January of the following year. The timing of the fiscal year-end, December holiday sales and the related January cash settlement with content providers significantly increases the Company’s Cash and cash equivalents, Overnight cash advances to Parent, Settlement receivables and Settlement payables balances at the end of each fiscal year relative to normal daily balances. The cash settlement with the Company’s content providers in January accounts for the majority of the use of cash from operating activities in its condensed consolidated statements of cash flows during its first three fiscal quarters. Additionally, operating income may fluctuate significantly during the first three fiscal quarters due to lower revenues and timing of certain expenses during such fiscal periods. As a result, quarterly financial results are not necessarily reflective of the results to be expected for the year, any other interim period or other future year.
Treasury Stock	Treasury Stock
	Prior to the Offering, the Company recognized the repurchase of common stock related to employee equity awards as a settlement of Redeemable equity (see Note 2 – Fair Value Measurements). After the Offering, the Company uses the cost method when it purchases its own common stock as treasury shares and presents treasury stock as a reduction of Stockholders’ equity. As of September 7, 2013, treasury shares totaled approximately 439,000 shares.
Stock-Based Employee Compensation	Stock-Based Employee Compensation
	The Company accounts for all stock-based awards to employees, including grants of employee stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock and restricted stock units, as compensation based on the fair value of the award at the grant date and amortizes the grant date fair value to expense over the requisite service period, which is generally the vesting period. The Company determines the fair value of restricted stock and restricted stock units as the grant date fair value of Blackhawk stock and determines the fair value of stock options and stock appreciation rights using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The Black-Scholes option pricing model incorporates certain assumptions, such as the risk-free interest rate, expected volatility, expected dividend yield and the expected life of options and appreciation rights in order to arrive at a fair value estimate. Stock-based employee compensation expense is classified in the Operating expenses line items corresponding to the applicable employee compensation expenses.
	Prior to the Offering, the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) periodically determined and established the fair value of the Company’s stock. Because there had been no public market for Blackhawk common stock prior to April 18, 2013, the Board determined the fair value of Blackhawk common stock at the time of grant by considering a number of objective and subjective factors, including discounted cash flow analysis, comparable company analysis, regular periodic valuations from an independent third-party valuation firm, overall market conditions, and the Company’s current, historical and expected future operating performance. This approach is consistent with the methods outlined in the AICPA Practice Aid, Valuation of Privately-Held-Company Equity Securities Issued as Compensation.
	The factors considered by the Board include periodic independent third-party valuation analyses, which were based upon a combination of market and income approaches. Under the market approach, consideration was given to pricing information for similar public companies, referred to as the guideline public company method, and to relevant transactions involving the sales of similar companies, called the mergers and acquisitions method. The income approach discounted expected future cash flows to their present value at a discount rate based upon the Company’s weighted-average cost of capital that considered the risk free rate, as well as risks associated with an investment in the business. The projections used in connection with the market and income valuation approaches were based on the Company’s expected operating results and cash flows over the forecast period. In determining the enterprise value, the Company has placed relatively equal weighting on the guideline public company method, the mergers and acquisitions method and the income approach. Since 2011, the Company weighted its valuation 100% on the guideline public company method due to the number of public company comparables, how closely they related to the Company, the Company’s consistently positive EBITDA generation and the expected EBITDA growth over the following years. The Company’s peer group comprised a number of U.S.-based publicly traded companies primarily focused on prepaid cards and processing of electronic payment transactions. There is inherent uncertainty and subjectivity in these fair value estimates. If different peer companies, discount rates and other assumptions had been used, the valuations would have been different.
Reclassification	Reclassification
	In the accompanying condensed consolidated statements of cash flows, the Company has reclassified the working capital change related to long-term receivables from previously reported amounts in Other assets to Accounts receivables, current and long-term, as well as certain amounts related to employee equity awards within financing activities to conform to current presentation.

Fair_Value_Measurements_Tables

Fair Value Measurements (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 07, 2013
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]
Summary of Fair Value of Assets, Liabilities and Equity Instruments on Recurring Basis	The table below summarizes the fair value of these assets, liabilities and equity instruments as of September 7, 2013 and December 29, 2012 (in thousands):
		September 7, 2013
		Level 1			Level 2			Level 3			Total
	Assets
	Cash and cash equivalents – Money market mutual funds	$	28,000		$	—		$	—		$	28,000
	Liabilities
	Contingent consideration	$	—		$	—		$	13,485		$	13,485
		December 29, 2012
		Level 1			Level 2			Level 3			Total
	Assets
	Cash and cash equivalents – Money market mutual funds	$	91,000		$	—		$	—		$	91,000
	Liabilities
	Contingent consideration	$	—		$	—		$	18,947		$	18,947
	Redeemable equity	$	—		$	—		$	34,997		$	34,997
Summary of Change in Fair Value of Contingent Consideration Classified as Level 3	The change in fair value of contingent consideration classified as Level 3 for the 12 and 36 weeks ended September 7, 2013 and the 12 and 36 weeks ended September 8, 2012 is as follows (in thousands):
		September 7, 2013						September 8, 2012
		12 Weeks Ended			36 Weeks Ended			12 Weeks Ended			36 Weeks Ended
	Contingent Consideration
	Balance – Beginning of period	$	17,149		$	18,947		$	23,430		$	23,329
	Decrease in fair value of contingent consideration		(352	)		(1,255	)		(3,737	)		(3,636	)
	Settlements		(3,312	)		(4,207	)		—			—
	Balance – End of period	$	13,485		$	13,485		$	19,693		$	19,693
Summary of Change in Fair Value of Redeemable Equity Classified as Level 3	The change in fair value of Redeemable equity classified as Level 3 for the 36 weeks ended September 7, 2013 is as follows (in thousands):
		2013
	Redeemable Equity
	Balance as of December 29, 2012	$	34,997
	Additions		1,810
	Settlements		(36,807	)
	Balance as of September 7, 2013	$	—

RelatedParty_Transactions_Tabl

Related-Party Transactions (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 07, 2013
Related Party Transactions [Abstract]
Summary of Operating Revenues, Operating Expenses and Other Income (Expense)	The following table presents the amounts of Operating revenues and Other income (expense) from (to) Safeway and Operating expenses to (from) Safeway included in the accompanying condensed consolidated statements of operations (in thousands):
		12 Weeks Ended						36 Weeks Ended
		September 7, 2013			September 8, 2012			September 7, 2013			September 8, 2012
	OPERATING REVENUES:
	Commissions and fees	$	376		$	468		$	1,493		$	1,671
	Program, interchange, marketing and other fees		321			278			1,053			1,011
	Product sales		1,669			1,468			3,552			3,159
	Total operating revenues		2,366			2,214			6,098			5,841
	OPERATING EXPENSES:
	Distribution partner commissions		9,887			7,843			30,973			24,425
	Processing and services		(1,105	)		(160	)		(1,453	)		(443	)
	Sales and marketing		27			98			90			282
	Costs of products sold		—			—			—			—
	General and administrative		611			631			1,949			1,928
	Total operating expenses		9,420			8,412			31,559			26,192
	OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE):
	Interest income and other income, net		25			143			201			580
	Interest expense		—			—			—			(10	)

Earnings_Per_Share_Tables

Earnings Per Share (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 07, 2013
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Reconciliations of Net Income and Shares Used in Calculating Basic and Diluted EPS	The following table provides reconciliations of net income and shares used in calculating basic EPS to those used in calculating diluted EPS (in thousands except per share amounts):
		12 Weeks Ended						12 Weeks Ended
		September 7, 2013						September 8, 2012
		Basic			Diluted			Basic			Diluted
	Net income attributable to Blackhawk Network Holdings, Inc.	$	2,355		$	2,355		$	3,091		$	3,091
	Distributed and undistributed earnings allocated to participating securities		(14	)		(14	)		(76	)		(75	)
	Net income attributable to common stockholders	$	2,341		$	2,341		$	3,015		$	3,016
	Weighted-average common shares outstanding		51,615			51,615			50,058			50,058
	Common share equivalents					1,459						762
	Weighted-average shares outstanding					53,074						50,820
	Earnings per share – Class A and Class B	$	0.05		$	0.04		$	0.06		$	0.06
		36 Weeks Ended						36 Weeks Ended
		September 7, 2013						September 8, 2012
		Basic			Diluted			Basic			Diluted
	Net income attributable to Blackhawk Network Holdings, Inc.	$	6,192		$	6,192		$	11,820		$	11,820
	Distributed and undistributed earnings allocated to participating securities		(176	)		(174	)		(294	)		(294	)
	Net income attributable to common stockholders	$	6,016		$	6,018		$	11,526		$	11,526
	Weighted-average common shares outstanding		50,811			50,811			50,055			50,055
	Common share equivalents					1,171						737
	Weighted-average shares outstanding					51,982						50,792
	Earnings per share – Class A and Class B	$	0.12		$	0.12		$	0.23		$	0.23

The_Company_and_Significant_Ac2

The Company and Significant Accounting Policies - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	9 Months Ended	1 Months Ended
	Sep. 07, 2013	Apr. 24, 2013	Sep. 07, 2013
		Class A common stock [Member]	Safeway Inc. [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Percentage of ownership held			72.80%
Number of shares issued through initial public offering		11,500,000
Additional shares available pursuant to the underwriters' full exercise of their right		1,500,000
Common stock price per share		$23
Common stock voting rights	Shares of Class A and Class B common stock are substantially identical except that Class A common stock has one vote per share and Class B common stock has ten votes per share.
Total treasury shares	439,000
Percentage of weighted valuation	100.00%

Fair_Value_Measurements_Summar

Fair Value Measurements - Summary of Fair Value of Assets, Liabilities and Equity Instruments on Recurring Basis (Detail) (USD $)	Sep. 07, 2013	Dec. 29, 2012
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Liabilities
Redeemable equity		$34,997
Fair Value Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents - Money market mutual funds	28,000	91,000
Liabilities
Contingent consideration	13,485	18,947
Redeemable equity		34,997
Level 1 [Member] | Fair Value Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents - Money market mutual funds	28,000	91,000
Level 3 [Member] | Fair Value Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Liabilities
Contingent consideration	13,485	18,947
Redeemable equity		$34,997

Fair_Value_Measurements_Additi

Fair Value Measurements - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 07, 2013	Sep. 07, 2012
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]
Discount rate	7.00%
Contingent consideration payable	$3,300,000	$1,400,000
Contingent consideration settlement paid	2,281,000
Reclassified redeemable equity	$36,171,000

Fair_Value_Measurements_Summar1

Fair Value Measurements - Summary of Change in Fair Value of Contingent Consideration Classified as Level 3 (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 07, 2013	Sep. 08, 2012	Sep. 07, 2013	Sep. 08, 2012
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]
Balance - Begining of period	$17,149	$23,430	$18,947	$23,329
Decrease in fair value of contingent consideration	-352	-3,737	-1,255	-3,636
Settlements	-3,312		-4,207
Balance - End of period	$13,485	$19,693	$13,485	$19,693

Fair_Value_Measurements_Summar2

Fair Value Measurements - Summary of Change in Fair Value of Redeemable Equity Classified as Level 3 (Detail) (USD $)	9 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 07, 2013
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]
Balance as of December 29, 2012	$34,997
Additions	1,810
Settlements	-36,807
Balance as of September 7, 2013

Capital_Stock_Additional_Infor

Capital Stock - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	1 Months Ended			9 Months Ended			1 Months Ended				9 Months Ended			1 Months Ended				9 Months Ended	1 Months Ended
	Apr. 24, 2013	Apr. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Sep. 07, 2013	Sep. 08, 2012	Dec. 29, 2012	Apr. 24, 2013	Sep. 07, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 29, 2012	Sep. 07, 2013	Apr. 24, 2013	Dec. 29, 2012	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Apr. 24, 2013	Apr. 24, 2013	Sep. 07, 2013	Apr. 02, 2013	Apr. 02, 2013	Apr. 30, 2013
							Class A common stock [Member]	Class A common stock [Member]	Class A common stock [Member]	Class A common stock [Member]	Class B common stock [Member]	Class B common stock [Member]	Class B common stock [Member]	Class B common stock [Member]	Class B common stock [Member]	Common Stock [Member]	Common Stock [Member]	Common Stock [Member]	Warrant One [Member]	Warrant Two [Member]	Warrant Three [Member]
														2006 Plan [Member]	2007 Plan [Member]	Class A common stock [Member]	Class B common stock [Member]	Class B common stock [Member]
Stockholders Equity Note Disclosure [Line Items]
Common stock, shares authorized								125,000,000		0	125,000,000		140,000,000
Common stock, par value								$0.00		$0.00	$0.00		$0.00
Common stock, shares issued								11,565,000		0	40,854,000		51,681,000
Common stock, shares outstanding								11,550,000			40,429,000
Preferred stock, shares authorized				10,000,000		10,000,000
Preferred stock, shares outstanding				0
Reverse stock split ratio		1-for-2
Shares by existing shareholders in initial public offering							11,500,000									11,500,000
Number of shares issued																	406,957	406,957
Warrants issued												750,000					750,000		1,500,000	750,000	15,306
Exercise price of warrant																	10.52		20	20	20
Shares sold in the Offering and accordingly converted to Class A common stock																172,431
Shares issued during period stock options exercised																	20,423	45,000
Weighted-average exercise price of stock options				$20.14													$6.78
Proceeds from exercise of options	$100,000			$359,000	$100,000
Shares held by stockholder											1,069,665
Remaining unamortized fair value of common stock	6,000,000
Common stock price per share							$23
Put price of common stock											$18.90
Reclassification of warrant and common stock liabilities to additional paid-in capital upon initial public offering				27,121,000
Reclassification of restricted cash				8,968,000
Fair value of the warrants				22,183,000															14,900,000	7,300,000
Amortization period of assets																			5 years	5 years
Fair value of warrant in additional paid-in capital						$26,675,000															$100,000
Number of additional shares authorized for issuance under an established share-based compensation plan			3,750,000											250,000	500,000
Maximum number of shares approved for issuance under Equity Incentive Award Plan									3,000,000
Stock options granted				864,250
Restricted stock granted				270,250

Income_Taxes_Additional_Inform

Income Taxes - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Feb. 28, 2013	Sep. 07, 2013	Sep. 08, 2012	Sep. 07, 2013	Sep. 08, 2012
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Effective tax rates		40.70%	33.20%	40.30%	37.00%
Deferred tax assets reclassified to income tax receivable	$8.10
Reduction to unrecognized tax benefit position	4.4
Net income tax receivable from Safeway	3.7
Gross unrecognized benefit		$2.70		$2.70

RelatedParty_Transactions_Addi

Related-Party Transactions - Additional Information (Detail) (Safeway Inc. [Member], USD $)	Jan. 31, 2013	Dec. 29, 2012
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Safeway Inc. [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Line of credit	$50	$25

RelatedParty_Transactions_Summ

Related-Party Transactions - Summary of Operating Revenues, Operating Expenses and Other Income (Expense) (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 07, 2013	Sep. 08, 2012	Sep. 07, 2013	Sep. 08, 2012
OPERATING REVENUES:
Commissions and fees	$158,270	$133,993	$479,564	$411,356
Program, interchange, marketing and other fees	25,352	16,039	78,617	53,862
Product sales	22,374	14,619	58,727	40,954
Total operating revenues	205,996	164,651	616,908	506,172
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Distribution partner commissions	105,361	89,458	319,496	268,040
Processing and services	34,927	29,594	101,321	85,406
Sales and marketing	30,502	22,891	98,791	72,260
Costs of products sold	21,493	14,349	55,993	40,180
General and administrative	9,979	4,123	31,894	22,672
Total operating expenses	202,262	160,415	607,495	488,558
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE):
Interest income and other income, net	59	262	432	972
Interest expense		-1		-11
Safeway Inc. [Member]
OPERATING REVENUES:
Commissions and fees	376	468	1,493	1,671
Program, interchange, marketing and other fees	321	278	1,053	1,011
Product sales	1,669	1,468	3,552	3,159
Total operating revenues	2,366	2,214	6,098	5,841
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Distribution partner commissions	9,887	7,843	30,973	24,425
Processing and services	-1,105	-160	-1,453	-443
Sales and marketing	27	98	90	282
Costs of products sold
General and administrative	611	631	1,949	1,928
Total operating expenses	9,420	8,412	31,559	26,192
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE):
Interest income and other income, net	25	143	201	580
Interest expense				($10)

Earnings_Per_Share_Reconciliat

Earnings Per Share - Reconciliations of Net Income and Shares Used in Calculating Basic and Diluted EPS (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 07, 2013	Sep. 08, 2012	Sep. 07, 2013	Sep. 08, 2012
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Net income attributable to Blackhawk Network Holdings, Inc.	$2,355	$3,091	$6,192	$11,820
Distributed and undistributed earnings allocated to participating securities, Basic	-14	-76	-176	-294
Net income attributable to common stockholders, Basic	2,341	3,015	6,016	11,526
Weighted-average common shares outstanding, Basic	51,615	50,058	50,811	50,055
Earnings per share - Class A and Class B, Basic	$0.05	$0.06	$0.12	$0.23
Net income attributable to Blackhawk Network Holdings, Inc.	2,355	3,091	6,192	11,820
Distributed and undistributed earnings allocated to participating securities, Diluted	-14	-75	-174	-294
Net income attributable to common stockholders, Diluted	$2,341	$3,016	$6,018	$11,526
Weighted-average common shares outstanding	51,615	50,058	50,811	50,055
Common share equivalents, Diluted	1,459	762	1,171	737
Weighted-average shares outstanding, Diluted	53,074	50,820	51,982	50,792
Earnings per share - Class A and Class B, Diluted	$0.04	$0.06	$0.12	$0.23

Earnings_Per_Share_Additional_

Earnings Per Share - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 07, 2013	Sep. 08, 2012	Sep. 07, 2013	Sep. 08, 2012
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Payments for dividends declared	$0		$74,000
Anti-dilutive securities excluded from computation of earnings per share	35,000	364,000	160,000	318,000