20230930-DK-Butterfly-1, Inc. - Annual Report: 2018 (Form 10-K)

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

__________________________

FORM 10-K

Annual Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

For the fiscal year ended March 3, 2018

Commission File Number 0-20214

BED BATH & BEYOND INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

650 Liberty Avenue, Union, New Jersey 07083

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: 908/688-0888

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes X No __

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes __ No X

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes X No __

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes X No__

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K (§ 229.405 of this chapter) is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. [ X ]

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ___

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes __ No X

As of August 26, 2017, the aggregate market value of the common stock held by non-affiliates (which was computed by reference to the closing price on such date of such stock on the Nasdaq Global Select Market) was $3,804,085,623.*

The number of shares outstanding of the registrant’s common stock (par value $0.01 per share) at March 31, 2018: 140,311,297.

Documents Incorporated by Reference

Portions of the Registrant’s definitive proxy statement for the 2018 Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be filed pursuant to Regulation 14A are incorporated by reference in Part III hereof.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART I

Unless otherwise indicated, the term "Company" refers collectively to Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. and subsidiaries as of March 3, 2018. The Company’s fiscal year is comprised of the 52 or 53 week period ending on the Saturday nearest February 28. Accordingly, fiscal 2017, fiscal 2016 and fiscal 2015 represented 53 weeks, 52 weeks, and 52 weeks, respectively, and ended on March 3, 2018, February 25, 2017 and February 27, 2016, respectively. Unless otherwise indicated, all references herein to periods of time (e.g., quarters and years) are to fiscal periods.

ITEM 1 – BUSINESS

Overview

Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. is an omnichannel retailer offering high quality and differentiated products, and services and solutions for the home and heart-felt life events. These include certain life events that evoke strong emotional connections such as getting married, moving to a new home, having a baby, going to college and decorating a room, which the Company supports through its wedding and baby registries, mover and student life programs, and its design consultation services.

The Company commenced operations in 1971 with the opening of two stores, which primarily sold bed linens and bath accessories. The first store carrying a full line of domestics merchandise and home furnishings was introduced in 1985 using the name "Bed Bath & Beyond" in order to reflect the expanded product offering. In 1992, the Company became a public company, with 34 stores, and began trading on The Nasdaq Global Select Market under the ticker symbol ‘BBBY.’ In 1999, the Company launched its first e-commerce website, www.bedbathandbeyond.com.

Since then, the Company has grown both organically and via acquisition. In 2002, the Company acquired Harmon Stores, Inc., a health and beauty care retailer, which operated 27 stores at the time located in three states. In 2003, the Company acquired Christmas Tree Shops, Inc., a retailer of giftware and household items, which operated 23 stores at the time located in six states. In 2007, the Company acquired Buy Buy Baby, Inc., a retailer of infant and toddler merchandise, which operated eight stores at the time located in four states. In 2007, the Company opened its first international Bed Bath & Beyond store in Ontario, Canada. In 2008, the Company became a partner in a joint venture which operated two stores at the time in the Mexico City market under the name “Home & More,” which were rebranded as Bed Bath & Beyond in 2012. In 2012, the Company acquired Linen Holdings, LLC (“Linen Holdings,” operating as Harbor Linen and T-Y Group), a provider of a variety of textile products, amenities and other goods to institutional customers in the hospitality, cruise line, healthcare and other industries, and Cost Plus, Inc., an omnichannel retailer selling a wide range of home decorating items, furniture, gifts, holiday and other seasonal items, and specialty food and beverages, which operated 258 stores at the time located in 30 states under the names of World Market, Cost Plus World Market or Cost Plus. In 2014, the Company opened its first international buybuy BABY store in Alberta, Canada. In 2015, the Company acquired Of a Kind, Inc., an e-commerce website that features specially commissioned, limited edition items from emerging fashion and home designers. In 2016, the Company acquired One Kings Lane, Inc., an authority in home décor and design offering a unique collection of select home goods, designer and vintage items; PersonalizationMall.com, LLC, an industry-leading online retailer of personalized products; and certain assets of Chef Central, a retailer of kitchenware, cookware and homeware items catering to cooking and baking enthusiasts. In early 2017, the Company acquired Decorist, Inc., an online interior design platform that provides personalized home design services.

Through its multiple retail channels, the Company strives to do more for and with its customers wherever, whenever and however they wish to interact with the Company. The Company operates a robust ecommerce platform consisting of various websites and applications including bedbathandbeyond.com, bedbathandbeyond.ca, harmondiscount.com, facevalues.com, christmastreeshops.com, andthat.com, buybuybaby.com, buybuybaby.ca, harborlinen.com, t-ygroup.com, worldmarket.com, ofakind.com, onekingslane.com, personalizationmall.com, chefcentral.com and decorist.com. The Company also operates an established retail store base which consists of 1,552 stores, as of March 3, 2018, and includes 1,017 Bed Bath & Beyond (“BBB”) stores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Canada, 276 stores under the names of World Market, Cost Plus World Market or Cost Plus (collectively, “Cost Plus World Market”), 119 buybuy BABY (“Baby”) stores in 35 states and Canada, 83 stores under the names Christmas Tree Shops, Christmas Tree Shops andThat! or andThat! (collectively, “CTS”), and 57 stores under the names Harmon, Harmon Face Values or Face Values (collectively, “Harmon”). In addition, the Company is a partner in a joint venture which operates eight stores in Mexico under the name Bed Bath & Beyond.

The Company accounts for its operations as two operating segments: North American Retail and Institutional Sales. The Institutional Sales operating segment, which is comprised of Linen Holdings, does not meet the quantitative thresholds under U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and therefore is not a reportable segment. Net sales outside of the U.S. for the Company were not material for 2017, 2016 and 2015.

Strategy

The Company’s mission is to be trusted by its customers as the expert for the home and heart-felt life events. These include certain life events that evoke strong emotional connections such as getting married, moving to a new home, having a baby, going to college and decorating a room, which the Company supports through its wedding and baby registries, mover and student life programs, and its design consultation services. The Company’s ability to achieve its mission is driven by three broad objectives: first, to present a meaningfully differentiated and complete product assortment for the home, of the right quality, at the right value; second, to provide services and solutions that enhance the usage and enjoyment of its offerings; and third, to deliver a convenient, engaging, and inspiring shopping experience that is intelligently personalized over time. The Company is undertaking a number of strategic initiatives to support each of these objectives, as well as to drive change across the organization in order to improve operational efficiencies and to create future growth. Through this focused approach, the Company believes it will further its efforts to be trusted as the expert for the home and heart-felt life events.

The integration of retail store and customer facing digital channels allows the Company to provide its customers with a seamless omnichannel shopping experience. In-store purchases are primarily fulfilled from that store’s inventory, or may also be shipped to a customer from one of the Company’s distribution facilities, from a vendor, or from another store. Purchases, including web and mobile, can be shipped to a customer from the Company’s distribution facilities, directly from vendors, or from a store. The Company’s customers can also choose to pick up online orders in a store, as well as return online purchases to a store. Customers can also make purchases through one of the Company’s customer contact centers and in-store through The Beyond Store, the Company’s proprietary, web-based platform. These capabilities allow the Company to better serve customers across various channels.

By remaining grounded in its customer-centric culture, along with maintaining strong financial discipline, the Company believes it will achieve its mission to be the trusted expert for the home and heart-felt life events and continue to achieve long-term success.

Pricing. The Company believes in offering its customers high quality and differentiated products, and services and solutions at the right price and value. The Company regularly monitors price levels at its competitors in order to ensure that its prices are in accordance with its pricing philosophy. The Company believes that the application of its pricing philosophy is a significant factor in its ability to establish trust among customers as the expert for the home and heart-felt life events.

Merchandising. The Company sells a wide assortment of domestics merchandise and home furnishings. Domestics merchandise includes categories such as bed linens and related items, bath items and kitchen textiles. Home furnishings include categories such as kitchen and tabletop items, fine tabletop, basic housewares, general home furnishings (including furniture and wall décor), consumables and certain juvenile products. The Company strives to present an exciting and engaging assortment of products to its customers, including name brands, proprietary and exclusive brands, as well as personalized products. The Company pursues product differentiation in several ways, including its own product development, and exclusivity and limited distribution with its vendor partners. Some examples of the Company’s proprietary brands include Wamsutta, Real Simple, SALT and Artisanal Kitchen Supply. The Company, on an ongoing basis, tests new merchandise categories and adjusts the categories of merchandise carried in-store and online and may add new product categories or expand its merchandise assortment as appropriate. Additionally, the Company continues to integrate its merchandise assortments among its concepts.

The Company is evolving toward providing a more inspirational and personal shopping experience with an expanded offering, which includes a more differentiated product mix, and enhanced services and solutions for customers, both in-store and across its customer facing digital channels.

As consumer shopping preferences continue to shift to customer facing digital channels, the Company believes its investments are driving a better omnichannel experience. The Company continues to improve the presentation and content as well as the functionality, general search and navigation features across its customer facing digital channels. The Company is also adapting its physical channels to further integrate its omnichannel capabilities to enhance the in-store customer experience by bringing products, and services and solutions, as well as the Company’s brand, to life. This includes services such as, reserve online and pickup in-store, purchase online and return in-store, and online appointment scheduling for one of the Company’s various registry services. In addition, the Company has introduced new technology in some stores which enables a customer to further engage with its products, obtain product ideas and answers to product questions.

Marketing. The Company’s marketing efforts include a full-range of online and off-line vehicles, including email, mobile SMS, social, search, digital display and online affiliate programs, as well as traditional print media such as postcards, newspaper inserts, circulars, and catalogs, all of which often include coupon offers. The Company is making significant investments to further develop and integrate its expansive customer data with other relevant third-party data and technology tools to develop and scale tailored and personalized marketing communications, and further its efforts to be trusted as the expert for the home and heart-felt life events.

Customer Service. The Company’s customer-centric culture is rooted in creating a noticeably better shopping experience for each and every customer. The Company invests in its people and in delivering high-quality products, and services and solutions. As part of its objective to take care of its customers, the Company strives to make returns and exchanges hassle-free, whether in store or online. The Company’s best-in-class registry services for wedding, baby, college and other heart-felt life events provide a unique opportunity to deepen customer relationships by demonstrating a high level of customer service during important life stages. Also, the Company continues to invest in the technology necessary to enable a more seamless interaction between its associates and its customers wherever, whenever and however they wish to interact with the Company. The Company’s customer contact centers provide 24/7 customer service and support either by phone, email or live chat. During the second quarter of fiscal 2017, the Company opened its newest customer contact center in the Orlando, Florida area. The Company continues to focus its efforts and investments to strengthen its position as a leader in customer service.

Suppliers

The Company purchases substantially all of its merchandise in the United States, the majority from domestic sources (who may manufacture overseas) and the balance from importers. The Company purchases a small amount of its merchandise directly from overseas sources. In fiscal 2017, the Company purchased its merchandise from approximately 11,100 suppliers with its largest supplier accounting for approximately 3% of its merchandise purchases with the 10 largest suppliers accounting for approximately 16% of such purchases. The Company has no long term contracts for the purchases of merchandise. The Company believes that most merchandise, other than brand name goods, is available from a variety of sources and that most brand name goods can be replaced with comparable merchandise.

Distribution

A substantial portion of the Company’s merchandise is shipped to stores through a combination of third party facilities, including cross dock locations, or Company operated distribution facilities which are located throughout the United States. The remaining merchandise for stores is shipped directly from vendors. Merchandise is shipped directly to customers from one of the Company’s operated distribution facilities, stores or from vendors. The majority of the Company’s shipments are made by contract carriers depending upon location.

See “Item 2 – Properties” for additional information regarding the Company’s distribution facilities.

Associates

As of March 3, 2018, the Company employed approximately 65,000 regular full-time and part-time associates. The Company believes that its employee relations are very good and that the labor turnover rate among its management employees is lower than that generally experienced within the industry.

Seasonality

The Company’s business is subject to seasonal influences. Generally, its sales volumes are higher in the calendar months of August, November and December, and lower in February.

Growth

In the 25-year period from the beginning of fiscal 1992 to the end of fiscal 2017, the Company has grown from 34 stores to 1,552 stores, plus its interactive platforms, including websites and applications, and distribution facilities. Total store square footage, net of openings and closings, grew from approximately 0.9 million square feet at the beginning of fiscal 1992 to approximately 43.7 million square feet at the end of fiscal 2017. Over the past several years, sales from the Company’s customer facing digital channels have continued to experience strong growth.

In addition, as of March 3, 2018, the Company had distribution facilities totaling approximately 7.2 million square feet, supporting the growth of its customer facing digital channels as well as its stores and its institutional sales segment. During the third quarter of fiscal 2017, the Company’s newest distribution facility in Las Vegas, Nevada began shipping to customers. This new facility replaced a smaller distribution facility in that area, which closed in late 2017, and provides additional capacity to support the growth of the Company’s customer facing digital channels.

Over the next several years, the Company expects to make heavy investments in people, processes and technology as it continues the evolution of its foundational structure to support its mission to be trusted by its customers as the expert for the home and heart-felt life events.

The Company expects company-wide to open approximately 20 new stores, and close approximately 40 stores in fiscal 2018, unless it can negotiate more favorable lease terms with landlords. Additionally, in connection with leveraging its merchandise offerings and optimizing its operations, the Company continues to expand, across selected stores, the number of specialty departments such as health and beauty care, baby, specialty food, and beverage. Also, the Company is committed to the continued growth of its merchandise categories and channels and is growing the number of items it is able to have shipped directly to customers from a vendor. The continued growth of the Company is dependent, in part, upon the Company’s ability to execute these and other key initiatives successfully.

The Company has built its management structure with a view towards its growth and believes that, as a result, it has the necessary management depth.

Competition

The Company operates in a highly competitive business environment and competes with other national, regional, local and online retailers that may carry similar lines of merchandise, including department stores, specialty stores, off-price stores, mass merchandise stores and online only retailers. The Company believes the key to competing in its industry is to provide best-in-class customer service and customer experiences in stores and online, which includes compelling price and value, high-quality and differentiated products, services and solutions, convenience, technology, personalization, and appealing and experiential store environments.

Tradenames and Service Marks

The Company uses the service marks “Bed Bath & Beyond,” “buybuy BABY,” “Christmas Tree Shops,” “andThat!,” “Harmon,” “Face Values,” “Cost Plus,” “World Market,” “Cost Plus World Market,” “Of a Kind,” “One Kings Lane,” “PersonalizationMall.com,” “PMall,” “Chef Central,” and “Decorist,” in connection with its retail services. The Company also uses the service marks “Harbor Linen” and “TY Group” in connection with its institutional sales segment. The Company has registered trademarks and service marks or is seeking registrations for these and other trademarks and service marks with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. In addition, the Company has registered or has applications pending with the trademark registries of several foreign countries, including having registered the “Bed Bath & Beyond” name and logo in Canada and Mexico and having registered the “buybuy BABY” name and logo in Canada. The Company also owns a number of product trademarks. The Company files patent applications and seeks copyright registrations where it deems such to be advantageous to the business. The Company believes that its name recognition and service marks are important elements of the Company’s merchandising strategy.

Available Information

The Company makes available as soon as reasonably practicable after filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), free of charge, through its website, www.bedbathandbeyond.com, the Company’s annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to those reports, electronically filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

ITEM 1A – RISK FACTORS

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The Company’s actual results and future financial condition may differ materially from those expressed in any such forward-looking statements as a result of many factors. Such factors include the following:

General economic factors beyond the Company’s control and changes in the economic climate could adversely affect the Company’s performance.

General economic factors that are beyond the Company’s control could impact the Company’s forecasts and actual performance. These factors include housing markets, recession, inflation, deflation, consumer credit availability, consumer debt levels, fuel and energy costs, interest rates, tax rates and policy, unemployment trends, the impact of natural disasters, civil disturbances and terrorist activities, foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations, conditions affecting the retail environment for products sold by the Company and other matters that influence consumer spending. Changes in the economic climate could adversely affect the Company’s performance.

The Company operates in the highly competitive retail business where the use of emerging technologies as well as unanticipated changes in the pricing and other practices of competitors may adversely affect the Company’s performance.

The retail business is highly competitive. The Company competes for customers, employees, locations, merchandise, technology, services and other important aspects of the business with many other local, regional and national retailers. Those competitors range from specialty retailers to department stores and discounters as well as online and multichannel retailers. Specifically, rapidly evolving technologies are altering the manner in which the Company and its competitors communicate and transact with customers. The Company’s execution of its own omnichannel strategy to adapt to these changes, in relation to its competitors’ actions as well as to its customers adoption of new technology, presents a specific risk. Further, unanticipated changes in pricing and other practices of the Company’s competitors, including promotional activity, such as thresholds for free shipping and rapid price fluctuation enabled by technology, may adversely affect the Company’s performance.

The Company’s failure to anticipate and respond in a timely fashion to changes in consumer preferences and demographic factors may adversely affect the Company’s financial condition and results of operations.

The Company’s success depends on its ability to anticipate and respond in a timely manner to changing merchandise trends, customer demands and demographics. The Company’s failure to anticipate, identify or react appropriately to changes in customer tastes, preferences, shopping and spending patterns and other life interest decisions could lead to, among other things, excess inventories or a shortage of products and may adversely affect the Company’s financial condition and results of operations.

Unusual weather patterns could adversely affect the Company’s performance.

The Company’s operating results could be negatively impacted by unusual weather patterns. Frequent or unusually heavy snow, ice or rain storms, hurricanes, floods, tornados or extended periods of unseasonable temperatures could adversely affect the Company’s performance.

A major disruption of the Company’s information technology systems could negatively impact operating results.

The Company’s operating results could be negatively impacted by a major disruption of the Company’s information technology systems. The Company relies heavily on these systems to process transactions, manage inventory replenishment, summarize results and control distribution of products. Despite numerous safeguards and careful contingency planning, these systems are still subject to power outages, telecommunication failures, cybercrimes, cybersecurity attacks and other catastrophic events. A major disruption of the systems and their backup mechanisms may cause the Company to incur significant costs to repair the systems, experience a critical loss of data and/or result in business interruptions.

A breach of the Company’s data security systems or those of its third party service providers could have a negative impact on the Company's operating results and financial performance due to possible loss of consumer confidence, as well as potential government penalties and private litigation.

The Company processes, transmits, stores and maintains certain information about its customers and employees in the ordinary course of business. In connection with certain activities, including without limitation credit card processing, website hosting, data encryption and software support, the Company utilizes third party service providers, and the Company believes it takes appropriate steps to require such providers to secure such information and to assess their ability to do so. The Company invests considerable resources in protecting this sensitive information but is still subject to a possible security event, including but not limited to cybercrimes or cybersecurity attacks which may not be detected for a period of time. A breach of its security systems or those of its third party service providers resulting in unauthorized access to stored personal information could negatively impact the Company’s operating results and financial performance. Certain aspects of the business, particularly the Company’s websites, heavily depend on consumers entrusting personal financial information to be transmitted securely over public networks. A loss of consumer confidence from such a breach could result in lost future sales and have a material adverse effect on the Company’s reputation. In addition, a breach or other type of cybercrime or cybersecurity attack could cause the Company to incur significant costs to restore the integrity of its data and systems, could require the devotion of significant management resources, and could result in significant costs in government penalties and private litigation.

A failure of the Company’s suppliers to adhere to appropriate laws, regulations or standards could negatively impact its reputation.

The Company purchases substantially all of its merchandise in the United States, the majority from domestic sources (who may manufacture overseas) and the balance from importers. The Company purchases a small amount of its merchandise directly from overseas sources. The failure of one of the Company’s domestic or foreign suppliers to adhere to labor, environmental, privacy, health and safety laws, regulations and standards could negatively impact the Company’s reputation and have an adverse effect on the Company’s results of operations.

Damage to the reputation of the Company in any aspect of its operations could potentially impact its operating and financial results.

The Company’s reputation is based, in part, on perceptions of subjective qualities, so incidents involving the Company, its products or the retail industry in general that erode customer trust or confidence could adversely affect the Company’s reputation and its business. As the Company increases the number of items it is able to have shipped directly from a vendor to a customer for home delivery or in home assembly, any deficiencies in the performance of these third party merchandise vendors and service providers could also have an adverse effect on the Company’s reputation, despite the Company’s monitoring controls and procedures. In addition, challenges to the Company’s compliance with a variety of social, product, labor and environmental standards could also jeopardize its reputation and lead to adverse publicity, especially in social media. The use of social media by the Company and consumers has also increased the risk that the Company’s reputation could be negatively impacted. The availability of information and opinion on social media is immediate, as is its impact. The opportunity for dissemination of information, including inaccurate and inflammatory information and opinion, is virtually limitless. Information about or affecting the Company is easily accessible and rapidly disseminated.

Damage to the reputation of the Company in any aspect of its operations could potentially impact its operating and financial results as well as require additional resources to rebuild its reputation.

Changes in statutory, regulatory, and other legal requirements at a local, state or provincial and national level, or deemed noncompliance with such requirements, could potentially impact the Company’s operating and financial results.

The Company is subject to numerous statutory, regulatory and legal requirements at a local, state or provincial and national level, and this regulatory environment is subject to constant change. The Company’s operating results could be negatively impacted by developments in these areas due to the costs of compliance in addition to possible government penalties and litigation in the event of deemed noncompliance. Changes in the law or the regulatory environment in the areas of product safety, environmental protection, privacy and information security, wage and hour laws, and international trade policy, among others, could potentially impact the Company’s operations and financial results.

Changes to accounting rules, regulations and tax laws, or new interpretations of existing accounting standards or tax laws could negatively impact the Company’s operating results and financial position.

The Company’s operating results and financial position could be negatively impacted by changes to accounting rules and regulations or new interpretations of existing accounting standards. The Company’s effective income tax rate could be impacted by changes in accounting standards as well as changes in tax laws or the interpretations of these tax laws by courts and taxing authorities which could negatively impact the Company’s financial results. Such changes would include for example, the possible adoption by the United States of additional tariffs, or the disallowance of tax deductions, with respect to imported merchandise.

New, or developments in existing, litigation, claims or assessments could potentially impact the Company’s operating and financial results.

The Company is involved in litigation, claims and assessments incidental to the Company’s business, the disposition of which is not expected to have a material effect on the Company’s financial position or results of operations. It is possible, however, that future results of operations for any particular quarterly or annual period could be materially affected by changes in the Company’s assumptions related to these matters. While outcomes of such actions vary, any such claim or assessment against the Company could potentially impact the Company’s operations and financial results.

The success of the Company is dependent, in part, on managing costs of labor, merchandise and other expenses that are subject to factors beyond the Company’s control.

The Company’s success depends, in part, on its ability to manage operating costs and to look for opportunities to reduce costs. The Company’s ability to meet its labor needs while controlling costs is subject to external factors such as unemployment levels, prevailing wage rates, minimum wage legislation, labor organizing activities and changing demographics. The Company’s ability to find qualified merchandise vendors and service providers and obtain access to products in a timely and efficient manner can be adversely affected by trade restrictions, political instability, the financial instability of suppliers, suppliers’ noncompliance with applicable laws, transportation costs, disruptions to its supply chain network serving the Company’s stores, distribution facilities and customers due to labor disturbances and other items, and other factors beyond the Company’s control.

Disruptions of the Company’s supply chain could have an adverse effect on the Company’s operating and financial results.

Disruption of the Company’s supply chain capabilities due to trade restrictions, political instability, weather, natural disaster, terrorism, product recalls, labor supply or stoppages, the financial and/or operational instability of key suppliers and carriers, or other reasons could impair the Company’s ability to distribute its products. To the extent the Company is unable to mitigate the likelihood or potential impact of such events, there could be an adverse effect on the Company’s operating and financial results.

The success of the Company is dependent, in part, on the ability of its employees in all areas of the organization to execute its business plan and, ultimately, to satisfy its customers.

The Company’s ability to attract and retain qualified employees in all areas of the organization may be affected by a number of factors, including geographic relocation of employees, operations or facilities and the highly competitive markets in which the Company operates, including the markets for the types of skilled individuals needed to support the Company's continued success.

The success of the Company is dependent, in part, on its ability to establish and profitably maintain the appropriate mix of digital and physical presence in the markets it serves.

The Company’s success depends, in part, on its ability to develop its digital capabilities in conjunction with optimizing its physical store operations and market coverage, while maintaining profitability. The Company’s ability to develop these capabilities will depend on a number of factors, including its assessment and implementation of emerging technologies. The Company’s ability to optimize its store operations and market coverage requires active management of its real estate portfolio in a manner that permits store sizes, layouts, locations and offerings to evolve over time, which to the extent it involves the relocation of existing stores or the opening of additional stores will depend on a number of factors, including its identification and availability of suitable locations; its success in negotiating leases on acceptable terms; and its timely development of new stores, including the availability of construction materials and labor and the absence of significant construction and other delays based on weather or other events. These factors could potentially increase the cost of doing business and the risk that the Company’s business practices could result in liabilities that may adversely affect its performance, despite the exercise of reasonable care.

Disruptions in the financial markets could have an adverse effect on the Company’s ability to access its cash and cash equivalents.

The Company may have amounts of cash and cash equivalents at financial institutions that are in excess of federally insured limits. While the Company closely manages its cash and cash equivalents balances to minimize risk, if there were disruptions in the financial markets, the Company cannot be assured that it will not experience losses on its deposits.

The Company’s stock price has been and may continue to be subject to volatility, and this and other factors may affect elements of the Company’s capital allocation strategy such as share repurchases and dividends.

The Company’s stock price has experienced volatility over time and this volatility may continue, in part due to factors such as those mentioned in this Item 1A. Stock volatility in itself may adversely affect shareholder confidence as well as employee morale and retention for those associates who receive equity grants as part of their compensation packages. The impact on employee morale and retention could adversely affect the Company’s business performance and financial results. Stock volatility and other factors may also affect elements of the Company’s capital allocation strategy.

As part of its capital allocation strategy, since December 2004, the Company’s Board of Directors has authorized several share repurchase programs, and in April 2016, the Board of Directors authorized a quarterly dividend program. Decisions regarding share repurchases and dividends are within the discretion of the Board of Directors, and will be influenced by a number of factors, including the price of the Company’s common stock, general business and economic conditions, the Company’s financial condition and operating results, the emergence of alternative investment or acquisition opportunities, changes in business strategy and other factors. Changes in, or the elimination of, the Company’s share repurchase programs or its dividend could have an adverse effect on the price of the Company’s common stock.

The Company’s business would be adversely affected if the Company is unable to service its debt obligations.

The Company has incurred indebtedness under senior unsecured notes and has entered into a senior unsecured revolving credit facility. The Company’s ability to pay interest and principal when due, comply with debt covenants or repurchase the senior unsecured notes if a change of control occurs, will depend upon, among other things, sales and cash flow levels and other factors that affect its future financial and operating performance, including prevailing economic conditions and financial and business factors, many of which are beyond the Company’s control.

If the Company becomes unable in the future to generate sufficient cash flow to meet its debt service requirements, it may be forced to take remedial actions such as restructuring or refinancing its debt; seeking additional debt or equity capital; reducing or delaying its business activities, or selling assets. There can be no assurance that any such measures would be successful.

The Company has acquired several businesses and continues to evaluate potential business initiatives, including acquisitions, any of which could adversely impact the Company’s performance.

The Company believes it carefully evaluates and plans for the integration of newly acquired businesses, as well as carefully prepares for and executes on other business combinations and strategic initiatives that are part of the success of its business. However, such activities involve certain inherent risks, including the failure to retain key personnel from an acquired business; undisclosed or subsequently arising liabilities; challenges in the successful integration of operations, aligning standards, policies and systems; and the potential diversion of management resources from existing operations to respond to unforeseen issues arising in the context of the integration of a new business or initiative.

ITEM 1B – UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS

None.

ITEM 2 – PROPERTIES

Most of the Company’s stores are located in suburban areas of medium and large-sized cities. These stores are situated in strip and power strip shopping centers, as well as in major off-price and conventional malls, and in free standing buildings.

The Company’s 1,552 stores are located in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Canada and range in size from approximately 5,000 to 100,000 square feet, but are predominantly between 18,000 and 50,000 square feet. Approximately 85% to 90% of store space is used for selling areas.

The table below sets forth the locations of the Company’s stores as of March 3, 2018:

The Company leases substantially all of its existing stores. The leases provide for original lease terms that generally range from 10 to 15 years and most leases provide for a series of five year renewal options, often at increased rents. The Company evaluates leases on an ongoing basis which may lead to renegotiated lease provisions, including rent and term duration, during renewal options, or the possible relocation of stores. The Company has approximately 400 stores across its retail fleet that will come up for renewal at the natural lease expiration over the next two years, of which the Company expects to permanently close approximately 40 stores in fiscal 2018, unless it is able to negotiate more favorable lease terms with its landlords. Certain leases provide for scheduled rent increases (which, in the case of fixed increases, the Company accounts for on a straight-line basis over the committed lease term, beginning when the Company obtains possession of the premises) and/or for contingent rent (based upon store sales exceeding stipulated amounts).

The Company has distribution facilities, which ship merchandise to stores and customers, totaling approximately 7.2 million square feet consisting of three owned and 16 leased facilities. During the third quarter of fiscal 2017, the Company’s newest distribution facility in Las Vegas, Nevada began shipping to customers. The new facility replaced a smaller distribution facility in that area, which closed in late 2017, and provides additional capacity to support the growth of the Company’s customer facing digital channels.

As of March 3, 2018, the Company has approximately 990,000 square feet within 22 leased and owned facilities for procurement and corporate office functions. In addition, the Company has five locations, totaling approximately 12,000 square feet, which are utilized primarily for sales related functions for its institutional sales segment.

ITEM 3 – LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

The Company is party to various legal proceedings arising in the ordinary course of business, which the Company does not believe to be material to the Company’s business or financial condition.

ITEM 4 – MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES

Not Applicable.

PART II

ITEM 5 – MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED SHAREHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES

The following table sets forth the high and low reported closing prices of the Company’s common stock on the Nasdaq Global Select Market for the periods indicated.

The common stock is quoted under the symbol BBBY. On March 29, 2018, there were approximately 6,100 shareholders of record of the common stock (without including individual participants in nominee security position listings). On March 29, 2018, the last reported sale price of the common stock was $20.99.

During fiscal 2016, the Company’s Board of Directors authorized a quarterly dividend program. During fiscal 2017 and 2016, total cash dividends of $80.9 million and $55.6 million were paid, respectively. Subsequent to the end of the fourth quarter of fiscal 2017, on April 11, 2018, the Company’s Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend increase to $0.16 per share to be paid on July 17, 2018 to shareholders of record at the close of business on June 15, 2018. The Company expects to pay quarterly cash dividends on its common stock in the future, subject to the determination by the Board of Directors, based on an evaluation of the Company’s earnings, financial condition and requirements, business conditions and other factors.

Since 2004 through the end of fiscal 2017, the Company has repurchased approximately $10.5 billion of its common stock through share repurchase programs. The Company’s purchases of its common stock during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2017 were as follows:

(1) Between December 2004 and September 2015, the Company's Board of Directors authorized, through several share repurchase programs, the repurchase of $11.950 billion of its shares of common stock. The Company has authorization to make repurchases from time to time in the open market or through other parameters approved by the Board of Directors pursuant to existing rules and regulations. Shares purchased, as indicated in this table, also include shares withheld to cover employee related taxes on vested restricted shares and performance stock unit awards.

(2) Excludes brokerage commissions paid by the Company.

Stock Price Performance Graph

The graph shown below compares the performance of the Company’s common stock with that of the S&P 500 Index, the S&P Specialty Retail Index and the S&P Retail Composite Index over the same period (assuming the investment of $100 in the Company’s common stock and each of the three Indexes on March 2, 2013, and the reinvestment of dividends, if any).

ITEM 6 – SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA.

(1) Each fiscal year represents 52 weeks, except for fiscal 2017 (ended March 3, 2018) which represents 53 weeks.

(2) The Company acquired Decorist, Inc. on March 6, 2017.

(3) The Company acquired One Kings Lane, Inc. on June 13, 2016, PersonalizationMall.com, LLC ("PMall") on November 23, 2016, and certain assets of Chef Central on January 27, 2017.

(4) Comparable sales include sales consummated through all retail channels which have been operating for twelve full months following the opening period (typically four to six weeks). Of a Kind was excluded from the comparable sales calculations through the end of the first fiscal half of 2016, and is included beginning with the fiscal third quarter of 2016. One Kings Lane is excluded from the comparable sales calculation for fiscal 2017 and will continue to be excluded until after the currently in process re-platforming of One Kings Lane’s systems and integration of its support services have been in place for a period of time such that there would be a meaningful comparison in One Kings Lane’s sales over the prior period. Chef Central and Decorist are also excluded from the comparable sales calculation for fiscal 2017 and will continue to be excluded until after the anniversary of the respective acquisition. PMall is included in the comparable sales calculation beginning in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2017, as the anniversary of the acquisition occurred in November 2017. Linen Holdings is excluded from the comparable sales calculations and will continue to be excluded on an ongoing basis as it represents non-retail activity.

(5) On July 17, 2014, the Company issued $300 million aggregate principal amount of 3.749% senior unsecured notes due August 1, 2024, $300 million aggregate principal amount of 4.915% senior unsecured notes due August 1, 2034 and $900 million aggregate principal amount of 5.165% senior unsecured notes due August 1, 2044. Amounts shown are net of unamortized deferred financing costs.

(6) The Company’s Board of Directors declared quarterly dividends of $0.150 per share in each quarter of fiscal 2017, totaling $0.60 per share or approximately $86 million for the fiscal year 2017 and $0.125 per share in each quarter of fiscal 2016, totaling $0.50 per share or approximately $76 million for the fiscal year 2016. The Company had not declared any cash dividends in any of the fiscal years prior to fiscal 2016.

(7) In fiscal 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, and 2013, the Company repurchased approximately $0.252 billion, $0.547 billion, $1.101 billion, $2.251 billion and $1.284 billion of its common stock, respectively.

ITEM 7 – MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

OVERVIEW

Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. and subsidiaries (the “Company”) is an omnichannel retailer selling a wide assortment of domestics merchandise and home furnishings which operates under the names Bed Bath & Beyond (“BBB”), Christmas Tree Shops, Christmas Tree Shops andThat! or andThat! (collectively, “CTS”), Harmon, Harmon Face Values, or Face Values (collectively, “Harmon”), buybuy BABY (“Baby”) and World Market, Cost Plus World Market or Cost Plus (collectively, “Cost Plus World Market”). Customers can purchase products either in-store, online, with a mobile device or through a customer contact center. The Company generally has the ability to have customer purchases picked up in-store or shipped direct to the customer from the Company’s distribution facilities, stores or vendors. In addition, the Company operates Of a Kind, an e-commerce website that features specially commissioned, limited edition items from emerging fashion and home designers; One Kings Lane, an authority in home décor and design, offering a unique collection of select home goods, designer and vintage items; PersonalizationMall.com (“PMall”), an industry-leading online retailer of personalized products; Chef Central, a retailer of kitchenware, cookware and homeware items catering to cooking and baking enthusiasts; and Decorist, an online interior design platform that provides personalized home design services. The Company also operates Linen Holdings, a provider of a variety of textile products, amenities and other goods to institutional customers in the hospitality, cruise line, healthcare and other industries. Additionally, the Company is a partner in a joint venture which operates retail stores in Mexico under the name Bed Bath & Beyond.

The Company accounts for its operations as two operating segments: North American Retail and Institutional Sales. The Institutional Sales operating segment, which is comprised of Linen Holdings, does not meet the quantitative thresholds under U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and therefore is not a reportable segment.

The Company’s mission is to be trusted by its customers as the expert for the home and heart-felt life events. These include certain life events that evoke strong emotional connections such as getting married, moving to a new home, having a baby, going to college and decorating a room, which the Company supports through its wedding and baby registries, mover and student life programs, and its design consultation services. The Company’s ability to achieve its mission is driven by three broad objectives: first, to present a meaningfully differentiated and complete product assortment for the home, of the right quality, at the right value; second, to provide services and solutions that enhance the usage and enjoyment of its offerings; and third, to deliver a convenient, engaging, and inspiring shopping experience that is intelligently personalized over time. The Company is undertaking a number of strategic initiatives to support each of these objectives, as well as to drive change across the organization in order to improve operational efficiencies and to create future growth. Through this focused approach, the Company believes it will further its efforts to be trusted as the expert for the home and heart-felt life events.

The integration of retail store and customer facing digital channels allows the Company to provide its customers with a seamless shopping experience. In-store purchases are primarily fulfilled from that store’s inventory, or may also be shipped to a customer from one of the Company’s distribution facilities, from a vendor, or from another store. Purchases, including web and mobile, can be shipped to a customer from the Company’s distribution facilities, directly from vendors, or from a store. The Company’s customers can also choose to pick up online orders in a store, as well as return online purchases to a store. Customers can also make purchases through one of the Company’s customer contact centers and in-store through The Beyond Store, the Company’s proprietary, web-based platform. These capabilities allow the Company to better serve customers across various channels.

Operating in the highly competitive retail industry, the Company, along with other retail companies, is influenced by a number of factors including, but not limited to, general economic conditions including the housing market, unemployment levels and commodity prices; the overall macroeconomic environment and related changes in the retailing environment; consumer preferences, spending habits and adoption of new technologies; unusual weather patterns and natural disasters; competition from existing and potential competitors across all channels; potential supply chain disruption; the ability to find suitable locations at acceptable occupancy costs and other terms to support the Company’s plans for new stores; and the ability to assess and implement technologies in support of the Company’s development of its omnichannel capabilities. The Company cannot predict whether, when or the manner in which these factors could affect the Company’s operating results.

The results of operations for the fiscal year ended March 3, 2018 included Decorist since the date of acquisition, March 6, 2017. The results of operations for the fiscal year ended February 25, 2017 include One Kings Lane since the date of acquisition, June 13, 2016, and PMall since the date of acquisition, November 23, 2016. The results of operations for the fiscal year ended February 27, 2016 include Of a Kind since the date of acquisition in the second quarter of fiscal 2015.

The following represents an overview of the Company’s financial performance for the periods indicated:

Comparable sales include sales consummated through all retail channels which have been operating for twelve full months following the opening period (typically four to six weeks). The Company is an omnichannel retailer with capabilities that allow a customer to use more than one channel when making a purchase, including in-store, online, with a mobile device or through a customer contact center, and have it fulfilled, in most cases, either through in-store customer pickup or by direct shipment to the customer from one of the Company’s distribution facilities, stores or vendors.

Sales consummated on a mobile device while physically in a store location are recorded as customer facing digital channel sales. Customer orders taken in-store by an associate through The Beyond Store, the Company’s proprietary, web-based platform are recorded as in-store sales. Customer orders reserved online and picked up in a store are recorded as in-store sales. Sales originally consummated from customer facing digital channels and subsequently returned in-store are recorded as a reduction of in-store sales.

Stores relocated or expanded are excluded from comparable sales if the change in square footage would cause meaningful disparity in sales over the prior period. In the case of a store to be closed, such store’s sales are not considered comparable once the store closing process has commenced. Stores impacted by unusual and unexpected events outside the Company’s control, including severe weather, fire or floods, are excluded from comparable sales for the period of time that such event would cause a meaningful disparity in sales over the prior period. Of a Kind was excluded from the comparable sales calculations through the end of the first fiscal half of 2016, and is included beginning with the fiscal third quarter of 2016. One Kings Lane is excluded from the comparable sales calculation for fiscal 2017 and will continue to be excluded until after the currently in process re-platforming of One King Lane’s systems and integration of its support services have been in place for a period of time such that there would be a meaningful comparison in One Kings Lane’s sales over the prior period. Chef Central and Decorist are also excluded from the comparable sales calculation for fiscal 2017 and will continue to be excluded until after the anniversary of the respective acquisition. PMall is included in the comparable sales calculation beginning in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2017, as the anniversary of the acquisition occurred in November 2017. Linen Holdings is excluded from the comparable sales calculations and will continue to be excluded on an ongoing basis as it represents non-retail activity.

On December 22, 2017, the U.S. government enacted comprehensive tax legislation commonly referred to as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, (the “Tax Act”). The Tax Act significantly revised the U.S. tax code by, among other things, (i) reducing the federal corporate income tax rate from 35% to 21%, effective January 1, 2018, (ii) imposing a one-time transition tax on earnings of foreign subsidiaries deemed to be repatriated and (iii) implementing a modified territorial tax system. The Company’s effective tax rate for fiscal 2017 included a net increase of approximately 1.5%, resulting from the impacts of the Tax Act. The net unfavorable tax impact included the following: (1) re-measurement of the Company’s net deferred tax assets that existed on December 22, 2017; (2) deferred taxes that were created after December 22, 2017 that were deducted at the federal statutory rate of 32.66%, but will reverse at the newly enacted 21% federal statutory rate; (3) the transition tax on accumulated foreign earnings; and (4) the decrease in the federal statutory tax rate in fiscal 2017.

Additionally in fiscal 2017, the effective tax rate included the effect of the adoption of Accounting Standards Update (“ASU 2016-09”), Compensation – Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Share-Based Payment Accounting, (“ASU 2016-09, Stock Compensation”), which increased the effective tax rate by approximately 1.4%. The effective rate also included approximately 1.9% of favorable tax benefits occurring during fiscal 2017.

The effective tax rates for fiscal 2016 and 2015 included discrete tax items resulting in net benefits of approximately $18.5 million and $14.8 million, respectively.

For the fiscal year ended March 3, 2018, the decrease in net earnings per diluted share is the result of the decrease in net earnings due to the items described above, partially offset by an estimated $0.05 benefit related to the fifty-third week in fiscal 2017 and the benefit of the Company’s repurchases of its common stock. In addition, fiscal 2017 net earnings per diluted share included the net unfavorable impact of the Tax Act of approximately $0.08, the unfavorable impact of the adoption of ASU 2016-09, Stock Compensation of approximately $0.07 and the cash restructuring charges associated with the acceleration of the realignment of its store management structure of approximately $0.04.

For the fiscal year ended February 25, 2017, the decrease in net earnings per diluted share is the result of the decrease in net earnings due to the items described above, partially offset by the Company’s repurchases of its common stock.

Capital expenditures for fiscal 2017, 2016, and 2015 were $375.8 million, $373.6 million and $328.4 million, respectively. Approximately 50% of the current year capital expenditures were for technology projects, including investments in the Company’s digital capabilities, and the development and deployment of new systems and equipment in its stores. The remaining capital expenditures were primarily related to investments in stores, the Company’s new Las Vegas distribution facility, which began shipping to customers during the third quarter of fiscal 2017, and its new customer contact center in Florida. The Company continues to review and prioritize its capital needs and remains committed to making the required investments in its infrastructure to help position the Company for continued growth and success.

The Company continues to make the investments and add the resources necessary to position itself for long-term success. Key areas of investment include: continuing to improve the presentation and content as well as the functionality, general search and navigation across its customer facing digital channels; improving customer data integration and customer relations management capabilities; continuing to enhance service offerings to its customers; continuing to strengthen and deepen its information technology, analytics, marketing and e-commerce groups; and creating more flexible fulfillment options that will improve the Company’s delivery capabilities and lower the Company’s shipping costs. These and other investments are expected to, among other things, provide a seamless and compelling customer experience across the Company’s omnichannel retail platform.

During fiscal 2017, the Company opened a total of 22 new stores and closed 16 stores. The Company plans to continue to actively manage its real estate portfolio in order to permit store sizes, layouts, locations and offerings to evolve over time to optimize market profitability and will renovate or reposition stores within markets when appropriate. Over the past several years, the Company’s pace of its store openings has slowed, and the Company has increased the number of store closings. The Company has approximately 400 stores across its retail fleet that will come up for renewal at the natural lease expiration over the next two years, of which the Company expects to permanently close approximately 40 stores in fiscal 2018, unless it is able to negotiate more favorable lease terms with its landlords. These expected closures are primarily Bed Bath & Beyond stores. In fiscal 2018, the Company expects to open approximately 20 new stores, primarily Baby and Cost Plus World Market stores. Additionally, the Company expects to continue to invest in technology related projects, including the deployment of new systems and equipment in its stores, enhancements to the Company’s customer facing digital channels, ongoing investment in its data warehouse and data analytics and the continued deployment of a new point of sale system.

During fiscal 2017, 2016 and 2015, the Company repurchased 8.0 million, 12.3 million, and 18.4 million shares, respectively, of its common stock at a total cost of approximately $252.4 million, $547.0 million and $1.101 billion, respectively. The Company’s share repurchase program may be influenced by several factors, including business and market conditions. The Company reviews its alternatives with respect to its capital structure on an ongoing basis.

During fiscal 2016, the Company’s Board of Directors authorized a quarterly dividend program. During fiscal 2017 and 2016, total cash dividends of $80.9 million and $55.6 million were paid, respectively. Subsequent to the end of the fourth quarter of fiscal 2017, on April 11, 2018, the Company’s Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend increase to $0.16 per share to be paid on July 17, 2018 to shareholders of record at the close of business on June 15, 2018. The Company expects to pay quarterly cash dividends on its common stock in the future, subject to the determination by the Board of Directors, based on an evaluation of the Company’s earnings, financial condition and requirements, business conditions and other factors.

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

The following table sets forth for the periods indicated (i) selected statement of earnings data of the Company expressed as a percentage of net sales and (ii) the percentage change in dollar amounts from the prior year in selected statement of earnings data:

Net Sales

Net sales in fiscal 2017 (fifty-three weeks) increased $133.5 million to $12.349 billion, representing an increase of 1.1% over $12.216 billion of net sales in fiscal 2016 (fifty-two weeks), which increased $111.9 million or 0.9% over the $12.104 billion of net sales in fiscal 2015 (fifty-two weeks). For fiscal 2017, the increase was attributable to an increase of approximately 1.8% due to the fifty-third week and approximately 0.8% in the Company’s non-comparable sales, partially offset by a decrease of approximately 1.5% in comparable sales, adjusted to compare fifty-three weeks to fifty-two weeks. For fiscal 2016, the increase was attributable to a 1.5% increase in the Company’s non-comparable sales, including One Kings Lane, PMall and new store sales, partially offset by a 0.6% decrease in comparable sales.

The decrease in comparable sales for fiscal 2017 (fifty-three weeks) was approximately 1.3% as compared with a decrease of approximately 0.6% for fiscal 2016 (fifty-two weeks). Comparable sales percentages are calculated based on an equivalent number of weeks in each annual period. The decrease in comparable sales for fiscal 2017 was due to a decrease in the number of transactions in stores, partially offset by an increase in the average transaction amount. The decrease in comparable sales for fiscal 2016 was due to a decrease in the number of transactions, partially offset by an increase in the average transaction amount.

The Company’s comparable sales metric considers sales consummated through all retail channels – in-store, online, with a mobile device or through a customer contact center. Customers today may take advantage of the Company’s omnichannel environment by using more than one channel when making a purchase. The Company believes in an integrated and seamless customer experience. A few examples are: a customer may be assisted by an in-store associate to create a wedding or baby registry, while the guests may ultimately purchase a gift from the Company’s websites; or a customer may research a particular item, and read other customer reviews on the Company’s websites before visiting a store to consummate the actual purchase; or a customer may reserve an item online for in-store pick up; or while in a store, a customer may make the purchase on a mobile device for in home delivery from either a distribution facility, a store or directly from a vendor. In addition, the Company accepts returns in-store without regard to the channel in which the purchase was consummated, therefore resulting in reducing store sales by sales originally consummated through customer facing digital channels. As the Company’s retail operations are integrated and it cannot reasonably track the channel in which the ultimate sale is initiated, the Company can however provide directional information on where the sale was consummated.

For fiscal 2017, comparable sales consummated through customer facing digital channels continued the trend of year over year strong growth consistent with fiscal 2016, while comparable sales consummated in-store declined in the mid-single-digit percentage range from the corresponding period in the prior year. For fiscal 2016, comparable sales consummated through customer facing digital channels experienced strong growth in excess of 20%, over the corresponding period in the prior year, while comparable sales consummated in-store declined in the low single-digit percentage range from the corresponding period in the prior year.

Comparable sales represented $11.813 billion, $11.701 billion, and $11.723 billion of net sales for fiscal 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively. Comparable sales dollars are calculated based on an equivalent number of weeks in each annual period.

Domestics merchandise includes categories such as bed linens and related items, bath items and kitchen textiles. Home furnishings include categories such as kitchen and tabletop items, fine tabletop, basic housewares, general home furnishings (including furniture and wall décor), consumables and certain juvenile products. Sales of domestics merchandise accounted for approximately 35.5%, 36.8%, and 35.9% of net sales in fiscal 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively, of which the Company estimates that bed linens accounted for approximately 11% of net sales in both fiscal 2017 and 2016 and 12% of net sales in fiscal 2015. The remaining net sales in fiscal 2017, 2016, and 2015 of 64.5%, 63.2%, and 64.1%, respectively, represented sales of home furnishings. No other individual product category accounted for 10% or more of net sales during fiscal 2017, 2016 or 2015.

Gross Profit

Gross profit in fiscal 2017, 2016, and 2015 was $4.443 billion or 36.0% of net sales, $4.576 billion or 37.5% of net sales, and $4.620 billion or 38.2% of net sales, respectively. The decrease in the gross profit margin as a percentage of net sales between fiscal 2017 and 2016 was primarily attributed to, in order of magnitude: a decrease in merchandise margin; an increase in coupon expense, resulting from increases in redemptions and the average coupon amount; and an increase in net direct to customer shipping expense. The decrease in the gross profit margin as a percentage of net sales between fiscal 2016 and 2015 was primarily attributed to, in order of magnitude: an increase in coupon expense, resulting from increases in redemptions and the average coupon amount; and an increase in net direct to customer shipping expense.

Selling, General and Administrative Expenses

SG&A was $3.682 billion or 29.8% of net sales in fiscal 2017, $3.441 billion or 28.2% of net sales in fiscal 2016, and $3.205 billion or 26.5% of net sales in fiscal 2015. The percentage of net sales increase in SG&A between fiscal 2017 and 2016 was primarily attributable to, in order of magnitude: an increase in payroll and payroll related items (including salaries and store management restructuring charges); an increase in advertising expenses, due in part to the growth in digital advertising; and an increase in technology expenses and related depreciation. The percentage of net sales increase in SG&A between fiscal 2016 and 2015 was primarily attributable to, in order of magnitude: an increase in payroll and payroll related expense (including salaries); increased advertising expenses, due in part to the growth in digital advertising; and an increase in technology expenses and related depreciation.

Operating Profit

Operating profit for fiscal 2017 was $761.3 million or 6.2% of net sales, $1.135 billion or 9.3% of net sales for fiscal 2016, and $1.415 billion or 11.7% of net sales in fiscal 2015. The changes in operating profit as a percentage of net sales between 2017 and 2016 and between fiscal 2016 and 2015 were the result of the reductions in gross profit margin and the increases in SG&A as a percentage of net sales as described above.

The Company believes operating margin compression is likely to continue in fiscal 2018, however it is expected to be less than the Company experienced in fiscal 2017. This is largely due to gross margin deleverage, primarily due to the Company’s continued investment in its customer value proposition, and the ongoing shift to its digital channels, as well as SG&A deleverage primarily due to the investments it is making to transform the Company.

Interest Expense, net

Interest expense, net was $65.7 million, $69.6 million, and $87.5 million in fiscal 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively. For fiscal 2017, 2016 and 2015, interest expense, net primarily related to interest on the senior unsecured notes issued in July 2014. For fiscal 2017 and 2016, also included in interest expense, net were net benefits of $13.3 million and $11.5 million, respectively, related to changes in the Company’s nonqualified deferred compensation plan (“NQDC”) investments. These favorable changes were fully offset by corresponding unfavorable changes in the NQDC liability recorded in SG&A and resulted in no net impact to the consolidated statement of earnings.

Income Taxes

The effective tax rate was 38.9% for fiscal 2017, 35.7% for fiscal 2016, and 36.6% for fiscal 2015. For fiscal 2017, the effective tax rate includes a net increase of approximately 1.5%, resulting from the Tax Act. The fiscal 2017 effective tax rate also includes the effect of the adoption of ASU 2016-09, Stock Compensation, which increased the effective tax rate by approximately 1.4%. The effect of this adoption in fiscal 2017 varied by quarter, and as anticipated, was heavily weighted toward the first quarter. The adoption of the standard did not affect the Company’s cash outflows for income taxes. Additionally, the fiscal 2017 effective rate included approximately 1.9% of net benefits primarily due to the recognition of favorable discrete federal and state tax items.

For fiscal 2016, the tax rate included net benefits of approximately $18.5 million, primarily due to the recognition of favorable discrete federal and state tax items. For fiscal 2015, the tax rate included net benefits of approximately $14.8 million, primarily due to the recognition of favorable discrete state tax items.

Potential volatility in the effective tax rate from year to year may occur as the Company is required each year to determine whether new information changes the assessment of both the probability that a tax position will effectively be sustained and the appropriateness of the amount of recognized benefit.

GROWTH

In the 25-year period from the beginning of fiscal 1992 to the end of fiscal 2017, the Company has grown from 34 stores to 1,552 stores, plus its interactive platforms, including websites and applications, and distribution facilities. Total store square footage, net of openings and closings, grew from approximately 0.9 million square feet at the beginning of fiscal 1992 to approximately 43.7 million square feet at the end of fiscal 2017. Over the past several years, sales from the Company’s customer facing digital channels have continued to experience strong growth.

In addition, as of March 3, 2018, the Company had distribution facilities totaling approximately 7.2 million square feet, supporting the growth of its customer facing digital channels as well as its stores and its institutional sales segment. During the third quarter of fiscal 2017, the Company’s newest distribution facility in Las Vegas, Nevada began shipping to customers. This new facility replaced a smaller distribution facility in that area, which closed in late 2017, and provides additional capacity to support the growth of the Company’s customer facing digital channels.

Over the next several years, the Company expects to make heavy investments in people, processes and technology as it continues the evolution of its foundational structure to support its mission to be trusted by its customers as the expert for the home and heart-felt life events.

The Company expects company-wide to open approximately 20 new stores, and close approximately 40 stores in fiscal 2018, unless it can negotiate more favorable lease terms with landlords. Additionally, in connection with leveraging its merchandise offerings and optimizing its operations, the Company continues to expand, across selected stores, the number of specialty departments such as health and beauty care, baby, specialty food, and beverage. Also, the Company is committed to the continued growth of its merchandise categories and channels and is growing the number of items it is able to have shipped directly to customers from a vendor. The continued growth of the Company is dependent, in part, upon the Company’s ability to execute these and other key initiatives successfully.

The Company has built its management structure with a view towards its growth and believes that, as a result, it has the necessary management depth.

LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES

The Company has been able to finance its operations, including its growth and acquisitions, substantially through internally generated funds. The Company ended fiscal 2017 in a very strong cash position, which it anticipates maintaining, to provide the Company the flexibility to fund its ongoing initiatives and act upon other opportunities that may arise. As of March 3, 2018, the Company had approximately $744 million in cash and investment securities, an increase of approximately $166 million compared with $578 million as of February 25, 2017. For fiscal 2018, the Company believes that it can continue to finance its operations, including its growth, planned capital expenditures, debt service obligations, cash dividends, and share repurchases, through existing and internally generated funds. In addition, if necessary, the Company could borrow under its $250 million revolving credit facility or the available balances under its lines of credit. Capital expenditures for fiscal 2018 are modeled to be in the range of approximately $375 to $425 million, subject to the timing and composition of projects. In addition, the Company reviews its alternatives with respect to its capital structure on an ongoing basis.

Fiscal 2017 compared to Fiscal 2016

Net cash provided by operating activities in fiscal 2017 was $859.7 million, compared with $1.043 billion in fiscal 2016. Year over year, the Company experienced a decrease in net earnings, as adjusted for non-cash expenses (primarily deferred income taxes), and an increase in cash used in the net components of working capital (primarily prepaid expenses and other current assets, largely due to the prepayment of certain operating expenses associated with tax planning strategies, partially offset by merchandise inventories).

Retail inventory, which includes inventory in the Company’s distribution facilities for direct to customer shipments, was approximately $2.7 billion at March 3, 2018, a decrease of approximately 6.0% compared to retail inventory at February 25, 2017. The percentage decrease was due, in part, to the favorable impact of the Company’s inventory optimization strategies.

Net cash used in investing activities in fiscal 2017 was $674.4 million, compared with $491.9 million in fiscal 2016. In fiscal 2017, net cash used in investing activities was primarily due to $375.8 million of capital expenditures and $292.5 million of purchases of investment securities. In fiscal 2016, net cash used in investing activities was primarily due to $373.6 million of capital expenditures and $201.3 million of payments related to acquisitions, net of acquired cash, partially offset by $86.2 million of redemptions of investment securities.

Net cash used in financing activities for fiscal 2017 was $323.4 million, compared with $582.2 million in fiscal 2016. The decrease in net cash used in financing activities was primarily due to a decrease in common stock repurchases of $294.6 million partially offset by an increase of $25.3 million for the payment of dividends.

Fiscal 2016 compared to Fiscal 2015

Net cash provided by operating activities in fiscal 2016 was $1.043 billion, compared with $1.023 billion in fiscal 2015. Year over year, the Company experienced a decrease in cash used in the net components of working capital (primarily merchandise inventories and accounts payable), partially offset by a decrease in net earnings.

Retail inventory, which includes inventory in the Company’s distribution facilities for direct to customer shipments, was approximately $2.9 billion, an increase of approximately 2.2% compared to retail inventory at February 27, 2016. The percentage increase was due, in part, to the growth in the inventory in the Company’s distribution facilities for direct to customer shipments as well as the inventory balances from PMall and One Kings Lane.

Net cash used in investing activities in fiscal 2016 was $491.9 million, compared with $275.6 million in fiscal 2015. In fiscal 2016, net cash used in investing activities was primarily due to $373.6 million of capital expenditures and $201.3 million of payments related to acquisitions, net of acquired cash, partially offset by $86.2 million of redemptions of investment securities. In fiscal 2015, net cash used by investing activities was primarily due to $328.4 million of capital expenditures, partially offset by $52.8 million of redemptions of investment securities, net of purchases. 

Net cash used in financing activities for fiscal 2016 was $582.2 million, compared with $1.099 billion in fiscal 2015. The decrease in net cash used in financing activities was primarily due to a decrease in common stock repurchases of $553.6 million partially offset by $55.6 million for the payment of dividends.

Other Fiscal 2017 Information

At March 3, 2018, the Company maintained two uncommitted lines of credit of $100 million each, with expiration dates of August 29, 2018 and February 24, 2019, respectively. These uncommitted lines of credit are currently and are expected to be used for letters of credit in the ordinary course of business. During fiscal 2017, the Company did not have any direct borrowings under the uncommitted lines of credit. Although no assurances can be provided, the Company intends to renew both uncommitted lines of credit before the respective expiration dates.

On November 14, 2017, the Company replaced its existing $250 million five year senior unsecured revolving credit facility agreement with various lenders with a new $250 million five year senior unsecured revolving credit facility agreement ("Revolver") with various lenders maturing November 14, 2022. The new Revolver has essentially the same terms and requirements as the prior revolving credit facility agreement. For fiscal 2017 and 2016, the Company did not have any borrowings under the Revolver.

Between December 2004 and September 2015, the Company’s Board of Directors authorized, through several share repurchase programs, the repurchase of $11.950 billion of its common stock. Since 2004 through the end of fiscal 2017, the Company has repurchased approximately $10.5 billion of its common stock through share repurchase programs. The Company has approximately $1.5 billion remaining of authorized share repurchases as of March 3, 2018. The Company has authorization to make repurchases from time to time in the open market or through other parameters approved by the Board of Directors pursuant to existing rules and regulations. The Company’s share repurchase program could change, and would be influenced by several factors, including business and market conditions.

During fiscal 2016, the Company’s Board of Directors authorized a quarterly dividend program. During fiscal 2017 and 2016, total cash dividends of $80.9 million and $55.6 million were paid, respectively. Subsequent to the end of the fourth quarter of fiscal 2017, on April 11, 2018, the Company’s Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend increase to $0.16 per share to be paid on July 17, 2018 to shareholders of record at the close of business on June 15, 2018. The Company expects to pay quarterly cash dividends on its common stock in the future, subject to the determination by the Board of Directors, based on an evaluation of the Company’s earnings, financial condition and requirements, business conditions and other factors.

The Company has contractual obligations consisting mainly of principal and interest related to the senior unsecured notes, operating leases for stores, offices, distribution facilities and equipment, purchase obligations, long-term sale/leaseback and capital lease obligations and other long-term liabilities which the Company is obligated to pay as of March 3, 2018 as follows:

(1)  On July 17, 2014, the Company issued $300 million aggregate principal amount of 3.749% senior unsecured notes due August 1, 2024, $300 million aggregate principal amount of 4.915% senior unsecured notes due August 1, 2034 and $900 million aggregate principal amount of 5.165% senior unsecured notes due August 1, 2044.

(2)  The amounts presented represent the future minimum lease payments under non-cancelable operating leases.  In addition to minimum rent, certain of the Company's leases require the payment of additional costs for insurance, maintenance and other costs.  These additional amounts are not included in the table of contractual commitments as the timing and/or amounts of such payments are not known.  As of March 3, 2018, the Company has leased sites for 23 new or relocated locations planned for opening in fiscal 2018 or 2019, for which aggregate minimum rental payments over the term of the leases are approximately $126.5 million and are included in the table above.

(3)  Purchase obligations primarily consist of purchase orders for merchandise.

(4)  Long-term sale/leaseback and capital lease obligations represent future minimum lease payments under the sale/leaseback and capital lease agreements.

(5)  Other long-term liabilities are primarily comprised of income taxes payable, deferred rent, workers' compensation and general liability reserves and various other accruals and are recorded as Deferred Rent and Other Liabilities and Income Taxes Payable in the consolidated balance sheet as of March 3, 2018.  The amounts associated with these other long-term liabilities have been reflected only in the Total Column in the table above as the timing and / or amount of any cash payment is uncertain.

SEASONALITY

The Company’s business is subject to seasonal influences. Generally, its sales volumes are higher in the calendar months of August, November, and December, and lower in February.

INFLATION

The Company does not believe that its operating results have been materially affected by inflation during the past year. There can be no assurance; however, that the Company’s operating results will not be affected by inflation in the future.

CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles requires the Company to establish accounting policies and to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. The Company bases its estimates on historical experience and on other assumptions that it believes to be relevant under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying value of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. In particular, judgment is used in areas such as inventory valuation, impairment of long-lived assets, goodwill and other indefinite lived intangible assets, accruals for self-insurance and income and certain other taxes. Actual results could differ from these estimates.

Inventory Valuation: Merchandise inventories are stated at the lower of cost or market. Inventory costs are primarily calculated using the weighted average retail inventory method.

Under the retail inventory method, the valuation of inventories at cost and the resulting gross margins are calculated by applying a cost-to-retail ratio to the retail values of inventories. The cost associated with determining the cost-to-retail ratio includes: merchandise purchases, net of returns to vendors, discounts and volume and incentive rebates; inbound freight expenses; duty, insurance and commissions.

At any one time, inventories include items that have been written down to the Company’s best estimate of their realizable value. Judgment is required in estimating realizable value and factors considered are the age of merchandise and anticipated demand. Actual realizable value could differ materially from this estimate based upon future customer demand or economic conditions.

The Company estimates its reserve for shrinkage throughout the year based on historical shrinkage and any current trends, if applicable. Actual shrinkage is recorded at year end based upon the results of the Company’s physical inventory counts for locations at which counts were conducted. For locations where physical inventory counts were not conducted in the fiscal year, an estimated shrink reserve is recorded based on historical shrinkage and any current trends, if applicable. Historically, the Company’s shrinkage has not been volatile.

The Company accrues for merchandise in transit once it takes legal ownership and title to the merchandise; as such, an estimate for merchandise in transit is included in the Company’s merchandise inventories.

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets: The Company reviews long-lived assets for impairment when events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying value of these assets may exceed their current fair values. Recoverability of assets to be held and used is measured by a comparison of the carrying amount of an asset to the estimated undiscounted future cash flows expected to be generated by the asset. If the carrying amount of an asset exceeds its estimated future cash flows, an impairment charge is recognized for the amount by which the carrying amount of the asset exceeds the fair value of the assets. Assets to be disposed of would be separately presented in the balance sheet and reported at the lower of the carrying amount or fair value less costs to sell, and are no longer depreciated. The assets and liabilities of a disposal group classified as held for sale would be presented separately in the appropriate asset and liability sections of the balance sheet. The Company has not historically recorded any material impairment to its long-lived assets. In the future, if events or market conditions affect the estimated fair value to the extent that a long-lived asset is impaired, the Company will adjust the carrying value of these long-lived assets in the period in which the impairment occurs.

Goodwill and Other Indefinite Lived Intangible Assets: The Company reviews goodwill and other intangibles that have indefinite lives for impairment annually or when events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying value of these assets might exceed their current fair values. Impairment testing is based upon the best information available including estimates of fair value which incorporate assumptions marketplace participants would use in making their estimates of fair value. The Company has not historically recorded an impairment to its goodwill and other indefinite lived intangible assets. As of March 3, 2018, the Company completed a quantitative impairment analysis of goodwill related to its reporting units. In completing this analysis, significant assumptions and estimates are required, including, but not limited to, projecting future cash flows, determining appropriate discount rates and terminal growth rates, and other assumptions. Although the Company believes the assumptions and estimates made are reasonable and appropriate, different assumptions and estimates could materially impact its reported financial results. Based upon the analysis performed, the Company concluded that no goodwill impairment existed as the fair value of each reporting unit was in excess of its carrying value. As of March 3, 2018, for certain other indefinite lived intangible assets, the Company assessed qualitative factors in order to determine whether any events and circumstances existed which indicated that it was more likely than not that the fair value of its other indefinite lived intangible assets did not exceed their carrying values and concluded no such events or circumstances existed which would require an impairment test being performed. In the future, if events or market conditions affect the estimated fair value to the extent that an asset is impaired, the Company will adjust the carrying value of these assets in the period in which the impairment occurs.

Self Insurance: The Company utilizes a combination of insurance and self insurance for a number of risks including workers’ compensation, general liability, cyber liability, property liability, automobile liability and employee related health care benefits (a portion of which is paid by its employees). Liabilities associated with the risks that the Company retains are estimated by considering historical claims experience, demographic factors, severity factors and other actuarial assumptions. Although the Company’s claims experience has not displayed substantial volatility in the past, actual experience could materially vary from its historical experience in the future. Factors that affect these estimates include but are not limited to: inflation, the number and severity of claims and regulatory changes. In the future, if the Company concludes an adjustment to self insurance accruals is required, the liability will be adjusted accordingly.

Taxes: The Company accounts for its income taxes using the asset and liability method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to the differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases and operating loss and tax credit carry-forwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the year in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in earnings in the period that includes the enactment date.

On December 22, 2017, the U.S. government enacted comprehensive tax legislation commonly referred to as the Tax Act. The Tax Act included a mandatory one-time tax on accumulated earnings of foreign subsidiaries, and as a result, all previously unremitted earnings for which no U.S. deferred tax liability had been previously accrued has now been subject to U.S. tax. Notwithstanding the U.S. taxation of these amounts, the Company intends to continue to reinvest the unremitted earnings of its Canadian subsidiary. Accordingly, no additional provision has been made for U.S. or additional non-U.S. taxes with respect to these earnings, except for the transition tax resulting from the Tax Act. In the event of repatriation to the U.S., it is expected that such earnings would be subject to non-U.S. withholding taxes offset, in whole or in part, by U.S. foreign tax credits.

The Company recognizes the tax benefit from an uncertain tax position only if it is at least more likely than not that the tax position will be sustained on examination by the taxing authorities based on the technical merits of the position. The tax benefits recognized in the financial statements from such a position are measured based on the largest benefit that has a greater than fifty percent likelihood of being realized upon settlement with the taxing authorities.

Potential volatility in the effective tax rate from year to year may occur as the Company is required each year to determine whether new information changes the assessment of both the probability that a tax position will effectively be sustained and the appropriateness of the amount of recognized benefit.

The Company also accrues for certain other taxes as required by its operations.

Judgment is required in determining the provision for income and other taxes and related accruals, and deferred tax assets and liabilities. In the ordinary course of business, there are transactions and calculations where the ultimate tax outcome is uncertain. Additionally, the Company’s various tax returns are subject to audit by various tax authorities. Although the Company believes that its estimates are reasonable, actual results could differ from these estimates.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This Form 10-K and Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements include statements related to future, not past, events. In this context, forward-looking statements often address the Company’s expected future business, financial performance and financial condition, and often contain words such as may, will, expect, anticipate, approximate, estimate, assume, continue, model, project, plan, goal, and similar words and phrases. The Company’s actual results and future financial condition may differ materially from those expressed in any such forward-looking statements as a result of many factors. Such factors include, without limitation: general economic conditions including the housing market, a challenging overall macroeconomic environment and related changes in the retailing environment; consumer preferences, spending habits and adoption of new technologies; demographics and other macroeconomic factors that may impact the level of spending for the types of merchandise sold by the Company; civil disturbances and terrorist acts; unusual weather patterns and natural disasters; competition from existing and potential competitors across all channels; pricing pressures; liquidity; the ability to achieve anticipated cost savings, and to not exceed anticipated costs, associated with organizational changes and investments; the ability to attract and retain qualified employees in all areas of the organization; the cost of labor, merchandise and other costs and expenses; potential supply chain disruption due to trade restrictions, political instability, labor disturbances, product recalls, financial or operational instability of suppliers or carriers, and other items; the ability to find suitable locations at acceptable occupancy costs and other terms to support the Company’s plans for new stores; the ability to establish and profitably maintain the appropriate mix of digital and physical presence in the markets it serves; the ability to assess and implement technologies in support of the Company’s development of its omnichannel capabilities; uncertainty in financial markets; volatility in the price of the Company’s common stock and its effect, and the effect of other factors, on the Company’s capital allocation strategy; disruptions to the Company’s information technology systems including but not limited to security breaches of systems protecting consumer and employee information or other types of cybercrimes or cybersecurity attacks; reputational risk arising from challenges to the Company’s or a third party product or service supplier’s compliance with various laws, regulations or standards, including those related to labor, health, safety, privacy or the environment; reputational risk arising from third-party merchandise or service vendor performance in direct home delivery or assembly of product for customers; changes to statutory, regulatory and legal requirements, including without limitation proposed changes affecting international trade, changes to, or new tax laws or interpretation of existing tax laws; new, or developments in existing, litigation, claims or assessments; changes to, or new, accounting standards; foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations; and the integration of acquired businesses. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update its forward-looking statements.

ITEM 7A – QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK

As of March 3, 2018, the Company’s investments include cash and cash equivalents of approximately $346.1 million, short-term investment securities of $291.7 million and long term investments in auction rate securities of approximately $19.4 million at weighted average interest rates of 0.84%, 1.39% and 0.15%, respectively. The book value of these investments is representative of their fair values.

The Company’s senior unsecured notes have fixed interest rates and are not subject to interest rate risk. As of March 3, 2018, the fair value of the senior unsecured notes was $1.310 billion, which is based on quoted prices in active markets for identical instruments compared to the carrying value of approximately $1.500 billion.

ITEM 8 – FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

The following are included herein:

BED BATH & BEYOND INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

Consolidated Balance Sheets

(in thousands, except per share data)

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

BED BATH & BEYOND INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

Consolidated Statements of Earnings

(in thousands, except per share data)

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

BED BATH & BEYOND INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income

(in thousands)

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

BED BATH & BEYOND INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

Consolidated Statements of Shareholders' Equity

(in thousands)

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

BED BATH & BEYOND INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

(in thousands)

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. and Subsidiaries