| SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES | A. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES Fiscal Year - The Buckle, Inc. (the “Company”) has its fiscal year end on the Saturday nearest January 31. All references in these consolidated financial statements to fiscal years are to the calendar year in which the fiscal year begins. Fiscal 2017 represents the 53-week period ended February 3, 2018 , fiscal 2016 represents the 52-week period ended January 28, 2017 , and fiscal 2015 represents the 52-week period ended January 30, 2016 . Nature of Operations - The Company is a retailer of medium to better-priced casual apparel, footwear, and accessories for fashion-conscious young men and women operating 457 stores located in 44 states throughout the United States as of February 3, 2018 . During fiscal 2017 , the Company opened 2 new stores, substantially remodeled 8 stores, and closed 12 stores. During fiscal 2016 , the Company opened 5 new stores, substantially remodeled 19 stores, and closed 6 stores. During fiscal 2015 , the Company opened 9 new stores, substantially remodeled 14 stores, and closed 1 store. Principles of Consolidation - The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of The Buckle, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiary. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. Revenue Recognition - Retail store sales are recorded upon the purchase of merchandise by customers. Online sales are recorded when merchandise is delivered to the customer, with the time of delivery being based on estimated shipping time from the Company’s distribution center to the customer. Shipping fees charged to customers are included in revenue and shipping costs are included in selling expenses. Shipping costs were $6,965 , $6,880 , and $7,420 during fiscal 2017 , 2016 , and 2015 , respectively. Merchandise returns are estimated based upon the historical average sales return percentage and accrued at the end of the period. The reserve for merchandise returns was $1,070 and $669 as of February 3, 2018 and January 28, 2017 , respectively. The Company recognizes revenue from sales made under its layaway program upon delivery of the merchandise to the customer. The Company records the sale of gift cards and gift certificates as a current liability and recognizes a sale when a customer redeems the gift card or gift certificate. The amount of the gift certificate liability is determined using the outstanding balances from the prior three years of issuance and the gift card liability is determined using the outstanding balances from the prior four years of issuance. The Company records breakage as other income when the probability of redemption is remote, based on historical issuance and redemption patterns. Breakage recorded for the fiscal years ended February 3, 2018 , January 28, 2017 , and January 30, 2016 was $2,444 , $2,067 , and $1,934 , respectively. The Company recognizes a current liability for the down payment and subsequent installment payments made when merchandise is placed on layaway and recognizes layaways as a sale at the time the customer makes final payment and picks up the merchandise. In fiscal 2016, the Company launched a new Guest Loyalty program that allows participating guests to earn points for every qualifying purchase, which (after achievement of certain point thresholds) are redeemable as a discount off a future purchase. Reported revenue for fiscal 2017 and fiscal 2016 is net of both reward redemptions and accruals for estimated future rewards earned under the Guest Loyalty program. A liability has been recorded for future rewards based on the Company's estimate of how many earned points will turn into rewards and ultimately be redeemed prior to expiration. This liability is included in "accrued store operating expenses" and was $9,025 and $8,910 as of February 3, 2018 and January 28, 2017 , respectively. Cash and Cash Equivalents - The Company considers all debt instruments with an original maturity of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents. Investments - Investments classified as short-term investments include securities with a maturity of greater than three months and less than one year. Available-for-sale securities are reported at fair value, with unrealized gains and losses excluded from earnings and reported as a separate component of stockholders’ equity (net of the effect of income taxes), using the specific identification method, until they are sold. The Company reviews impairment to determine the classification of potential impairments as either temporary or other-than-temporary. A temporary impairment results in an unrealized loss being recorded in other comprehensive income. An impairment that is considered other-than-temporary would be recognized in net income. The Company considers various factors in reviewing potential impairments, including the length of time and extent to which the fair value has been less than the Company’s cost basis, the financial condition and near-term prospects of the issuer, and the Company’s intent and ability to hold the investments for a period of time sufficient to allow for any anticipated recovery in market value. The Company believes it has the ability and maintains its intent to hold these investments until recovery of market value occurs or until the ultimate maturity of the investments. Held-to-maturity securities are carried at amortized cost. Trading securities are reported at fair value, with unrealized gains and losses included in earnings, using the specific identification method. Inventory - Inventory is stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value. Cost is determined using an average cost method that approximates the first-in, first-out ("FIFO") method. Management makes adjustments to inventory and cost of goods sold to account for merchandise obsolescence and markdowns based on assumptions using calculations applied to current inventory levels by department within each different markdown level. Management also reviews the levels of inventory in each markdown group, and the overall aging of inventory, versus the estimated future demand for such product and the current market conditions. The calculation for estimated markdowns and/or obsolescence reduced the Company’s inventory valuation by $10,044 and $11,376 as of February 3, 2018 and January 28, 2017 , respectively. The amount charged to cost of goods sold, resulting from adjustments for estimated markdowns and/or obsolescence, was $(1,332) , $2,050 , and $1,356 , for fiscal years 2017 , 2016 , and 2015 , respectively. Property and Equipment - Property and equipment are stated on the basis of historical cost. Depreciation is provided using a combination of accelerated and straight-line methods based upon the estimated useful lives of the assets. The majority of property and equipment have useful lives of five to ten years with the exception of buildings, which have estimated useful lives of 31.5 to 39 years. Leasehold improvements are stated on the basis of historical cost and are amortized over the shorter of the life of the lease or the estimated economic life of the assets. When circumstances indicate the carrying values of long-lived assets may be impaired, an evaluation is performed on current net book value amounts. Judgments made by the Company related to the expected useful lives of property and equipment and the ability to realize cash flows in excess of carrying amounts of such assets are affected by factors such as changes in economic conditions and changes in operating performance. As the Company assesses the expected cash flows and carrying amounts of long-lived assets, adjustments are made to such carrying values. Pre-Opening Expenses - Costs related to opening new stores are expensed as incurred. Advertising Costs - Advertising costs are expensed as incurred and were $18,075 , $16,188 and $13,262 for fiscal years 2017 , 2016 , and 2015 , respectively. Health Care Costs - The Company is self-funded for health and dental claims up to $200 per individual per plan year. The Company’s plan covers eligible employees, and management makes estimates at period end to record a reserve for unpaid claims based upon historical claims information. The accrued liability as a reserve for unpaid health care claims was $1,430 and $1,295 as of February 3, 2018 and January 28, 2017 , respectively. Operating Leases - The Company leases retail stores under operating leases. Most lease agreements contain tenant improvement allowances, rent holidays, rent escalation clauses, and/or contingent rent provisions. For purposes of recognizing lease incentives and minimum rental expenses on a straight-line basis over the terms of the leases, the Company uses the date of initial possession to begin expensing rent, which is generally when the Company enters the space and begins to make improvements in preparation of intended use. For tenant improvement allowances and rent holidays, the Company records a deferred rent liability on the consolidated balance sheets and amortizes the deferred rent over the terms of the leases as reductions to rent expense on the consolidated statements of income. For scheduled rent escalation clauses during the lease terms or for rental payments commencing at a date other than the date of initial occupancy, the Company records minimum rental expenses on a straight-line basis over the terms of the leases on the consolidated statements of income. Certain leases provide for contingent rents, which are determined as a percentage of gross sales in excess of specified levels. The Company records a contingent rent liability in “accrued store operating expenses” on the consolidated balance sheets and the corresponding rent expense when specified levels have been achieved or are reasonably probable to be achieved. Other Income - The Company’s other income is derived primarily from interest and dividends received on cash and investments. Income Taxes - The Company records a deferred tax asset and liability for expected future tax consequences resulting from temporary differences between financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities. The Company considers future taxable income and ongoing tax planning in assessing the value of its deferred tax assets. If the Company determines that it is more than likely that these assets will not be realized, the Company would reduce the value of these assets to their expected realizable value, thereby decreasing net income. If the Company subsequently determined that the deferred tax assets, which had been written down, would be realized in the future, such value would be increased, thus increasing net income in the period such determination was made. The Company records tax benefits only for tax positions that are more than likely to be sustained upon examination by tax authorities. The amount recognized is measured as the largest amount of benefit that is greater than 50% likely to be realized upon ultimate settlement. Unrecognized tax benefits are tax benefits claimed in the Company’s tax returns that do not meet these recognition and measurement standards. Financial Instruments and Credit Risk Concentrations - Financial instruments, which potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk, are primarily cash, investments, and accounts receivable. The Company’s investments are primarily in tax-free municipal bonds, auction-rate securities, corporate bonds, or U.S. Treasury securities with short-term maturities. The majority of the Company’s cash and cash equivalents are held by Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. This amount, as well as cash and investments held by certain other financial institutions, exceeds federally insured limits. Concentrations of credit risk with respect to accounts receivable are limited due to the nature of the Company’s receivables, which include primarily employee receivables that can be offset against future compensation. The Company’s financial instruments have a fair value approximating the carrying value. Earnings Per Share - Basic earnings per share data are based on the weighted average outstanding common shares during the period. Diluted earnings per share data are based on the weighted average outstanding common shares and the effect of all dilutive potential common shares. Use of Estimates - The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of certain assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from these estimates. Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements - In July 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") 2015-11, Simplifying the Measurement of Inventory . Under this ASU, inventory will be measured at the “lower of cost and net realizable value” and options that currently exist for “market value” will be eliminated. The ASU defines net realizable value as the “estimated selling prices in the ordinary course of business, less reasonably predictable costs of completion, disposal, and transportation.” No other changes were made to the current guidance on inventory measurement. ASU 2015-11 is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016. The Company adopted the provisions of this ASU in the first quarter of fiscal 2017 and it did not have a material effect on its consolidated results of operations and financial position. In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-09, Compensation - Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting . This standard is intended to simplify several aspects of the accounting for share-based payment award transactions, including the income tax consequences, classification of awards as either equity or liabilities, an option to recognize gross stock compensation expense with actual forfeitures recognized as they occur, and classifications in the statement of cash flows. ASU 2016-09 is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016 and early adoption is permitted. The Company adopted the provisions of this ASU in the first quarter of fiscal 2017 and it did not have a material effect on its consolidated results of operations and financial position. In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) , which supersedes the revenue recognition requirements in Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") 605, Revenue Recognition . The new revenue recognition standard requires entities to recognize revenue in a way that depicts the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. In July 2015, the FASB approved a one-year deferral of the effective date of the new revenue recognition standard. The new standard will become effective for the Company beginning with the first quarter of fiscal 2018 and can be adopted either retrospectively to each prior reporting period presented or as a cumulative effect adjustment as of the date of adoption. The adoption of this ASU will affect the income statement classification of gift card and gift certificate breakage, the timing of revenue recognition for sales of merchandise shipped to customers, and the presentation of the allowance for estimated sales returns. The Company plans to adopt this ASU in the first quarter of fiscal 2018 using the modified retrospective transition method. The adoption of ASU 2014-09 will not have a material impact on either the Company's consolidated results of operations or financial position. In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) . This ASU replaces the existing guidance in ASC 840, Leases . The new standard establishes a right-of-use ("ROU") model that requires a lessee to record a ROU asset and a lease liability on the balance sheet for all leases with terms longer than 12 months. Leases will be classified as either finance or operating, with classification affecting the pattern of expense recognition in the income statement. The guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company is currently evaluating the effect that adopting this new accounting guidance will have on its consolidated results of operations and financial position, but does expect that it will result in a significant increase in both assets and liabilities related to the Company's leases for retail store locations. Supplemental Cash Flow Information - The Company had non-cash investing activities during fiscal years 2017 , 2016 , and 2015 of $276 , $469 , and $1,670 , respectively. The non-cash investing activity relates to the change in the balance of unpaid purchases of property, plant, and equipment included in accounts payable as of the end of the year. The liability for unpaid purchases of property, plant, and equipment included in accounts payable was $371 , $647 , and $1,116 as of February 3, 2018 , January 28, 2017 , and January 30, 2016 , respectively. Amounts reported as unpaid purchases are recorded as cash outflows from investing activities for purchases of property, plant, and equipment in the consolidated statement of cash flows in the period they are paid. Additional cash flow information for the Company includes cash paid for income taxes during fiscal years 2017 , 2016 , and 2015 of $48,456 , $65,180 , and $93,425 , respectively. |
