Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

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FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS
6 Months Ended
Jul. 30, 2011
FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS [Abstract]  
FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS
4. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

The Company’s cash and cash equivalents, short-term investments, restricted investments and diesel fuel swaps represent the financial assets and liabilities that were accounted for at fair value on a recurring basis as of July 30, 2011.  As required, financial assets and liabilities are classified in the fair value hierarchy in their entirety based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement.  The Company's assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement requires judgment, and may affect the valuation of fair value assets and liabilities and their placement within the fair value hierarchy levels.  The fair value of the Company’s cash and cash equivalents, short-term investments and restricted investments was $421.6 million, $123.8 million and $72.7 million, respectively at July 30, 2011.  These fair values were determined using Level 1 measurements in the fair value hierarchy.  The fair value of the diesel fuel swaps as of July 30, 2011 was an asset of $0.4 million and was estimated using Level 2 measurements in the fair value hierarchy.  The estimate used discounted cash flow calculations based upon diesel fuel cost curves.
 
The carrying value of the Company’s long-term debt approximates its fair value because the debt’s interest rates vary with market interest rates.
 
Certain assets and liabilities are measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis; that is, the assets and liabilities are not measured at fair value on an ongoing basis but are subject to fair value adjustments in certain circumstances (e.g., when there is evidence of impairment).  There were no changes in fair value related to these assets during the 13 or 26 weeks ended July 30, 2011.