Quarterlytics / Consumer Cyclical / Department Stores / Nordstrom

Nordstrom

jwn · NYSE Consumer Cyclical
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Ticker jwn
Exchange NYSE
Sector Consumer Cyclical
Industry Department Stores
Employees 10,000+
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FY2017 Annual Report · Nordstrom
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A N N U A L

R E P O R T

2 0 1 7

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

(Mark One)

ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the fiscal year ended February 3, 2018 

or

TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from ___________ to___________

Commission file number 001-15059

NORDSTROM, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Washington
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)

1617 Sixth Avenue, Seattle, Washington
(Address of principal executive offices)

91-0515058
(I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)

98101
(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code (206) 628-2111

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

Title of each class
Common stock, without par value

Name of each exchange on which registered
New York Stock Exchange

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 

 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 

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 

 NO 

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

 NO 

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K 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. 
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting 
company, or 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.

Large accelerated filer 
Non-accelerated filer 

 (Do not check if a smaller reporting company)

Accelerated filer 
Smaller reporting company 
Emerging growth company 

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 Act). YES 

 NO 

As of July 28, 2017 the aggregate market value of the Registrant’s voting and non-voting stock held by non-affiliates of the Registrant was 
approximately $6.4 billion using the closing sales price on that day of $48.56. On March 12, 2018, 167,790,511 shares of common stock 
were outstanding.

Portions of the Proxy Statement for the 2018 Annual Meeting of Shareholders scheduled to be held on May 29, 2018 are incorporated into 
Part III.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Nordstrom, Inc. and subsidiaries  1

 
 
 
 
[This page intentionally left blank.]

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Business.

PART I
Item 1.
Item 1A.  Risk Factors.
Item 1B.  Unresolved Staff Comments.
Item 2.
Item 3.
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures.

Properties.
Legal Proceedings.

PART II

Selected Financial Data.

Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Shareholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities.
Item 6.
Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.
Item 7A.  Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk.
Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.
Item 8.
Changes in and Disagreements With Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure.
Item 9.
Item 9A.  Controls and Procedures. 
Item 9B.  Other Information.

PART III

Item 10.  Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance.
Item 11.  Executive Compensation.
Item 12.  Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Shareholder Matters. 
Item 13.  Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence.
Item 14.  Principal Accounting Fees and Services.

PART IV

Item 15.  Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules.

Exhibit Index
Signatures
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

Page

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18
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36
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Nordstrom, Inc. and subsidiaries  3

Item 1. Business.

PART I

DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS
Founded in 1901 as a retail shoe business in Seattle, Nordstrom later incorporated in Washington state in 1946 and went on to become one 
of the leading fashion retailers based in the U.S. We provide customers with a differentiated and seamless customer experience through our 
robust ecommerce platform and high-quality store portfolio in top North American markets. As of March 19, 2018, we operate 363 U.S. stores 
located in 40 states as well as six Nordstrom full-line stores in Canada. The west coast of the U.S. is the area in which we have the largest 
presence. We have two reportable segments, which include Retail and Credit. 

As of March 19, 2018, the Retail segment includes:

• 117 Nordstrom-branded full-line stores in the U.S., including Nordstrom Local

• six Canada full-line stores

•

full-price Nordstrom.com website and mobile application

• 235 off-price Nordstrom Rack stores

• off-price Nordstromrack.com/HauteLook website and mobile application

• seven Trunk Club clubhouses and TrunkClub.com website

•

•

two “Last Chance” clearance stores

two Jeffrey boutiques

Through these multiple retail channels, we strive to deliver the best customer experience possible. We offer an extensive selection of high-
quality brand-name and private label merchandise focused on apparel, shoes, cosmetics and accessories. 

Our integrated Nordstrom full-line stores and digital store allow us to provide our customers with a seamless shopping experience. In-store 
purchases are primarily fulfilled from that store’s inventory, but when inventory is unavailable at that store, it may also be shipped to our 
customers from our fulfillment centers in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania (“East Coast”), or from other Nordstrom full-
line stores. Online purchases are primarily shipped to our customers from our Cedar Rapids and East Coast fulfillment centers, but may also 
be shipped from our Nordstrom full-line stores. We engage with our customers on their terms, blurring the lines between the digital and in-
store experience. Our customers can pick up online orders in our Nordstrom full-line stores if inventory is available at one of our locations, or 
reserve clothes online to try in store in many of our locations. Nordstrom Local is a test retail concept that is focused on services, providing 
customers convenient access to personal stylists, alterations, online orders and more. We also leverage the expertise of our salespeople to 
enable customers to receive personalized product recommendations on their mobile phones through our digital Style Board selling tool. 
These capabilities allow us to better serve customers across various channels and improve sales. 

Nordstrom Rack stores purchase merchandise primarily from the same vendors carried in Nordstrom full-line stores and also serve as outlets 
for clearance merchandise from our Nordstrom stores and other retail channels. Nordstromrack.com/HauteLook offers a consistent selection 
of off-price merchandise, as well as limited-time sale events on fashion and lifestyle brands and are integrated with a single customer log-in, 
shared shopping cart and streamlined checkout process. Nordstromrack.com combines the technology expertise of HauteLook with the 
merchant expertise of Nordstrom Rack. Online purchases are primarily shipped to our customers from our San Bernardino, California and 
East Coast fulfillment centers. Furthermore, we can accommodate returns from these sites by mail or at any Nordstrom Rack location. 

Through our Credit segment, our customers can access a variety of payment products and services, including a selection of Nordstrom-
branded Visa® credit cards in the U.S. and Canada, as well as a Nordstrom-branded private label credit card and a debit card for Nordstrom 
purchases. When customers use a Nordstrom-branded credit or debit card, they also participate in our loyalty program that provides benefits 
based on their level of spending. Although the primary purposes of our Credit segment are to foster greater customer loyalty and drive more 
sales, we also receive credit card revenue through our program agreement with TD Bank, N.A. (“TD”) (see Note 2: Credit Card Receivable 
Transaction in Item 8).

We invested early in our omni-channel capabilities, integrating our operations, merchandising and technology across our stores and online, in 
both our Nordstrom full-price and Nordstrom Rack off-price businesses. Today, we have more than 60 combinations in which merchandise is 
ordered, fulfilled and delivered. Though this has enabled us to serve customers in multiple ways, we are focused on providing a seamless 
experience for our customer across stores and online. As a result of the evolution of our operations, our reportable segments have become 
progressively more integrated such that we will change our reportable segments to one reportable segment to align with how management 
will view the results of our operations in the first quarter of 2018. For more information about our business and our reportable segments, see 
Item 7: Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations and Note 15: Segment Reporting in Item 8.

4

FISCAL YEAR
We operate on a 52/53-week fiscal year ending on the Saturday closest to January 31st. References to 2017 relate to the 53-week fiscal year 
ended February 3, 2018. References to any other years included within this document are based on a 52-week fiscal year. 

RETURN POLICY
We have a fair and reasonable approach to returns, handling them on a case-by-case basis with the ultimate objective of making our 
customers happy. We have no formal return policy on how long we accept returns at our Nordstrom full-line stores or online at 
Nordstrom.com. Our goal is to take care of our customers, which includes making returns and exchanges easy, whether in stores or online, 
where we offer free shipping on purchases and returns. Our Nordstrom Rack stores generally accept returns up to 90 days from the date of 
purchase with the original price tag and sales receipt and accept returns of Nordstromrack.com/HauteLook merchandise. 
Nordstromrack.com/HauteLook generally accepts returns of apparel, footwear, accessories and HauteLook home products within 90 days 
from the date of shipment. Beginning in 2018, our off-price channels accept returns 45 days from the date of purchase or shipment.

SEASONALITY
Our business, like that of other retailers, is subject to seasonal fluctuations. Due to our Anniversary Sale in July and the holidays in the fourth 
quarter, our sales are typically higher in the second and fourth quarters than in the first and third quarters of the fiscal year. Consistent with 
the timing in 2016, our 2017 Anniversary Sale began in the third week of July and extended one week into the third quarter.  

NORDSTROM REWARDS
Our Nordstrom Rewards™ loyalty program, which rewards customers based on their level of spending, is one area that enables us to directly 
engage and strengthen relationships with customers while driving incremental sales and trips. Upon reaching certain point thresholds, 
customers receive Nordstrom Notes® (“Notes”), which can be redeemed for goods or services. In May 2016, we expanded the program to 
any customer interested in participating, when historically this program was offered only to Nordstrom cardholders. Notes can be earned and 
redeemed at Nordstrom full-line stores, Nordstrom.com, Nordstrom Rack and Nordstromrack.com/HauteLook. Nordstrom cardholders can 
also earn rewards at Trunk Club. Customers who participate in our Nordstrom Rewards loyalty program through our credit and debit cards 
receive additional benefits including reimbursements for alterations, Personal Triple Points days, shopping and fashion events and early 
access to the Anniversary Sale.

COMPETITIVE CONDITIONS
We operate in a highly competitive business environment. We compete with other international, national, regional and local retailers, 
including internet-based businesses, omni-channel department stores, specialty stores, off-price stores and boutiques, that may carry similar 
lines of merchandise. Our specific competitors vary from market to market. We believe the keys to competing in our industry are providing 
great customer service and customer experiences in stores and online. This includes offering compelling price and value, fashion newness, 
quality of products, selection, convenience, technology, product fulfillment, personalization and appealing, relevant store environments in top 
locations.

INVENTORY
We plan our merchandise purchases and receipts to coincide with expected sales trends. For instance, our merchandise purchases and 
receipts increase prior to our Anniversary Sale, which has historically extended over the last two weeks of July. We also purchase and 
receive a larger amount of merchandise in the fall as we prepare for the holiday shopping season (from late November through December). 
At Nordstrom Rack, we invest in pack and hold inventory, which involves the strategic purchase of merchandise from some of our full-line 
stores’ top brands in advance of the upcoming selling seasons, to take advantage of favorable buying opportunities. This inventory is typically 
held for six months on average and has been an important component of Nordstrom Rack’s inventory strategy. 

In order to offer merchandise that our customers want, we purchase from a wide variety of high-quality domestic and foreign suppliers. We 
also have arrangements with agents and contract manufacturers to produce our private label merchandise. We expect our suppliers to meet 
our “Nordstrom Partnership Guidelines,” which address our corporate social responsibility standards for matters such as legal and regulatory 
compliance, labor, health and safety and the environment. This is available on our website at Nordstrom.com.

EMPLOYEES
During 2017, we employed approximately 72,500 employees on a full- or part-time basis. Due to the seasonal nature of our business, 
employment increased to approximately 75,000 employees in July 2017 and 76,000 in December 2017. All of our employees are non-union. 
We believe our relationship with our employees is good.

TRADEMARKS
We have 193 trademarks, each of which is the subject of one or more trademark registrations and/or trademark applications. Our most 
notable trademarks include Nordstrom, Nordstrom Rack, HauteLook and Trunk Club. Our most notable brand trademarks include Halogen, 
BP., Nordstrom, Zella, Caslon, Tucker+Tate and 14th & Union. Each of our trademarks is renewable indefinitely, provided that it is still used in 
commerce at the time of the renewal.

Nordstrom, Inc. and subsidiaries  5

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT
Certain statements in this Annual Report on Form 10-K contain or may suggest “forward-looking” information (as defined in the Private 
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) that involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, our anticipated financial outlook for 
the fiscal year ending February 2, 2019, our anticipated annual total and comparable sales rates, our anticipated new store openings in 
existing, new and international markets, our anticipated Return on Invested Capital and trends in our operations. Such statements are based 
upon the current beliefs and expectations of our management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Our actual future results 
may differ materially from historical results or current expectations depending upon factors including, but not limited to:

Strategic and Operational

• successful execution of our customer strategy to provide a differentiated and seamless experience across all Nordstrom channels,
timely and effective implementation of our plans to evolve our business model, including development of applications for electronic
•
devices, improvement of customer-facing technology, timely delivery of products purchased digitally, enhancement of inventory
management systems, greater and more fluid inventory availability between our digital channels and retail store locations, and greater
consistency in marketing and pricing strategies, as well as our ability to manage the costs associated with this evolving business model,
• our ability to evolve our business model as necessary to respond to the business and retail environment, as well as fashion trends and

consumer preferences, including changing expectations of service and experience in stores and online,

• our ability to properly balance our investments in existing and new store locations, especially our investments in our Nordstrom Men’s

Store NYC and Nordstrom NYC,

• successful execution of our information technology strategy,
• our ability to effectively utilize data in strategic planning and decision making,
•

timely completion of construction associated with newly planned stores, relocations and remodels, all of which may be impacted by the
financial health of third parties and consumer traffic to the locations,

• efficient and proper allocation of our capital resources,
• effective inventory management processes and systems, fulfillment and supply chain processes and systems, disruptions in our supply

•

•

chain and our ability to control costs,
the impact of any systems or network failures, cybersecurity and/or security breaches, including any security breach of our systems or
those of a third-party provider that results in the theft, transfer or unauthorized disclosure of customer, employee or Company
information or compliance with information security and privacy laws and regulations in the event of such an incident,
the effect of the publicly announced exploration by members of the Nordstrom family of a possible “going private transaction” on our
relationships with our customers, employees, suppliers and partners, on our operating results and on our business generally,

• our ability to safeguard our reputation and maintain our vendor relationships,
• our ability to maintain relationships with and motivate our employees and to effectively attract, develop and retain our future leaders,

which could be impacted by the uncertainty about the possibility of a “going private transaction”,

• our ability to realize the expected benefits, respond to potential risks and appropriately manage costs associated with our program

agreement with TD,
the effectiveness of planned advertising, marketing and promotional campaigns in the highly competitive and promotional retail industry,

•
• market fluctuations, increases in operating costs, exit costs and overall liabilities and losses associated with owning and leasing real

estate,

• potential goodwill impairment charges, future impairment charges and fluctuations in the fair values of reporting units or of assets in the

event projected financial results are not achieved within expected time frames,

• compliance with debt and operating covenants, availability and cost of credit, changes in our credit rating and changes in interest rates,
the timing, price, manner and amounts of future share repurchases by the Company, if any, or any share issuances by the Company,
•

Economic and External

the impact of the seasonal nature of our business and cyclical customer spending,
the impact of economic and market conditions and the resultant impact on consumer spending and credit patterns,
the impact of economic, environmental or political conditions in the U.S. and countries where our third-party vendors operate,

•
•
•
• weather conditions, natural disasters, health hazards, national security or other market and supply chain disruptions, or the prospects of

these events and the resulting impact on consumer spending patterns or information technology systems and communications,

Legal and Regulatory

• our compliance with applicable domestic and international laws, regulations and ethical standards, including those related to

•
•

employment and tax, and the outcome of claims and litigation and resolution of such matters,
the impact of the current regulatory environment and financial system, health care, and tax reforms,
the impact of changes in accounting rules and regulations, changes in our interpretation of the rules or regulations, or changes in
underlying assumptions, estimates or judgments.

These and other factors, including those factors described in Item 1A: Risk Factors, could affect our financial results and cause actual results 
to differ materially from any forward-looking information we may provide. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking 
statements to reflect subsequent events, new information or future circumstances, except as may be required by law.

6

SEC FILINGS
We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other documents with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). 
All the materials we file with the SEC are publicly available at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549. 
You may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. In addition, the SEC 
maintains a website at www.sec.gov that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file 
electronically with the SEC.

WEBSITE ACCESS
Our website address is Nordstrom.com. Our annual and quarterly reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q (including related filings in 
eXtensible Business Reporting Language (“XBRL”) format), current reports on Form 8-K, proxy statements, our executives’ statements of 
changes in beneficial ownership of securities on Form 4 and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 
15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) are available for free on or through our website as soon as 
reasonably practicable after we electronically file the report with or furnish it to the SEC. Interested parties may also access a webcast of 
quarterly earnings conference calls and other financial events through our website.

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
We have a long-standing commitment to upholding a high level of ethical standards. In addition, as the listing standards of the New York 
Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) and the rules of the SEC require, we have adopted Codes of Business Conduct and Ethics for our employees, 
officers and directors (“Codes of Ethics”) and Corporate Governance Guidelines. Our Codes of Ethics, Corporate Governance Guidelines 
and Committee Charters for the Audit, Compensation, Corporate Governance and Nominating, Finance and Technology Committees are 
posted on our website. Any amendments to these documents, or waivers of the requirements they contain, will also be available on our 
website.

For printed versions of these items or any other inquiries, please contact:

Nordstrom Investor Relations

1617 Sixth Avenue, Suite 500

Seattle, Washington 98101

(206) 303-3200

invrelations@nordstrom.com

Item 1A. Risk Factors.

Our business faces many risks. We believe the risks described below outline the items of most concern to us.

RISKS DUE TO STRATEGIC AND OPERATIONAL FACTORS

Our inability to successfully execute our customer strategy or our plans to evolve our business model could negatively impact our 
business and future profitability and growth. 
The retail environment is rapidly evolving with customer shopping preferences continuing to shift to digital channels. Computers and mobile 
electronic devices allow customers to browse and transact anywhere and anytime. Our customer strategy focuses on providing a 
differentiated and seamless experience across all Nordstrom channels, whether in store or in the digital environment. We are enhancing our 
customer shopping experience in our stores and online, including mobile and social channels, by pursuing a heightened focus on digital 
technology to fuel our growth. 

Our growth strategies in this area span the development of applications for electronic devices, improvement of customer-facing technology, 
timely delivery of products purchased digitally, enhancement of inventory management systems, greater and more fluid inventory availability 
between digital and retail locations, and greater consistency in marketing and pricing strategies. In addition, these strategies will require 
further expansion and reliance on data science and analytics across all our channels. This business model has a high variable cost structure 
driven by fulfillment and marketing costs and will continue to require investment in cross-channel operations and supporting technologies. 

With the accelerated pace of change in the retail environment, we may not be able to meet our customers’ changing expectations of how 
they shop in stores or through digital channels. If we do not successfully implement and expand our digital initiatives, or do not seamlessly 
integrate or maintain them properly, we may fall short of our customer’s expectations, impacting our brand, reputation, profitability and 
growth. In addition, if customers shift to digital channels at a different pace than we anticipate, we may need to quickly modify our initiatives 
and investments, which may adversely impact our profitability and harm our competitive position. We also may not gather accurate and 
relevant data or effectively utilize that data, which may impact our strategic planning and decision making.

Nordstrom, Inc. and subsidiaries  7

Our business could suffer if we do not appropriately assess and react to competitive market forces and changes in customer 
behavior. 
We compete with other international, national, regional and local retailers, including internet-based businesses, omni-channel department 
stores, specialty stores, off-price stores and boutiques, that may carry similar lines of merchandise. Digital channels continue to facilitate 
comparison shopping, intensifying competition in the retail market. If we fail to adequately anticipate and respond to customer and market 
dynamics, we may lose market share or our ability to remain competitive, causing our sales and profitability to suffer. If we do not properly 
allocate our capital between the store and digital environment or between the full-price and off-price channels, or adjust the effectiveness and 
efficiency of our stores and digital channels, our overall sales and profitability could suffer.

Our customer relationships and sales may be negatively impacted if we do not anticipate and respond to consumer preferences 
and fashion trends or manage inventory levels appropriately.
Our ability to predict or respond to constantly changing fashion trends, consumer preferences and spending patterns significantly impacts our 
sales and operating results. If we do not identify and respond to emerging trends in consumer spending and preferences quickly enough, we 
may harm our ability to retain our existing customers or attract new customers. If we purchase too much inventory, we may be forced to sell 
our merchandise at lower average margins, which could harm our business. Conversely, if we fail to purchase enough merchandise, we may 
lose opportunities for additional sales and potentially harm relationships with our customers. 

The investment in existing and new store locations, including our Nordstrom Men’s Store NYC and Nordstrom NYC, may outpace 
our expected returns.
The locations of our existing stores and planned store openings are assessed based upon desirability, demographics, and retail environment. 
This involves certain risks, including properly balancing our capital investments between new stores, relocations, remodels, technology and 
digital channels, assessing the suitability of locations, especially in new domestic and international markets, and constructing, furnishing and 
supplying a store in a timely and cost-effective manner. In particular, we plan to open our Nordstrom Men’s Store NYC in Spring 2018 and 
our Nordstrom NYC store in 2019. 

Sales at our stores may not meet projections, particularly in light of the changing trends between digital and brick-and-mortar shopping 
channels, which could adversely affect our return on investment. As we enter into new domestic and international markets, such as 
Manhattan and Canada, our efforts will require additional management attention and resources and may distract us from executing our core 
operations.

Even if we take appropriate measures to safeguard our information security and privacy environment from security breaches, our 
customers and our business could still be exposed to risk.
Nordstrom, our subsidiaries and, in some instances, our third-party vendors collect, store and transmit customers’ personal information, 
consumer preferences and credit card information. In addition, our operations involve the collection, storage and transmission of employee 
information and our financial and strategic data. Security breaches of this information may be the result of intentional or inadvertent activities 
by our employees or by third parties with whom we have business relationships that may result in the unauthorized release of customer or 
employee personal or confidential information.

Any measures we implement to prevent a security or cybersecurity threat may not be completely effective and may have the potential to 
harm relations with our customers and employees or decrease activity on our websites by making them more difficult to use. In addition, the 
regulatory environment surrounding information security, cybersecurity and privacy is increasingly demanding, with new and constantly 
changing requirements. 

Security breaches and cyber incidents and their remediation, whether at Nordstrom, our third-party providers or other retailers, could expose 
us to a risk of loss or misappropriation of this information, litigation, regulatory enforcement action, fines, information technology system 
failures or network disruptions, potential liability, reputation damage and loss of customers’ trust and business, any of which could adversely 
impact our financial performance. Any such breaches or incidents could subject us to financial losses, investigation, notification and 
remediation costs, which may not be covered by our insurance policies. If there is additional information that is later discovered related to 
such security breach or incident, there could be further loss of shareholders’ and customers’ trust and business based upon their reactions to 
this additional information. Additionally, we could be subject to external credit card fraud. To the extent that any incident results in the loss, 
damage or misappropriation of information, we may be materially adversely affected by claims from our customers, financial institutions, 
regulators, payment card networks and other third parties.

Our business may be impacted by information technology system failures or network disruptions.
Our ability to transact with customers and operate our business depends on the efficient operation of our computer and communications 
systems. If we encounter an interruption or deterioration in critical processes or experience the loss of critical data, which may result from 
natural disasters, accidents, power disruptions, telecommunications failures, acts of terrorism or war, computer viruses, physical or electronic 
break-ins, security or cybersecurity threats or attacks or third-party or other disruptions, our business could be harmed. Depending on the 
severity of the failure, our disaster recovery plans may be inadequate or ineffective. These events could also damage our reputation, result in 
loss of sales and be expensive to remedy.

8

Improvements to our merchandise buying and fulfillment processes and systems could adversely affect our business if not 
successfully executed. 
We are making investments to improve our merchandise planning, procurement, allocation and fulfillment capabilities through changes in 
personnel, processes, location logistics and technology over a period of several years. If we encounter challenges associated with change 
management, the ability to hire and retain key personnel involved in these efforts, implementation of associated information technology or 
adoption of new processes, our ability to continue to successfully execute our strategy or evolve our strategy with changes in the retail 
environment could be adversely affected. As a result, we may not derive the expected benefits to our sales and profitability, or we may incur 
increased costs relative to our current expectations.

The possibility of a “going private transaction” by the Nordstrom family could negatively impact our operating results, business 
and relationships with our customers, employees, suppliers and partners. 
In June 2017, members of the Nordstrom family formed a group (the “Group”) to explore the possibility of pursuing a “going private 
transaction” involving the acquisition by the Group of 100% of our outstanding shares of common stock (a “Going Private Transaction”). The 
Board of Directors also formed a special committee (the “Special Committee”) comprised of independent directors to act on the Company’s 
behalf in connection with such exploration by the Group and any possible transaction. In October 2017, the Group informed the Special 
Committee that the Group has suspended active exploration of a Going Private Transaction for the balance of the year. The Group also 
informed the Special Committee that it intends to continue its efforts to explore the possibility of making a going private proposal after the 
conclusion of the holiday season. In March 2018, the Group delivered an indicative proposal to the Special Committee regarding a Going 
Private Transaction. The Special Committee determined that the price proposed is inadequate. No assurances can be given regarding the 
terms and details of any such transaction, that any proposal made by the Group, if any, will be accepted by the Special Committee, that 
definitive documentation relating to a transaction will be executed, or that a transaction will be consummated in accordance with that 
documentation, if at all. We do not plan to disclose developments or provide updates on the progress or status of any potential Going Private 
Transaction until the Special Committee deems further disclosure is appropriate or required. Speculation regarding any developments related 
to the review of a Going Private Transaction and perceived uncertainties related to our future could cause our stock price to fluctuate 
significantly. 

The possibility of a Going Private Transaction or any other alternative may expose us and our operations to a number of risks and 
uncertainties, including the potential failure to retain, attract or strengthen our relationships with key personnel, current and potential 
customers, suppliers, and partners, which may cause them to terminate, or not to renew or enter into, arrangements with us; the potential 
incurrence of expenses associated with the retention of legal, financial and other advisors regardless of whether any transaction is 
consummated; distractions and disruptions in our business; and exposure to potential litigation in connection with this process and effecting 
any transaction, any of which could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations as well as the market price of 
our common stock. 

Our customer, employee and vendor relationships could be negatively affected if we fail to maintain our corporate culture and 
reputation.
We have a well-recognized culture and reputation that consumers may associate with a high level of integrity, customer service and quality 
merchandise, and it is one of the reasons customers shop with us and employees choose us as a place of employment. Any significant 
damage to our reputation, including factors outside our control or on social media, could diminish customer trust, weaken our vendor 
relationships, reduce employee morale and productivity and lead to difficulties in recruiting and retaining qualified employees. Additionally, 
management may not accurately assess the impact of significant legislative changes, including those that relate to privacy, employment 
matters and health care, impacting our relationship with our customers or our workforce and adversely affecting our sales and operations. 

If we do not effectively design and implement our strategic and business planning processes to attract, retain, train and develop 
talent and future leaders, our business may suffer. 
We rely on the experience of our senior management, who have specific knowledge relating to us and our industry that is difficult to replace, 
and the talents of our workforce to execute our business strategies and objectives. We have succession plans in place and our Board of 
Directors reviews these succession plans. If our succession plans do not adequately cover significant and unanticipated turnover, the loss of 
the services of any of these individuals, or any resulting negative perceptions of our business, could damage our reputation and our 
business. Additionally, our ability to maintain relationships with and motivate our employees and to effectively attract, develop and retain our 
future leaders, could be impacted by the uncertainty about the possibility of a Going Private Transaction.

Our program agreement with TD could adversely impact our business.
The program agreement with TD was consummated on terms that allow us to maintain customer-facing activities while TD provides 
Nordstrom-branded payment methods and payment processing services. If we fail to meet certain service levels, TD has the right to assume 
certain individual servicing functions. If we lose control of such activities and functions, if we do not successfully respond to potential risks 
and appropriately manage potential costs associated with the program agreement with TD, or if these transactions negatively impact the 
customer service associated with our cards, resulting in harm to our business reputation and competitive position, our operations, cash flows 
and returns to shareholders could be adversely affected. If TD became unwilling or unable to provide these services or if there are changes 
to the risk management policies implemented under our program agreement with TD, our results may be negatively impacted.

Nordstrom, Inc. and subsidiaries  9

Ownership and leasing real estate exposes us to possible liabilities and losses.
We own or lease the land and/or buildings for all of our stores and are therefore subject to all of the risks associated with owning and leasing 
real estate. In particular, the value of the assets could decrease, their operating costs could increase, or a store may not be opened as 
planned due to changes in the real estate market, demographic trends, site competition, dependence on third-party performance or overall 
economic environment. Additionally, we are potentially subject to liability for environmental conditions, exit costs associated with disposal of a 
store, commitments to pay base rent for the entire lease term or operate a store for the duration of an operating covenant. 

Investment and partnerships in new business strategies and acquisitions could disrupt our core business. 
We have invested in or are pursuing strategic growth opportunities, which may include acquisitions of, or investments in, other businesses, 
as well as new technologies or other investments to provide a superior customer shopping experience in our stores and digital channels. 
Additionally, our business model will continue to rely more on partnerships with third parties for certain strategic initiatives and technologies. If 
these investments, acquisitions or partnerships do not perform as expected or create operational difficulties, we may record impairment 
charges. If we do not realize our anticipated return on investments, our profitability and growth could be adversely affected. 

If we fail to appropriately manage our capital, we may negatively impact our operations and shareholder return.
We utilize working capital to finance our operations, make capital expenditures and acquisitions, manage our debt levels and return value to 
our shareholders through dividends and share repurchases. Changes in the credit and capital markets, including market disruptions, limited 
liquidity and interest rate fluctuations, may increase the cost of financing or restrict access to a potential source of liquidity. A deterioration in 
our capital structure or the quality and stability of our earnings could result in noncompliance with our debt covenants or a downgrade of our 
credit rating, constraining the financing available to our Company. If our access to financing is restricted or our borrowing costs increase, our 
operations and financial condition could be adversely impacted. Further, if we do not properly allocate our capital to maximize returns, our 
operations, cash flows and returns to shareholders could be adversely affected.

The concentration of stock ownership in a small number of our shareholders could limit our shareholders’ ability to influence 
corporate matters.
We have regularly reported in our annual proxy statements the holdings of members of the Nordstrom family, including Bruce A. Nordstrom, 
our former Co-President and Chairman of the Board, his sister Anne E. Gittinger and members of the Nordstrom family within our Executive 
Team. According to the Schedule 13D/A filed with the SEC on March 5, 2018, these individuals beneficially owned an aggregate of 
approximately 31% of our common stock. As a result, either individually or acting together, they may be able to exercise considerable 
influence over matters requiring shareholder approval. In addition, as reported in our periodic filings, our Board of Directors has from time to 
time authorized share repurchases. While these share repurchases may be offset in part by share issuances under our equity incentive 
plans and as consideration for acquisitions, the repurchases may nevertheless have the effect of increasing the overall percentage 
ownership held by these shareholders. The corporate law of the State of Washington, where the Company is incorporated, provides that 
approval of a merger or similar significant corporate transaction requires the affirmative vote of two-thirds of a company’s outstanding 
shares. The beneficial ownership of these shareholders may have the effect of discouraging offers to acquire us, delay or otherwise prevent 
a significant corporate transaction because the consummation of any such transaction would likely require the approval of these 
shareholders. As a result, the market price of our common stock could be affected.

RISKS DUE TO ECONOMIC AND EXTERNAL MARKET FACTORS

Our revenues and operating results are affected by the seasonal nature of our business and cyclical trends in consumer spending.
Our business, like that of other retailers, is subject to seasonal fluctuations and cyclical trends in consumer spending. Due to our Anniversary 
Sale in July and the holidays in the fourth quarter, our sales are typically higher in the second and fourth quarters than in the first and third 
quarters of the fiscal year. Any factor that negatively impacts these selling seasons could have an adverse effect on our results of operations 
for the entire year. To provide shareholders a better understanding of management’s expectations surrounding results, we provide public 
guidance on our expected operating and financial results for future periods comprised of forward-looking statements subject to certain risks 
and uncertainties.

A downturn in economic conditions and other external market factors could have a significant adverse effect on our business and 
stock price. 
During economic downturns, fewer customers may shop for the high-quality items in our stores and on our websites, as these products may 
be seen as discretionary, and those who do shop may limit the amount of their purchases. This reduced demand may lead to lower sales, 
higher markdowns and an overly promotional environment or increased marketing and promotional spending. 

Additionally, factors such as results differing from guidance, changes in sales and operating income in the peak seasons, changes in our 
market valuations, performance results for the general retail industry, announcements by us or our industry peers or changes in analysts’ 
recommendations may still impact the price of our common stock and our shareholder returns.

10

Our stores located in shopping malls may be adversely affected by any declines in consumer traffic of malls.
The majority of our stores are located within shopping malls and benefit from the abilities that we and other anchor tenants have to generate 
consumer traffic. A substantial decline in mall traffic, the development of new shopping malls, the availability of locations within existing or 
new shopping malls, the success of individual shopping malls and the success of other anchor tenants may negatively impact our ability to 
maintain or grow our sales in existing stores, as well as our ability to open new stores, which could have an adverse effect on our financial 
condition or results of operations.

Our business depends on third parties for the production, supply or delivery of goods, and a disruption could result in lost sales or 
increased costs. 
The continued success of our operations is tied to our timely receipt of quality merchandise from third parties. Our process to identify 
qualified vendors and access quality products in an efficient manner on acceptable terms and cost can be complex. Violations of law with 
respect to quality and safety by our importers, manufacturers or distributors could result in delays in shipments and receipt of goods or 
damage our reputation, resulting in lost sales. These vendors may experience difficulties due to economic or political conditions or the 
countries in which merchandise is manufactured could become subject to new trade restrictions, including increased customs restrictions, 
tariffs or quotas. Additionally, changes in tax and trade policies that impact the retail industry, such as increased taxation on imported goods, 
could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and liquidity.

The results of our Credit operations could be adversely affected by changes in market conditions. 
Revenues earned under our program agreement with TD are indirectly subject to economic and market conditions that are beyond our 
control, including, but not limited to, interest rates, consumer credit availability, demand for credit, consumer debt levels, payment patterns, 
delinquency rates, employment trends and other factors. Changes in these economic and market conditions could impair our revenues and 
profitability. 

Our business and operations could be materially and adversely affected by supply chain disruptions, port disruptions, severe 
weather patterns, natural disasters, widespread pandemics and other natural or man-made disruptions. 
These disruptions could cause, among other things, a decrease in consumer spending that would negatively impact our sales, staffing 
shortages in our stores, distribution centers or corporate offices, interruptions in the flow of merchandise to our stores, disruptions in the 
operations of our merchandise vendors or property developers, increased costs and a negative impact on our reputation and long-term 
growth plans. We have a significant amount of our total sales, stores and square footage in the west coast of the United States, particularly in 
California, which increases our exposure to market-disrupting conditions in this region.

RISKS DUE TO LEGAL AND REGULATORY FACTORS

We are subject to certain laws, litigation, regulatory matters and ethical standards, and our failure to comply with or adequately 
address developments as they arise could adversely affect our reputation and operations. 
Our policies, procedures and practices and the technology we implement are designed to comply with federal, state, local and foreign laws, 
rules and regulations, including those imposed by the SEC, consumer protection and other regulatory agencies, the marketplace, and foreign 
countries, as well as responsible business, social and environmental practices, all of which may change from time to time. Compliance with 
laws and regulations and/or significant legislative changes may cause our business to be adversely impacted, or even limit or restrict the 
activities of our business. In addition, if we fail to comply with applicable laws and regulations or implement responsible business, social, 
environmental and supply chain practices, we could be subject to damage to our reputation, class action lawsuits, legal and settlement costs, 
civil and criminal liability, increased cost of regulatory compliance, losing our ability to accept credit and debit card payments from our 
customers, restatements of our financial statements, disruption of our business and loss of customers. Any required changes to our 
employment practices could result in the loss of employees, reduced sales, increased employment costs, low employee morale and harm to 
our business and results of operations. In addition, political and economic factors could lead to unfavorable changes in federal, state and 
foreign tax laws, which may affect our tax assets or liabilities and adversely affect our results of operations. We are also regularly involved in 
various litigation matters that arise in the ordinary course of business. Litigation or regulatory developments could adversely affect our 
business and financial condition.

Changes to accounting rules and regulations could affect our financial results or financial condition.
Accounting principles and related pronouncements, implementation guidelines and interpretations with regard to a wide variety of accounting 
matters that are relevant to our business, including, but not limited to, revenue recognition, merchandise inventories, leasing, goodwill, 
impairment of long-lived assets, stock-based compensation and tax matters are highly complex and involve subjective assumptions, 
estimates and judgments. Changes in these rules and regulations, changes in our interpretation of the rules or regulations or changes in 
underlying assumptions, estimates or judgments could adversely affect our financial performance or financial position.

Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments.

None.

Nordstrom, Inc. and subsidiaries  11

Item 2. Properties.

The following table summarizes the number of retail stores we own or lease, and the percentage of total store square footage represented by 
each listed category as of February 3, 2018:

Leased stores on leased land

Owned stores on leased land

Owned stores on owned land

Partly owned and partly leased store

Total

Number of stores

Nordstrom 
Full-Line Stores1

Nordstrom 
Rack and Other2

% of total store
square footage

26

63

33

1

123

242

—

1

—

243

44%

37%

18%

1%

100%

1 Nordstrom full-line stores include U.S. full line stores, Canada full-line stores and Nordstrom Local. 
2 Other includes Trunk Club clubhouses, Jeffrey boutiques and Last Chance stores. 

The following table summarizes our retail store openings and closures for fiscal 2017 and announced retail store openings and closures for 
fiscal 2018 by state/province:

Fiscal year

State/Province
Openings

U.S.

Arizona

California

Florida

Illinois

Indiana

Maryland

Minnesota

New Jersey

New York

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Tennessee

Texas

Washington

Canada

Alberta

Ontario

Total Openings

Closures

California

Oregon

Virginia

Total Closures

Number of stores

2017

Announced 2018

Nordstrom 
Full-Line Stores1

Nordstrom 
Rack and Other2

Nordstrom 
Full-Line Stores1

Nordstrom 
Rack and Other2

—

1

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

1

2

(1)

—

(1)

(2)

—

3

1

2

1

1

2

—

1

1

—

1

2

2

—

—

17

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

1

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

1

—

(1)

—

(1)

1

1

—

1

—

—

—

1

—

—

1

—

1

—

2

4

12

—

—

—

—

1 Nordstrom full-line stores include U.S. full line stores, Canada full-line stores and Nordstrom Local.
2 Other includes Trunk Club clubhouses, Jeffrey boutiques and Last Chance stores.

12

The following table lists our retail store count and square footage by state/province as of February 3, 2018:

Retail stores by channel

Nordstrom Full-Line Stores1

Nordstrom Rack and Other2

Total

Count

Square Footage
(000’s)

Count

Square Footage
(000’s)

Count

Square Footage
(000’s)

State/Province
U.S.

Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
California3
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
Nevada
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Puerto Rico
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas3
Utah
Virginia
Washington
Washington D.C.
Wisconsin

Canada

Alberta
British Columbia
Ontario

—
1
2
31
3
1
1
9
2
1
—
4
1
—
1
—
—
—
4
4
3
2
2
1
5
—
2
2
3
—
4
2
1
1
—
1
9
2
4
7
—
1

—
97
384
5,192
559
189
127
1,389
383
195
—
947
134
—
219
—
—
—
765
595
552
380
342
207
991
—
460
300
549
—
555
381
143
206
—
145
1,562
277
746
1,392
—
150

1
1
8
53
6
1
1
16
5
2
1
16
2
1
1
1
3
1
5
8
5
5
2
3
7
1
14
2
6
2
6
6
—
1
4
2
18
4
7
9
4
2

35
35
287
1,967
213
36
32
545
165
78
37
590
60
35
35
33
90
30
186
275
178
173
69
101
248
34
473
74
224
67
218
214
—
38
104
69
604
126
268
354
115
67

1
2
10
84
9
2
2
25
7
3
1
20
3
1
2
1
3
1
9
12
8
7
4
4
12
1
16
4
9
2
10
8
1
2
4
3
27
6
11
16
4
3

35
132
671
7,159
772
225
159
1,934
548
273
37
1,537
194
35
254
33
90
30
951
870
730
553
411
308
1,239
34
933
374
773
67
773
595
143
244
104
214
2,166
403
1,014
1,746
115
217

142
231
750
30,218

1
1
4
123

142
231
750
21,636

—
—
—
243

—
—
—
8,582

1
1
4
366

Total
1 Nordstrom full-line stores include U.S. full line stores, Canada full-line stores and Nordstrom Local.
2 Other includes seven Trunk Club clubhouses, two Jeffrey boutiques and two Last Chance stores.
3 California and Texas had the highest square footage, with a combined 9,325 square feet, representing 31% of our total Company square footage.

Nordstrom, Inc. and subsidiaries  13

Our headquarters are located in Seattle, Washington, where our offices consist of both leased and owned space. 

For use by our Retail segment, we have:

•  six owned merchandise distribution centers (Portland, Oregon; Dubuque, Iowa; Ontario, California; Newark, California; Upper Marlboro, 

Maryland and Gainesville, Florida),

•  two owned fulfillment centers (Cedar Rapids, Iowa and Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania),

•  one leased fulfillment center (San Bernardino, California) and

•  three leased administrative offices (Chicago, Illinois; Los Angeles, California and New York City, New York).

For use by our Credit segment, we have one leased office building (Centennial, Colorado).

Item 3. Legal Proceedings.

We are subject from time to time to various claims and lawsuits arising in the ordinary course of business, including lawsuits alleging 
violations of state and/or federal wage and hour and other employment laws, privacy and other consumer-based claims. Some of these 
lawsuits include certified classes of litigants, or purport or may be determined to be class or collective actions and seek substantial damages 
or injunctive relief, or both, and some may remain unresolved for several years. We believe the recorded reserves in our Consolidated 
Financial Statements are adequate in light of the probable and estimable liabilities. As of the date of this report, we do not believe any 
currently identified claim, proceeding or litigation, either alone or in the aggregate, will have a material impact on our results of operations, 
financial position or cash flows. Since these matters are subject to inherent uncertainties, our view of them may change in the future.

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures.

None.

14

PART II

Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Shareholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity 
Securities.

MARKET, SHAREHOLDER AND DIVIDEND INFORMATION
Our common stock, without par value, is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “JWN.” The approximate number of 
holders of common stock as of March 12, 2018 was 154,000, based upon the number of registered and beneficial shareholders and the 
number of employee shareholders in the Nordstrom 401(k) Plan. On this date, we had 167,790,511 shares of common stock outstanding.

The high and low prices of our common stock and dividends declared for each quarter of 2017 and 2016 are presented in the table below:

Common Stock Price

2017

2016

Dividends per Share

High

$48.45

$50.32

$49.00

$53.00

$53.00

Low

$40.70

$39.53

$39.63

$37.79

$37.79

High

$59.37

$51.74

$55.23

$62.82

$62.82

Low

$46.65

$35.01

$39.05

$42.32

$35.01

2017

$0.37

$0.37

$0.37

$0.37

$1.48

2016

$0.37

$0.37

$0.37

$0.37

$1.48

1st Quarter

2nd Quarter

3rd Quarter

4th Quarter

Full Year

SHARE REPURCHASES
(Dollar amounts in millions)

In February 2017, our Board of Directors authorized a program to repurchase up to $500 of our outstanding common stock through August 
31, 2018. 

In the fourth quarter of 2017, we made no share repurchases and we had $414 of remaining share repurchase capacity as of February 3, 
2018. We do not plan to repurchase shares while the Group explores the possibility of making a going private proposal. The actual timing, 
price, manner and amounts of future share repurchases, if any, will be subject to market and economic conditions and applicable SEC rules.

Nordstrom, Inc. and subsidiaries  15

 
 
STOCK PRICE PERFORMANCE
The following graph compares the cumulative total return of Nordstrom common stock, Standard & Poor’s Retail Index (“S&P Retail”) and 
Standard & Poor’s 500 Index (“S&P 500”) for each of the last five fiscal years, ending February 3, 2018. The Retail Index is composed of 29 
retail companies, including Nordstrom, representing an industry group of the S&P 500. The following graph assumes an initial investment of 
$100 each in Nordstrom common stock, the S&P Retail and the S&P 500 on February 2, 2013 and assumes reinvestment of dividends.

End of fiscal year
Nordstrom common stock

Standard & Poor’s Retail Index

Standard & Poor’s 500 Index

2012

100

100

100

2013

106

125

120

2014

144

154

141

2015

102

179

138

2016

91

211

167

2017

105

299

206

16

Item 6. Selected Financial Data.
Dollars in millions except per square foot and per share amounts

The following selected financial data are derived from the audited Consolidated Financial Statements and should be read in conjunction with 
Item 1A: Risk Factors, Item 7: Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations and Item 8: Financial 
Statements and Supplementary Data of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Fiscal year
Earnings Results
Net sales
Credit card revenues, net1
Gross profit
Selling, general and administrative (“SG&A”) expenses
Earnings before interest and income taxes (“EBIT”)
Net earnings

Balance Sheet and Cash Flow Data

Cash and cash equivalents
Merchandise inventories
Land, property and equipment, net
Total assets1
Total long-term debt1
Cash flow from operations1
Capital expenditures

Performance Metrics
Net sales increase
Comparable sales increase (decrease)2
Gross profit % of net sales
SG&A % of net sales
EBIT % of net sales
Capital expenditures % of net sales
Return on assets
Return on invested capital (“ROIC”)3
Sales per square foot
4-wall sales per square foot
Inventory turnover rate

Per Share Information

Earnings per diluted share4
Dividends declared per share1

Store Information (at year-end)
Nordstrom full-line stores5
Nordstrom Rack and other6
Total square footage

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

$15,137
341
5,247
(4,662)
926
437

$1,181
2,027
3,939
8,115
2,737
1,400
731

4.4%
0.8%
34.7%
30.8%
6.1%
4.8%
5.4%
9.7%
$506
$384
4.67

$2.59
1.48

$14,498
259
5,058
(4,315)
805
354

$1,007
1,896
3,897
7,858
2,774
1,658
846

2.9%
(0.4%)
34.9%
29.8%
5.6%
5.8%
4.5%
8.4%
$498
$392
4.53

$2.02
1.48

$14,095
342
4,927
(4,168)
1,101
600

$13,110
396
4,704
(3,777)
1,323
720

$12,166
374
4,429
(3,453)
1,350
734

$595
1,945
3,735
7,698
2,805
2,470
1,082

7.5%
2.7%
35.0%
29.6%
7.8%
7.7%
6.6%
10.7%
$507
$410
4.54

$3.15
6.33

$827
1,733
3,340
9,245
3,131
1,243
861

7.8%
4.0%
35.9%
28.8%
10.1%
6.6%
8.1%
12.6%
$493
$413
4.67

$3.72
1.32

$1,194
1,531
2,949
8,574
3,113
1,345
803

3.4%
2.5%
36.4%
28.4%
11.1%
6.6%
8.7%
13.6%
$474
$408
5.07

$3.71
1.20

123
243
30,218,000

123
226
29,792,000

121
202
28,610,000

117
175
27,061,000

117
143
26,017,000

1 Amounts were impacted by the October 1, 2015, credit card receivable transaction. As a result of the transaction, the dividends paid in the fiscal year 2015 included a special 

cash dividend of $4.85 per share. For further information regarding these impacts, see Note 2: Credit Card Receivable Transaction and Note 11: Shareholders’ Equity in 
Item 8.

2 The 53rd week is not included in comparable sales calculations (see Item 7: Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations for more 

information about the 53rd week). 

3 See ROIC (non-GAAP financial measure) in Item 7: Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations for additional information and 

reconciliation to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure.  

4 Earnings per diluted share included the impact of the Trunk Club goodwill impairment charge of $1.12 per share in fiscal year 2016.  
5 Nordstrom full-line stores include U.S. full line stores, Canada full-line stores and Nordstrom Local.
6 Other includes Trunk Club clubhouses, Jeffrey boutiques and Last Chance stores.

Nordstrom, Inc. and subsidiaries  17

Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.
Dollar, share and square footage amounts in millions except percentages, per share and per square foot amounts

OVERVIEW 
Nordstrom is a leading fashion retailer offering apparel, shoes, cosmetics and accessories for women, men, young adults and children. We 
offer an extensive selection of high-quality brand-name and private label merchandise in the U.S. and Canada. We serve customers through 
two brands — Nordstrom full-price and Nordstrom Rack off-price. With customers increasingly engaging with Nordstrom in multiple ways, 
we’re focused on providing a seamless experience across stores and online. Our operations currently consist of our Nordstrom U.S. and 
Canada full-line stores, Nordstrom.com, Nordstrom Rack stores, Nordstromrack.com/HauteLook, Trunk Club, Jeffrey boutiques, Last Chance 
clearance stores and Nordstrom Local. Our customers can participate in our Nordstrom Rewards loyalty program which allows them to earn 
merchandise, services and other experiences. We also offer our customers a variety of payment products and services, including our 
Nordstrom co-branded credit cards. As we aspire to be the best fashion retailer, our customer strategy is centered on three strategic pillars: 
providing a differentiated product offering, delivering exceptional services and experiences, and leveraging the strength of our brand.

In 2017, net earnings were $437, or $2.59 per diluted share, which included impacts associated with the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Tax 
Act”), consisting of a $0.25 per share reduction related to our income tax provision and a $0.06 per share decrease for a one-time investment 
in our employees. We reached record sales of $15 billion in 2017. Our net sales increased 4.4%, inclusive of approximately $220 or 150 
basis points from the impact of the 53rd week, while comparable sales increased 0.8% and are not inclusive of the 53rd week.

We achieved the following milestones in executing our growth plans:

•  Nordstrom experienced continued positive customer trends, reflecting customer growth of 4% to 33 million customers. Additionally, 9 

million customers are shopping with us in multiple ways, a 6% increase over the previous year. 

•  Generational investments, which include Nordstromrack.com/HauteLook, Canada and Trunk Club, contributed $1.5 billion in sales.

•  In the Nordstrom full-price business, strategic brands, including product with limited distribution and Nordstrom proprietary labels, 

continued to deliver outsized sales growth. 

•  The Nordstrom Rack off-price business gained 6 million new customers with approximately one-third of off-price customers expected to 

cross-shop the full-price business over time.

•  Nordstrom Rewards loyalty program customers increased by 35% to 10.5 million. Sales from Nordstrom Rewards customers 

represented 51% of sales, an increase from 44% in 2016.

Looking ahead to 2018, we are executing on our three strategic pillars through a series of initiatives. On April 12, our Nordstrom Men’s Store 
NYC is slated to open, with our Nordstrom NYC store opening in Fall 2019. We expect this store to be the biggest and best statement of the 
Nordstrom brand, serving as a gateway to new customers both domestically and internationally. 

We are also focusing on further integrating our digital and physical assets in our top markets in order to deliver best-in-class services and 
experiences to customers in those areas. We will bring our capabilities across supply chain, technology, marketing, product and services to 
create a digitally-connected and differentiated experience for customers to shop on their terms, starting in Los Angeles, our largest market. 
We believe that we will gain learnings from our experiences in the Los Angeles market that we can apply to other markets in the future.

Another key initiative for 2018 is the introduction of six Nordstrom Rack stores in Canada, where we completed our full-line store expansion 
plans last September. Similar to our experience in the U.S., we expect strong synergies between our full-price and off-price businesses.

Finally, we will continue to curate our assortment to provide newness and the opportunity for discovery for our customers. In our full-price 
business, our focus is on strategic brand growth through new launches and our existing partners. In our off-price business, leveraging our 
vendor partnerships enables us to offer the best brands at the best prices.

Our strategic brand partnerships and combined digital and physical assets make us uniquely positioned in the marketplace. We believe our 
diversified and resilient business model will continue to serve us well while creating value for our shareholders, customers and employees.

18

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
Our reportable segments in 2017 are Retail and Credit. We analyze our results of operations through earnings before interest and income 
taxes for our Retail Business and Credit, while interest expense, income taxes and earnings per share are discussed on a total Company 
basis.

Similar to many other retailers, Nordstrom follows the retail 4-5-4 reporting calendar, which included an extra week in the fourth quarter of 
2017 (the “53rd week”). References to 2017 relate to the 53-week fiscal year ended February 3, 2018. References to 2016 and 2015 are 
based on a 52-week fiscal year. However, the 53rd week is not included in the comparable sales calculations.

RETAIL BUSINESS
Our Retail Business includes our Nordstrom U.S. and Canada full-line stores, Nordstrom.com, Nordstrom Rack stores, Nordstromrack.com/
HauteLook, Trunk Club, Jeffrey boutiques, Last Chance clearance stores and Nordstrom Local. For purposes of discussion and analysis of 
our results of operations of our Retail Business, we combine our Retail segment results with revenues and expenses in the “Corporate/Other” 
column of Note 15: Segment Reporting in Item 8 (collectively, the “Retail Business”). Amounts in the “Corporate/Other” column include 
unallocated corporate expenses and assets (including unallocated assets in corporate headquarters, consisting primarily of cash, land, 
buildings and equipment and deferred tax assets), sales return reserves, inter-segment eliminations and other adjustments to segment 
results necessary for the presentation of consolidated financial results in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

Certain metrics we use to evaluate the Retail Business may not be calculated in a consistent manner among industry peers. Provided below 
are definitions of metrics we present within our analysis of the Retail Business: 

•  Comparable Sales – sales from stores that have been open at least one full year at the beginning of the year 

•  Total Company comparable sales include sales from our online channels

•  Gross Profit – net sales less cost of sales and related buying and occupancy costs

•  Inventory Turnover Rate – trailing 12-months cost of sales and related buying and occupancy costs (for all segments) divided by the 

trailing 4-quarter average inventory

•  Total Sales Per Square Foot – net sales divided by weighted-average square footage

•  4-wall Sales Per Square Foot – sales for Nordstrom U.S. and Canada full-line stores, Nordstrom Rack stores, Trunk Club clubhouses, 

Jeffrey boutiques, Last Chance clearance stores and Nordstrom Local divided by their weighted-average square footage

Summary
The following table summarizes the results of our Retail Business:

Fiscal year

Net sales

Cost of sales and related buying and

occupancy costs

Gross profit

Selling, general and administrative expenses

Goodwill impairment

Earnings before interest and income taxes

1 Subtotals and totals may not foot due to rounding.

2017

2016

2015

Amount

$15,137

(9,877)

5,260

(4,508)

—

$752

% of net
sales1

100.0%

(65.3%)

34.7%

(29.8%)

—

5.0%

Amount

$14,498

(9,434)

5,064

(4,159)

(197)

$708

% of net
sales1

100.0%

(65.1%)

34.9%

(28.7%)

(1.4%)

4.9%

Amount

$14,095

(9,161)

4,934

(4,016)

—

$918

% of net
sales1

100.0%

(65.0%)

35.0%

(28.5%)

—

6.5%

Nordstrom, Inc. and subsidiaries  19

 
Retail Business Net Sales
In our ongoing effort to enhance the customer experience, we are focused on providing customers with a seamless experience across our 
channels. While our customers may engage with us through multiple channels, we know they value the overall Nordstrom brand experience 
and view us simply as Nordstrom, which is ultimately how we view our business. The following is a summary of our net sales by channel for 
our Retail Business:

Fiscal year

Net sales by channel:

Nordstrom full-line stores - U.S.1

Nordstrom.com

Full-price

Nordstrom Rack

Nordstromrack.com/HauteLook

Off-price

Other retail2

Retail segment

Corporate/Other

Total net sales

Net sales increase

Comparable sales increase (decrease) by channel3:

Nordstrom full-line stores - U.S.

Nordstrom.com

Full-price

Nordstrom Rack

Nordstromrack.com/HauteLook

Off-price

Total Company

Sales per square foot:

Total sales per square foot
4-wall sales per square foot
Full-line sales per square foot - U.S.
Nordstrom Rack sales per square foot
1 Nordstrom full-line stores - U.S. includes Nordstrom Local.
2 Other retail includes Nordstrom Canada full-line stores, Trunk Club and Jeffrey boutiques.
3 The 53rd week is not included in comparable sales calculations.

2017

$6,951

2,887

9,838

4,059

897

4,956

614

15,408

(271)

$15,137

2016

$7,186

2,519

9,705

3,809

700

4,509

554

14,768

(270)

$14,498

2015

$7,633

2,300

9,933

3,533

532

4,065

378

14,376

(281)

$14,095

4.4%

2.9%

7.5%

(4.2%)

13.1%

0.4%

(1.9%)

25.5%

2.5%

0.8%

$506
384
337
497

(6.4%)

9.5%

(2.7%)

0.2%

31.7%

4.5%

(0.4%)

$498
392
346
507

(1.1%)

15.2%

2.3%

(1.0%)

47.4%

4.3%

2.7%

$507
410
370
523

Net Sales (2017 vs. 2016)
In 2017, total Company net sales increased 4.4%, while comparable sales increased 0.8%. During the year, we opened two Nordstrom full-
line stores, including one in Canada, and 17 Nordstrom Rack stores. The 53rd week contributed approximately $220 in additional net sales. 

Full-price net sales, which consists of the U.S. full-line and Nordstrom.com channels, increased 1.4% compared with 2016, while comparable 
sales increased 0.4%. Also on a comparable basis, full-price sales reflected an increase in the average selling price per item sold, partially 
offset by a decrease in the number of items sold. Kids was the top-performing merchandise category.

Off-price net sales, which consists of Nordstrom Rack and Nordstromrack.com/HauteLook channels, increased 9.9%, compared with 2016 
and comparable sales increased 2.5%. Nordstromrack.com/HauteLook had a comparable sales increase of 25.5% and now represents over 
18% of off-price sales. Nordstrom Rack net sales increased 6.6%, primarily attributable to 17 new store openings in 2017, while comparable 
sales decreased 1.9%. On a comparable basis, the average selling price per item sold and the total number of items sold decreased at 
Nordstrom Rack. The top-performing Nordstrom Rack merchandise category was Beauty.

20

Net Sales (2016 vs. 2015)
In 2016, total Company net sales increased 2.9%, while comparable sales decreased 0.4%. During the year, we opened three Nordstrom full-
line stores, including two in Canada, and 21 Nordstrom Rack stores. 

Full-price net sales decreased 2.3% compared with 2015, while comparable sales decreased 2.7%. Also on a comparable basis, full-price 
sales reflected a decrease in the total number of items sold, partially offset by an increase in the average selling price per item sold. The top-
performing merchandise category was Beauty. 

Off-price net sales increased 10.9%, compared with 2015 and comparable sales increased 4.5%. Nordstromrack.com/HauteLook had 
comparable sales increase of 31.7% and represented 15% of off-price sales. Nordstrom Rack net sales increased 7.8%, primarily attributable 
to 21 new store openings in 2016. On a comparable basis, the total number of items sold increased at Nordstrom Rack, partially offset by a 
decrease in the average selling price per item sold. Kids was the top-performing Nordstrom Rack merchandise category.

Retail Business Gross Profit
The following table summarizes the Retail Business gross profit (“Retail GP”):

Fiscal year

Retail gross profit

Retail gross profit as a % of net sales

Inventory turnover rate

2017

$5,260

34.7%

4.67

2016

$5,064

34.9%

4.53

2015

$4,934

35.0%

4.54

Gross Profit (2017 vs. 2016)
Retail GP decreased 18 basis points in 2017 when compared with 2016, primarily due to higher planned occupancy expenses related to new 
store growth for Nordstrom Rack and Canada. Continued focus on inventory execution led to improvements in inventory turnover rate in 
2017. 

Gross Profit (2016 vs. 2015)
Our Retail GP rate was relatively flat compared with 2015, reflecting higher occupancy costs associated with Nordstrom Rack and Canada 
store growth, in addition to increased markdowns in the first half of the year to realign inventory to sales trends. This was offset by strong 
inventory execution during the remainder of the year and reduced competitive markdowns. 

Retail Business Selling, General and Administrative Expenses
Retail Business selling, general and administrative expenses (“Retail SG&A”) are summarized in the following table:

Fiscal year

Retail selling, general and administrative expenses

Retail selling, general and administrative expenses as a % of net sales

2017

$4,508

29.8%

2016

$4,159

28.7%

2015

$4,016

28.5%

Selling, General and Administrative Expenses (2017 vs. 2016)
Our Retail SG&A rate increased 99 basis points in 2017 and increased $349 compared with 2016 primarily due to planned technology and 
performance related expenses.

Selling, General and Administrative Expenses (2016 vs. 2015)
Our Retail SG&A rate increased 19 basis points in 2016 and increased $143 compared with 2015 primarily due to technology and fulfillment 
expenses.

Retail Business Goodwill Impairment
We recognized a goodwill impairment charge of $197 in 2016 related to Trunk Club (see Note 8: Fair Value Measurements in Item 8). 

Nordstrom, Inc. and subsidiaries  21

CREDIT SEGMENT
The Nordstrom credit and debit card products are designed to strengthen customer relationships and grow retail sales by providing loyalty 
benefits, valuable services and payment products. We believe our credit business allows us to build deeper relationships with our customers 
by fully integrating the Nordstrom Rewards loyalty program with our retail business and providing better service, which in turn fosters greater 
customer loyalty. Nordstrom cardholders tend to visit our stores more frequently and spend more than non-cardholders. Nordstrom private 
label credit and debit cards can be used at a majority of our U.S. retail businesses, while Nordstrom Visa credit cards also may be used for 
purchases outside of Nordstrom (“outside volume”). In 2017, we began offering a Canadian Nordstrom-branded Visa card, which can be 
used for purchases inside and outside of Nordstrom.

In October 2015, we completed the sale of a substantial majority of our U.S. Visa and private label credit card portfolio to TD. In November 
2017, we sold the remaining balances which consisted of employee credit card receivables for the U.S. Visa and Nordstrom private label 
credit cards to TD (see Note 2: Credit Card Receivable Transaction in Item 8). 

Summary
The table below provides a detailed view of the operational results of our Credit segment, consistent with Note 15: Segment Reporting in 
Item 8:

Fiscal year

Credit card revenues, net

Credit expenses

Earnings before interest and income taxes

Credit and debit card volume1:

Inside

Outside

Total volume

1 Credit and debit card volume represents sales on the total portfolio plus applicable sales taxes.

Credit Card Revenues, net
The following is a summary of our credit card revenues, net:

Fiscal year

Credit program revenues, net

Other

Total credit card revenues, net

2017

$341

(167)

$174

$5,987

4,434

$10,421

2017

$331

10

$341

2016

$259

(162)

$97

$5,858

4,160

$10,018

2016

$246

13

$259

2015

$342

(159)

$183

$5,953

4,309

$10,262

20151

$64

278

$342

1 Other in fiscal year 2015 consisted of $173 of finance charge revenue, $61 in interchange fees and $44 of late fees and other revenue.

Credit program revenues, net include our portion of the ongoing credit card revenue, net of credit losses, from both sold and newly generated 
credit card receivables pursuant to our program agreement with TD. Asset amortization and deferred revenue recognition associated with the 
assets and liabilities recorded as part of the transaction are also recorded in credit program revenues, net. Revenue earned under the 
program agreement is impacted by the credit quality of receivables, both owned and serviced, and factors such as deteriorating economic 
conditions, declining creditworthiness of cardholders and the success of account management and collection activities may heighten the risk 
of credit losses. 

Other credit card revenues included finance charge revenue, interchange fees and late fees. Finance charges represented interest earned on 
unpaid balances while interchange fees were earned from the use of Nordstrom Visa credit cards at merchants outside of Nordstrom. Late 
fees were assessed when a credit card account becomes past due. We continued to recognize revenue in this manner for credit card 
receivables retained (employee receivables) subsequent to the close of the October 2015 credit card receivable transaction until we sold our 
remaining receivables in November 2017.

Credit Card Revenues, net increased $82 in 2017 reflecting our strategic partnership with TD to responsibly grow our receivables and 
associated revenues and a reduction in amortization expense related to the sale of the credit card portfolio. Credit Card Revenues, net 
decreased $83 in 2016 due to the credit card receivable transaction and the new program agreement.

22

Credit Expenses 
Credit expenses consist of operational, bad debt and occupancy expenses. 

Credit Expenses (2017 vs. 2016)
Total credit expenses increased $5 in 2017 compared with 2016 due to an increase in costs associated with the Nordstrom Rewards loyalty 
program.

Credit Expenses (2016 vs. 2015)
Total credit expenses increased $3 in 2016 compared with 2015 primarily due to a $64 gain partially offset by $32 of expenses incurred in 
2015 associated with the credit card receivables transaction and a decrease in bad debt expense subsequent to the sale of the credit card 
receivables in October 2015.

TOTAL COMPANY RESULTS

Interest Expense, Net
Interest expense is summarized in the following table:

Fiscal year

Interest on long-term debt and short-term borrowings

Less:

Interest income

Capitalized interest

Interest expense, net

2017

$168

(5)

(27)

$136

2016

$147

(1)

(25)

$121

2015

$153

—

(28)

$125

Interest Expense, Net (2017 vs. 2016)
Interest expense, net increased $15 in 2017 compared with 2016 primarily due to a net interest expense charge of $18 related to the $650 
debt refinancing completed in the first quarter of 2017 (see Note 7: Debt and Credit Facilities in Item 8).

Interest Expense, Net (2016 vs. 2015)
Interest expense, net decreased $4 in 2016 compared with 2015 primarily due to the defeasance of our $325 Series 2011-1 Class A Notes in 
the third quarter of 2015.

Income Tax Expense
Income tax expense is summarized in the following table:

Fiscal year

Income tax expense

Effective tax rate

2017

$353

44.7%

2016

$330

48.2%

2015

$376

38.6%

In December 2017, the Tax Act was signed into law. Among numerous other provisions, the Tax Act significantly revises the U.S. federal 
corporate income tax by reducing the statutory rate from 35% to 21%, imposing a mandatory one-time transition tax on accumulated 
unrepatriated earnings of foreign subsidiaries and enhancing and extending the option to claim accelerated depreciation on qualified 
property. The Tax Act also revises tax laws that will affect 2018, including, but not limited to, eliminating certain deductions for executive 
compensation and limiting the deduction for interest. We have reasonably estimated the effects of the Tax Act and recorded provisional 
amounts in our Consolidated Financial Statements as of February 3, 2018. Net earnings included $42 related to the Tax Act, which includes a 
provisional one-time, non-cash charge of $51 related to the revaluation of our net deferred tax assets for the change in statutory tax rate and 
for the impacts associated with the future limitations on executive compensation, partially offset by cash tax savings from a lower federal tax 
rate.As we complete our analysis of the Tax Act and interpret any additional guidance issued by the U.S. Treasury Department, the Internal 
Revenue Service (“IRS”) and other standard-setting bodies, we may make adjustments to the provisional amounts, which may materially 
impact our provision for income taxes in the period in which the adjustments are recorded. 

Nordstrom, Inc. and subsidiaries  23

The following table illustrates the components of our effective tax rate:

Fiscal year

Statutory rate1

Tax Act impact

Goodwill impairment

State and local income taxes, net of federal income taxes

Non-deductible acquisition-related items

Federal credits

Other, net

Effective tax rate

1 The statutory rate in 2017 is reduced due to tax reform.

2017

33.7%

6.1%

—

4.5%

0.3%

(0.7%)

0.8%

44.7%

2016

35.0%

—

10.1%

5.1%

0.6%

(0.6%)

(2.0%)

48.2%

2015

35.0%

—

—

4.1%

0.4%

(0.6%)

(0.3%)

38.6%

Income Tax Expense (2017 vs. 2016)
The decrease in the effective tax rate for 2017 compared with 2016 was primarily due to the non-deductible goodwill impairment charge of 
$197 related to Trunk Club in the third quarter of 2016 (see Note 8: Fair Value Measurements in Item 8). Excluding the impact of the Trunk 
Club goodwill impairment, our effective tax rate for 2017 would have increased approximately 700 basis points compared with the prior year 
primarily due to a provisional, one-time tax charge related to the revaluation of net deferred tax assets as a result of the Tax Act (see Note 13: 
Income Taxes in Item 8 for additional information).

Income Tax Expense (2016 vs. 2015)
The increase in the effective tax rate for 2016 compared with 2015 was primarily due to the non-deductible goodwill impairment charge of 
$197 related to Trunk Club. Excluding the impact of the Trunk Club goodwill impairment, our effective tax rate for 2016 would have decreased 
approximately 100 basis points compared with the prior year primarily due to an increase in nontaxable income.

Earnings Per Share
Earnings per share is as follows:

Fiscal year

Basic

Diluted

2017

$2.62

$2.59

2016

$2.05

$2.02

2015

$3.22

$3.15

Earnings Per Share (2017 vs. 2016)
For 2017, diluted earnings per share (“EPS”) of $2.59 included impacts associated with the Tax Act consisting of a $0.25 per share reduction 
related to our income tax provision and a $0.06 per share decrease for a one-time investment in our employees. The impact of the Trunk 
Club goodwill impairment charge of $197 in 2016 was approximately $1.12 per share. Excluding the impact of these items, EPS decreased in 
2017 compared with 2016 due to planned increases in supply chain and technology costs associated with our growth initiatives, partially 
offset by an increase in net sales.

Earnings Per Share (2016 vs. 2015)
The decrease in EPS for 2016 compared with 2015 was primarily due to the Trunk Club goodwill impairment charge in 2016. Excluding the 
goodwill impairment charge, EPS in 2016 was relatively flat compared with 2015 due to higher technology and fulfillment costs supporting 
multi-channel growth, offset by a decrease in shares outstanding as a result of share repurchases during the year.

Fourth Quarter Results 
The following are our results for the fourth quarters of 2017 and 2016:

Quarter ended

Net sales

Credit card revenues, net

Gross profit

Gross profit as a % of net sales

Retail selling, general and administrative expenses

Retail selling, general and administrative expenses as a % of net sales

Credit expenses

Net earnings

EPS (diluted)

24

February 3, 2018

January 28, 2017

$4,600

102

1,631

35.5%

(1,337)

(29.1%)

(52)

151

$0.89

$4,243

73

1,523

35.9%

(1,134)

(26.7%)

(42)

201

$1.15

Net Sales
Total Company net sales increased 8.4% in the fourth quarter of 2017, compared with the same period in 2016, inclusive of approximately 
$220 related to the 53rd week, and comparable sales increased 2.6%. 

Full-price net sales increased 6.1% for the fourth quarter of 2017, compared with the same period in 2016, while comparable 
sales increased 2.4%. Also on a comparable basis for the quarter, full-price sales reflected increases in the average selling price per item 
sold and the total number of items sold. For the fourth quarter, the top-performing merchandise categories were Kids’ and Men’s Apparel. 

Off-price net sales increased 15% for the fourth quarter of 2017, compared with the same period in 2016, while comparable 
sales increased 3.7%. Nordstrom Rack net sales increased 11.4%, attributable to 17 new store openings since the end of 2016. On a 
comparable basis, there was a decrease at Nordstrom Rack in the average selling price per item sold while the number of items sold was 
flat. Beauty was the top-performing Nordstrom Rack merchandise category. 

Credit Card Revenues, net
Credit card revenues, net increased $29 for the fourth quarter, compared with the same period in the prior year, reflecting our strategic 
partnership with TD to responsibly grow our receivables and associated revenues with new and enhanced product offerings. In addition, the 
impact of the 53rd week contributed approximately $10 in additional revenue.

Gross Profit
Our total Company gross profit rate decreased 44 basis points for the fourth quarter compared with the same period in 2016, primarily due to 
higher occupancy expenses related to new store growth for Nordstrom Rack and Canada. Merchandise margin performance was in-line with 
our expectations, reflecting continued strength in regular price selling trends. Ending inventory increased 6.9% over last year, generally in-
line with our expectations.

Retail Selling, General and Administrative Expenses
Our Retail SG&A rate increased 231 basis points compared with the same period in 2016. The increase reflected higher supply chain, 
marketing and technology expenses associated with our growth initiatives in addition to a legal settlement gain in 2016 of $22, or 
approximately 50 basis points.

Credit Expenses
In the fourth quarter of 2017, total credit expenses increased $10 compared with the fourth quarter of 2016, driven primarily by increased 
technology costs.

Earnings Per Share
EPS for the fourth quarter of 2017 was $0.89 per diluted share, which included impacts associated with the Tax Act consisting of a $0.25 
reduction related to our income tax provision and a $0.06 decrease for a one-time pre-tax investment in our employees compared with $1.15 
per diluted share for the same period in 2016. Excluding the impact of the Tax Act, EPS per diluted share increased due to higher net sales.

For further information on our quarterly results in 2017 and 2016, refer to Note 16: Selected Quarterly Data in Item 8.

2018 Guidance 
Our expectations for 2018, which are shown in comparison to the 53-week fiscal 2017 where applicable, are as follows:

Net sales

Comparable sales (percent)

EBIT 

$15.2 to $15.4 billion

0.5 to 1.5

$885 to $940 million

Earnings per diluted share (excluding the impact of any future share repurchase) $3.30 to $3.55

The Company’s guidance also incorporates the following assumptions:

•  The effective tax rate is expected to be approximately 27.5%.

•  The impact of revenue recognition accounting changes is estimated to reduce EBIT by approximately $30.

•  The 53rd week in fiscal 2017 creates a timing shift in the 4-5-4 calendar for fiscal 2018 that is expected to impact comparisons to the 
prior year. This includes the shift in the Anniversary Sale event from the second and third quarters in 2017 to primarily the second 
quarter in 2018. 

As a result of the evolution of our operations, our reportable segments have become progressively more integrated such that we will change 
our reportable segments to one reportable segment to align with how management will view the results of our operations in the first quarter of 
2018, as discussed in Note 15: Segment Reporting in Item 8. These changes are not expected to impact total Company net earnings, 
earnings per share, financial position or cash flows. In addition, we are evaluating our legacy store based metrics, such as those calculated 
based on square footage, and migrating to metrics that are more relevant to how customers are engaging with us.

Nordstrom, Inc. and subsidiaries  25

Return on Invested Capital (“ROIC”) (Non-GAAP financial measure)
We believe ROIC is a useful financial measure for investors in evaluating the efficiency and effectiveness of our use of capital and believe 
ROIC is an important component of shareholders’ return over the long term. In addition, we incorporate ROIC in our executive incentive 
compensation measures. For the 12 fiscal months ended February 3, 2018, our ROIC increased to 9.7% compared with 8.4% for the 12 
fiscal months ended January 28, 2017. Results for the prior period were negatively impacted by approximately 330 basis points due to the 
Trunk Club non-cash goodwill impairment charge in the third quarter of 2016 (see Note 8: Fair Value Measurements in Item 8). 

We define ROIC as our net operating profit after tax divided by our average invested capital using the trailing 12-month average. ROIC is not 
a measure of financial performance under generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) and should be considered in addition to, and 
not as a substitute for, return on assets, net earnings, total assets or other financial measures prepared in accordance with GAAP. Our 
method of determining non-GAAP financial measures may differ from other companies’ methods and therefore may not be comparable to 
those used by other companies. The financial measure calculated under GAAP which is most directly comparable to ROIC is return on 
assets. The following is a reconciliation of the components of ROIC and return on assets:

February 3, 2018

January 28, 2017

January 30, 2016

January 31, 2015

February 1, 2014

12 Fiscal Months Ended

Net earnings

Add: income tax expense1

Add: interest expense

Earnings before interest and income

tax expense

Add: rent expense

Less: estimated depreciation on 
capitalized operating leases2

Net operating profit

Less: estimated income tax expense

Net operating profit after tax

Average total assets

Less: average non-interest-bearing 

current liabilities3

Less: average deferred property 
incentives and deferred rent 
liability3

Add: average estimated asset base 
of capitalized operating leases4

Average invested capital

Return on assets5

ROIC5

$437

353

141

931

250

(133)

1,048

(468)

$580

$8,055

(3,261)

(644)

1,805

$5,955

5.4%

9.7%

$354

330

122

806

202

(108)

900

(416)

$484

$7,917

(3,012)

(644)

1,512

$5,773

4.5%

8.4%

$600

376

125

1,101

176

(94)

1,183

(456)

$727

$9,076

(2,993)

(548)

1,236

$6,771

6.6%

10.7%

$720

465

139

1,324

137

(74)

1,387

(544)

$843

$8,860

(2,730)

(502)

1,058

$6,686

8.1%

12.6%

$734

455

162

1,351

125

(67)

1,409

(539)

$870

$8,398

(2,430)

(489)

929

$6,408

8.7%

13.6%

1 Results for the 12 months ended February 3, 2018, include $42 impact related to the Tax Act. 
2 Capitalized operating leases is our best estimate of the asset base we would record for our leases that are classified as operating if they had met the criteria for a capital lease 

or we had purchased the property. Asset base is calculated as described in footnote 4 below.

3 Balances associated with our deferred rent liability have been classified as long-term liabilities in the current period. 
4 Based upon the trailing 12-month average of the monthly asset base. The asset base for each month is calculated as the trailing 12 months of rent expense multiplied by eight. 
The multiple of eight times rent expense is a commonly used method of estimating the asset base we would record for our capitalized operating leases described in footnote 2.

5 Results for 12 fiscal months ended January 28, 2017 include the $197 impact of the Trunk Club non-cash goodwill impairment charge in the third quarter of 2016, which 

negatively impacted the prior period return on assets by approximately 240 basis points and ROIC by approximately 330 basis points.

26

LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
We strive to maintain a level of liquidity sufficient to allow us to cover our seasonal cash needs and to maintain appropriate levels of short-
term borrowings. We believe that our operating cash flows, available credit facility and potential future borrowings are sufficient to meet our 
cash requirements for the next 12 months and beyond.

Over the long term, we manage our cash and capital structure to maximize shareholder return, maintain our financial position, manage 
refinancing risk and allow flexibility for strategic initiatives. We regularly assess our debt and leverage levels, capital expenditure 
requirements, debt service payments, dividend payouts, potential share repurchases and other future investments. We believe that as of 
February 3, 2018, our existing cash and cash equivalents on-hand of $1,181, available credit facilities of $800 and potential future operating 
cash flows and borrowings will be sufficient to fund these scheduled future payments and potential long-term initiatives. 

The following is a summary of our cash flows by activity:

Fiscal year
Net cash provided by operating activities
Net cash used in investing activities
Net cash used in financing activities

2017
$1,400
(684)
(542)

2016
$1,658
(791)
(455)

2015
$2,470
(144)
(2,558)

Operating Activities
The majority of our operating cash inflows are derived from sales. We also receive cash payments for property incentives from developers. 
Our operating cash outflows generally consist of payments to our merchandise vendors (net of vendor allowances), payments to our 
employees for wages, salaries and other employee benefits and payments to our landlords for rent. Operating cash outflows also include 
payments for income taxes and interest payments on our short-term and long-term borrowings. 

Net cash provided by operating activities decreased by $258 between 2017 and 2016 primarily due to the timing of tax refunds and 
payments. Net cash provided by operating activities decreased by $812 between 2016 and 2015 primarily due to $1,297 of proceeds in 2015 
from the sale of our credit card receivables originated at Nordstrom (see Note 2: Credit Card Receivable Transaction in Item 8). When 
removing the impact of the sale proceeds, operating cash flows increased from 2015 primarily due to improvements in working capital. 

Investing Activities
Our investing cash inflows are generally from proceeds from sales of property and equipment. Our investing cash outflows include payments 
for capital expenditures, including stores, supply chain improvements and information technology costs. In addition, other investing includes 
payments for investments in other companies, as well as proceeds from distributions or sales of these investments.

Net cash used in investing activities decreased by $107 between 2017 and 2016 primarily due to a decrease in capital expenditures. Net 
cash used in investing activities increased by $647 between 2016 and 2015 primarily due to $890 of proceeds in 2015 from the sale of our 
credit card receivables originated at third parties, partially offset by a decrease in capital expenditures in 2016. 

Capital Expenditures
Our capital expenditures, net are summarized as follows:

Fiscal year

Capital expenditures

Less: deferred property incentives1

Capital expenditures, net

2017

$731

(64)

$667

2016

$846

(65)

$781

2015

$1,082

(156)

$926

Capital expenditures % of net sales

4.8%

5.8%

7.7%

Capital expenditures, net category allocation:

New stores, relocations and remodels2

Information technology

Other3

Total

65%

30%

5%

100%

61%

28%

11%

100%

61%

33%

6%

100%

1 Deferred property incentives are included in our cash provided by operations in our Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows in Item 8. We operationally view the property 

incentives we receive from our developers as an offset to our capital expenditures.

2 New stores, relocations and remodels include the impact of our expansion into new markets, including Nordstrom Canada and Nordstrom NYC.
3 Other capital expenditures consist of ongoing improvements to our stores in the ordinary course of business and expenditures related to various growth initiatives.

Nordstrom, Inc. and subsidiaries  27

Capital expenditures, net decreased $114 in 2017 compared with 2016 due to reduced spend for Canada full-line stores. Capital 
expenditures, net decreased $145 in 2016 compared with 2015 due to reduced spend associated with full-line relocations and new full-line 
stores.

The following table summarizes our store count and square footage activity:

Fiscal year

Total, beginning of year

Store openings1:

Nordstrom full-line stores2

Nordstrom Rack and other stores3

Stores closed

Total, end of year

Relocations and other1

Store count

Square footage

2017

349

2

17

(2)

366

3

2016

323

3

24

(1)

349

3

2015

292

5

27

(1)

323

1

2017

29.8

0.2

0.5

(0.3)

30.2

—

2016

28.6

0.6

0.8

(0.2)

29.8

—

2015

27.1

0.8

0.9

(0.2)

28.6

—

1 Store openings include adjustments due to store relocations or remodels.
2 Nordstrom full-line stores include U.S. full line stores, Canada full-line stores and Nordstrom Local.
3 Other includes Trunk Club clubhouses, Jeffrey boutiques and Last Chance stores.

To date in 2018, we have opened three Nordstrom Rack stores and plan to open 9 additional Nordstrom Rack stores and the Nordstrom 
Men’s Store NYC, increasing our retail square footage by approximately 1%.

Our capital expenditures, net over the next five years is expected to be approximately $3,200, or 4% of net sales, compared with $3,839, or 
6% of net sales, over the previous five years. Although we plan our spending in 2018 and 2019 to increase when compared with 2017 due to 
a new West Coast fulfillment center and Nordstrom NYC pre-opening costs, we expect reductions in the following years. We do not expect 
capital expenditures, net to exceed 5% of net sales in any of the next five years.

Financing Activities
The majority of our financing activities include long-term debt proceeds or payments, dividend payments and common stock repurchases. 

Net cash used in financing activities increased $87 between 2017 and 2016 primarily due to a decrease in cash book overdrafts as a result of 
payment timing differences. Net cash used in financing activities decreased $2,103 between 2016 and 2015 primarily due to a decrease in 
cash dividends paid and share repurchase activity.

Borrowing Activity 
During 2017, we issued $350 aggregate principal amount of 4.00% senior unsecured notes due March 2027 and $300 aggregate principal 
amount of 5.00% senior unsecured notes due January 2044. We recorded debt issuance costs incurred as a result of the issuance in other 
financing activities, net in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows in Item 8. With the proceeds of these new notes, we retired our $650 
senior unsecured notes that were due January 2018 (see Note 7: Debt and Credit Facilities in Item 8).

In 2015, as a condition of closing the credit card receivable transaction, we defeased $325 in secured Series 2011-1 Class A Notes in order 
to provide the receivables to TD free and clear. 

Dividends
In 2017, we paid dividends of $247, or $1.48 per share, compared with $256, or $1.48 per share, in 2016 and $1,185, or $6.33 per share, in 
2015. Dividends paid in 2015 included a special cash dividend of $905, or $4.85 per share, in addition to our quarterly dividends totaling 
$1.48 per share. The special dividend was authorized by our Board of Directors on October 1, 2015, and was paid using proceeds from the 
sale of our credit card receivables. In determining the dividends to pay, we analyze our dividend payout ratio and dividend yield, while taking 
into consideration our current and projected operating performance and liquidity. Our dividend payout ratio target range is 30% to 35% and is 
calculated as our dividend payments divided by net earnings.

In February 2018, subsequent to year end, we declared a quarterly dividend of $0.37 per share, which will be paid on March 20, 2018.

28

 
Share Repurchases
In October 2015, our Board of Directors authorized a program to repurchase up to $1,000 of our outstanding common stock, through March 
1, 2017. There was $409 of unused capacity upon program expiration. In February 2017, our Board of Directors authorized an additional 
program to repurchase up to $500 of our outstanding common stock, through August 31, 2018. During the first quarter of 2017, we 
repurchased 4.6 shares of our common stock for an aggregate purchase price of $206. Since June 2017, when we suspended the February 
2017 program, we did not and do not plan to repurchase shares while the Group explores the possibility of a Going Private Transaction. We 
had $414 remaining in share repurchase capacity as of February 3, 2018. The actual timing, price, manner and amounts of future share 
repurchases, if any, will be subject to market and economic conditions and applicable SEC rules. 

Free Cash Flow (Non-GAAP financial measure)
Free Cash Flow is one of our key liquidity measures, and when used in conjunction with GAAP measures, provides investors with a 
meaningful analysis of our ability to generate cash from our business. For the year ended February 3, 2018, we had Free Cash Flow of $383 
compared with $560 for the year ended January 28, 2017.

Free Cash Flow is not a measure of financial performance under GAAP and should be considered in addition to, and not as a substitute for, 
operating cash flows or other financial measures prepared in accordance with GAAP. Our method of determining non-GAAP financial 
measures may differ from other companies’ methods and therefore may not be comparable to those used by other companies. The financial 
measure calculated under GAAP which is most directly comparable to Free Cash Flow is net cash provided by operating activities. The 
following is a reconciliation of net cash provided by operating activities to Free Cash Flow:

Fiscal year

Net cash provided by operating activities

Less: capital expenditures

Less: cash dividends paid

Add: proceeds from sale of credit card receivables originated at third parties

Add: change in credit card receivables originated at third parties

(Less) Add: change in cash book overdrafts

Free Cash Flow

2017

$1,400

(731)

(247)

16

—

(55)

$383

2016

$1,658

(846)

(256)

—

—

4

$560

2015

$2,470

(1,082)

(1,185)

890

34

23

$1,150

Credit Capacity and Commitments
As of February 3, 2018, we had total short-term borrowing capacity of $800 under our senior unsecured revolving credit facility (“revolver”) 
that expires in April 2020. Under the terms of our revolver, we pay a variable rate of interest and a commitment fee based on our debt rating. 
The revolver is available for working capital, capital expenditures and general corporate purposes. We have the option to increase the 
revolving commitment by up to $200, to a total of $1,000, provided that we obtain written consent from the lenders.

Our $800 commercial paper program allows us to use the proceeds to fund operating cash requirements. Under the terms of the commercial 
paper agreement, we pay a rate of interest based on, among other factors, the maturity of the issuance and market conditions. The issuance 
of commercial paper has the effect, while it is outstanding, of reducing available liquidity under the revolver by an amount equal to the 
principal amount of commercial paper. 

As of February 3, 2018, we had no issuances outstanding under our commercial paper program and no borrowings outstanding under our 
revolver.

Our wholly owned subsidiary in Puerto Rico maintains a $52 unsecured borrowing facility to support our expansion into that market. The 
facility expires in Fall 2018 and borrowings on this facility incur interest based upon the LIBOR plus 1.275% per annum and also incurred a 
fee based on any unused commitment. As of February 3, 2018, we had $48 outstanding on this facility.

We maintain trade and standby letters of credit to facilitate our international payments. As of February 3, 2018, we have $8 available and 
none outstanding under the trade letter of credit and $15 available and $2 outstanding under the standby letter of credit.

Plans for our Nordstrom NYC store, which we currently expect to open in 2019, ultimately include owning a condominium interest in a mixed-
use tower and leasing certain nearby properties. As of February 3, 2018, we had approximately $289 of fee interest in land, which is 
expected to convert to the condominium interest once the store is constructed. We have committed to make future installment payments 
based on the developer meeting pre-established construction and development milestones. In the event that this project is not completed, the 
opening may be delayed and we may be subject to future losses or capital commitments in order to complete construction or to monetize our 
investment in the land. 

Nordstrom, Inc. and subsidiaries  29

Impact of Credit Ratings
Under the terms of our revolver, any borrowings we may enter into will accrue interest for Euro-Dollar Rate Loans at a floating base rate tied 
to LIBOR, for Canadian Dealer Offer Rate Loans at a floating rate tied to CDOR, and for Base Rate Loans at the highest of: (i) the Euro-
Dollar rate plus 100 basis points, (ii) the federal funds rate plus 50 basis points and (iii) the prime rate.

The rate depends upon the type of borrowing incurred, plus in each case an applicable margin. This applicable margin varies depending 
upon the credit ratings assigned to our long-term unsecured debt. At the time of this report, our long-term unsecured debt ratings, outlook 
and resulting applicable margin were as follows:

Moody’s

Standard & Poor’s

Euro-Dollar Rate Loan

Canadian Dealer Offer Rate Loan

Base Rate Loan

Credit Ratings

Baa1

BBB+

Base Interest
Rate

LIBOR

CDOR

various

Outlook

Stable

Negative

Applicable
Margin

1.02%

1.02%

—

Should the ratings assigned to our long-term unsecured debt improve, the applicable margin associated with any such borrowings may 
decrease, resulting in a lower borrowing cost under this facility. Should the ratings assigned to our long-term unsecured debt worsen, the 
applicable margin associated with our borrowings may increase, resulting in a higher borrowing cost under this facility.

Debt Covenants
The revolver requires that we maintain an adjusted debt to earnings before interest, income taxes, depreciation, amortization and rent 
(“EBITDAR”) leverage ratio of no more than four times (see the following additional discussion of Adjusted Debt to EBITDAR). As of 
February 3, 2018, we were in compliance with this covenant. 

30

Adjusted Debt to EBITDAR (Non-GAAP financial measure)
Adjusted Debt to EBITDAR is one of our key financial metrics, and we believe that our debt levels are best analyzed using this measure. Our 
goal is to manage debt levels to maintain an investment-grade credit rating and operate with an efficient capital structure. In evaluating our 
debt levels, this measure provides a reflection of our credit worthiness that could impact our credit rating and borrowing costs. We also have 
a debt covenant that requires an adjusted debt to EBITDAR leverage ratio of no more than four times. As of February 3, 2018, our Adjusted 
Debt to EBITDAR was 2.6, and as of January 28, 2017, it was 2.4.

Adjusted Debt to EBITDAR is not a measure of financial performance under GAAP and should be considered in addition to, and not as a 
substitute for, debt to net earnings, net earnings, debt or other financial measures prepared in accordance with GAAP. Our method of 
determining non-GAAP financial measures may differ from other companies’ methods and therefore may not be comparable to those used by 
other companies. The financial measure calculated under GAAP which is most directly comparable to Adjusted Debt to EBITDAR is debt to 
net earnings. The following is a reconciliation of the components of Adjusted Debt to EBITDAR and debt to net earnings:

Debt

Add: estimated capitalized operating lease liability2

Less: fair value hedge adjustment included in long-term debt

Adjusted Debt

Net earnings

Add: income tax expense

Add: interest expense, net

Earnings before interest and income taxes

Add: depreciation and amortization expenses

Add: rent expense

Add: non-cash acquisition-related charges3

EBITDAR

Debt to Net Earnings4

Adjusted Debt to EBITDAR

20171

$2,737

2,001

—

$4,738

437

353

136

926

666

250

1

20161

$2,774

1,616

(12)

$4,378

354

330

121

805

645

202

198

$1,843

$1,850

6.3

2.6

7.8

2.4

1 The components of Adjusted Debt are as of February 3, 2018 and January 28, 2017, while the components of EBITDAR are for the 12 months ended February 3, 2018 and 

January 28, 2017.

2 Based upon the estimated lease liability as of the end of the period, calculated as the trailing 12 months of rent expense multiplied by eight. The multiple of eight times rent 

expense is a commonly used method of estimating the debt we would record for our leases that are classified as operating if they had met the criteria for a capital lease or we 
had purchased the property.

3 Non-cash acquisition-related charges for the 12 months ended January 28, 2017 included the goodwill impairment charge of $197 related to Trunk Club. 
4 Results for the period ended January 28, 2017 include the $197 impact of the Trunk Club goodwill impairment charge, which approximates 280 basis points. 

Nordstrom, Inc. and subsidiaries  31

Contractual Obligations
The following table summarizes our contractual obligations and the expected effect on our liquidity and cash flows as of February 3, 2018. 
We expect to fund these commitments primarily with operating cash flows generated in the normal course of business and credit available to 
us under existing and potential future facilities.

Long-term debt

Operating leases

Purchase obligations

Other long-term liabilities

Total

Total

$4,563

2,740

1,462

383

$9,148

Less than
1 year

$167

309

1,251

64

$1,791

1 – 3 years

3 – 5 years

$711

605

188

59

$1,563

$644

516

23

42

$1,225

More than
5 years

$3,041

1,310

—

218

$4,569

Included in the required debt repayments disclosed above are estimated total interest payments of $1,732 as of February 3, 2018, payable 
over the remaining life of the debt.

The operating lease obligations in the table above do not include payments for operating expenses that are required by most of our lease 
agreements. Such expenses, which include common area charges, real estate taxes and other executory costs, totaled $121 in 2017, $112 
in 2016 and $97 in 2015. In addition, some of our leases require additional rental payments based on a percentage of our sales, referred to 
as “percentage rent.” Percentage rent, which is also excluded from the obligations in the table above, was $11 in 2017, $12 in 2016 and $13 
in 2015.

Purchase obligations primarily consist of purchase orders for unreceived goods or services and capital expenditure commitments. Capital 
expenditure commitments include our Nordstrom Men’s Store NYC and Nordstrom NYC. 

Other long-term liabilities consist of workers’ compensation and other liability insurance reserves and postretirement benefits. The payment 
amounts presented above were estimated based on historical payment trends. Other long-term liabilities not requiring cash payments, such 
as deferred property incentives and deferred revenue, were excluded from the table above. Also excluded from the table above are 
unrecognized tax benefits of $34, as we are unable to reasonably estimate the timing of future cash payments, if any, for these liabilities.

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
In October 2015, we completed the sale of a substantial majority of our U.S. Visa and private label credit card portfolio to TD. In November 
2017, we sold the remaining balances which consisted of employee credit card receivables for the U.S. Visa and Nordstrom private label 
credit cards to TD (see Note 2: Credit Card Receivable Transaction in Item 8). Pursuant to the program agreement with TD, we offer and 
administer our Nordstrom Rewards loyalty program and perform other account servicing functions. Credit card receivables serviced under 
this contract are $3,098 as of February 3, 2018. 

Other than items noted in the paragraph above, in addition to operating leases entered into in the normal course of business and the 
development of our Nordstrom Men’s Store NYC and Nordstrom NYC, we had no material off-balance sheet arrangements during 2017.

CRITICAL ACCOUNTING ESTIMATES
The preparation of our financial statements requires that we make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets, 
liabilities, revenues and expenses, and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. We base our estimates on historical experience and 
other assumptions that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results may differ from these estimates. The following 
discussion highlights the estimates we believe are critical and should be read in conjunction with the Notes to Consolidated Financial 
Statements in Item 8. Our management has discussed the development and selection of these critical accounting estimates with the Audit 
Committee of our Board of Directors and the Audit Committee has reviewed our disclosures that follow.

Revenue Recognition
We recognize sales revenue net of estimated returns and excluding sales taxes. Revenue from sales to customers shipped directly from our 
stores and fulfillment centers, which includes shipping revenue when applicable, is recognized upon estimated receipt by the customer. We 
estimate customer merchandise returns based on historical return patterns and reduce sales and cost of sales accordingly.

Although we believe we have sufficient current and historical knowledge to record reasonable estimates of sales returns, actual returns could 
differ from recorded amounts. In the past three years, there were no significant changes in customer return behavior and we have made no 
material changes to our estimates included in the calculations of our sales return reserve. A 10% change in the sales return reserve would 
have had a $10 impact on our net earnings for the year ended February 3, 2018.

32

Merchandise Inventories
Merchandise inventories are generally stated at the lower of cost or market value using the retail inventory method. Under the retail method, 
the valuation of inventories is determined by applying a calculated cost-to-retail ratio to the retail value of ending inventory. The value of our 
inventory on the balance sheet is then reduced by a charge to cost of sales for retail inventory markdowns taken on the selling floor. To 
determine if the retail value of our inventory should be marked down, we consider current and anticipated demand, customer preferences, 
age of the merchandise and fashion trends. Inherent in the retail inventory method are certain management judgments that may affect the 
ending inventory valuation as well as gross profit.

We reserve for obsolescence based on historical trends and specific identification. Our obsolescence reserve contains uncertainties as the 
calculations require management to make assumptions and to apply judgment regarding a number of factors, including market conditions, 
the selling environment, historical results and current inventory trends.

We do not believe that the assumptions used in these estimates will change significantly based on prior experience. In the past three years, 
we have made no material changes to our estimates included in the calculations of the obsolescence reserve. A 10% change in the 
obsolescence reserve would have had a $1 impact on our net earnings for the year ended February 3, 2018.

Goodwill
We review our goodwill annually for impairment or when circumstances indicate that the carrying value may exceed the fair value. We 
perform this evaluation at the reporting unit level, comprised of the principal business units within our Retail segment, through the application 
of a two-step fair value test. The first step compares the carrying value of the reporting unit to its estimated fair value, which is based on the 
expected present value of future cash flows (income approach), comparable public companies and acquisitions (market approach) or a 
combination of both. If fair value is lower than the carrying value, then a second step is performed to quantify the amount of the impairment. 

As part of our impairment testing, we utilize certain assumptions and apply judgment regarding a number of factors. Significant estimates in 
the market approach include identifying similar companies and acquisitions with comparable business factors such as size, growth, 
profitability, risk and return of investment, and assessing comparable earnings or revenue multiples in estimating the fair value of the 
reporting unit. Assumptions in the income approach include future cash flows for the business, future growth rates and discount rates. 
Estimates of cash flows may differ from actual cash flows due to, among other things, economic conditions, changes to the business model 
or changes in operating performance. For Nordstrom.com, Jeffrey and HauteLook, the fair values substantially exceeded carrying values and 
therefore we had no material goodwill impairment in 2017, 2016 or 2015. A 10% change in the fair value of any of these reporting units would 
not have had an impact on our net earnings for the year ended February 3, 2018.

There were no goodwill impairment charges related to Trunk Club in 2017 or 2015. In 2016, we recognized a goodwill impairment charge of 
$197 resulting from changes to the long-term operating plan that reflected lower expectations for growth and profitability than previous 
expectations (see Note 1: Nature of Operations and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Note 8: Fair Value Measurements in 
Item 8).

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets
When facts and circumstances indicate that the carrying values of long-lived assets, including buildings, equipment and amortizable 
intangible assets, may be impaired, we perform an evaluation of recoverability by comparing the carrying values of the net assets to their 
related projected undiscounted future cash flows, in addition to other quantitative and qualitative analyses. 

Land, property and equipment are grouped at the lowest level at which there are identifiable cash flows when assessing impairment. Cash 
flows for our retail store assets are identified at the individual store level, while our intangible assets associated with HauteLook and Trunk 
Club are identified at their respective reporting unit levels. The assets recorded in connection with the credit card receivable transaction are 
individually evaluated against the anticipated cash flows under the program agreement (see Note 2: Credit Card Receivable Transaction in 
Item 8). 

Our estimates are subject to uncertainties and may be impacted by various external factors such as economic conditions and market 
competition. While we believe the inputs and assumptions utilized in our analyses of future cash flows are reasonable, events or 
circumstances may change, which could cause us to revise these estimates.

Stock-Based Compensation Expense
We grant stock-based awards under our 2010 Equity Incentive Plan (“2010 Plan”), 2002 Nonemployee Director Stock Incentive Plan (“2002 
Plan”) and Trunk Club Value Creation Plan (“VCP”), and employees may purchase our stock at a discount under our Employee Stock 
Purchase Plan (“ESPP”). We predominantly recognize stock-based compensation expense related to stock-based awards at their estimated 
grant date fair value, recorded on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period. Compensation expense for certain award holders is 
accelerated based upon age and years of service. The total compensation expense is reduced by actual forfeitures as they occur over the 
vesting period of the awards.

Nordstrom, Inc. and subsidiaries  33

We estimate the grant date fair value of stock options using the Binomial Lattice option valuation model. Stock-based compensation expense 
related to the VCP is based on the grant date fair value of the payout scenario we believe is probable using the Black-Scholes valuation 
model and is recognized on an accelerated basis due to performance criteria and graded vesting features of the plan. The fair value of 
restricted stock is determined based on the number of shares granted and the quoted price of our common stock on the date of grant, less 
the estimated present value of dividends over the vesting period. Performance share units granted prior to 2016 are classified as liabilities 
and revalued using the quoted price of our common stock as of each reporting date. Performance share units granted in 2016 and beyond 
are classified as equity and the fair value is determined using the Monte-Carlo valuation model.

Calculating the grant date fair value of stock-based awards is based on certain assumptions and requires judgment, including estimating 
stock price volatility, forfeiture rates, expected life and performance criteria. A 10% change in stock-based compensation expense would have 
had a $4 impact on our net earnings for the year ended February 3, 2018.

Income Taxes
We use the asset and liability method of accounting for income taxes. Using this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are recorded 
based on differences between the financial reporting and tax basis of assets and liabilities and for operating loss and tax credit carryforwards. 
The deferred tax assets and liabilities are calculated using the enacted tax rates and laws that are expected to be in effect when the 
differences are expected to reverse. We routinely evaluate the likelihood of realizing the benefit of our deferred tax assets and may record a 
valuation allowance if, based on all available evidence, it is determined that some portion of the tax benefit will not be realized.

We regularly evaluate the likelihood of realizing the benefit for income tax positions we have taken in various federal, state and foreign filings 
by considering all relevant facts, circumstances and information available. If we believe it is more likely than not that our position will be 
sustained, we recognize a benefit at the largest amount that we believe is cumulatively greater than 50% likely to be realized. Our 
unrecognized tax benefit was $31 as of February 3, 2018, and $32 as of January 28, 2017. Interest and penalties related to income tax 
matters are classified as a component of income tax expense.

Income taxes require significant management judgment regarding applicable statutes and their related interpretation, the status of various 
income tax audits and our particular facts and circumstances. Also, as audits are completed or statutes of limitations lapse, it may be 
necessary to record adjustments to our taxes payable, deferred taxes, tax reserves or income tax expense. Such adjustments did not 
materially impact our effective income tax rate in 2017 or 2016.

In December 2017, the Tax Act was signed into law. As we complete our analysis of the Tax Act and interpret any additional guidance issued 
by the U.S. Treasury Department, the IRS and other standard-setting bodies, we may make adjustments to the provisional amounts, which 
may materially impact our provision for income taxes in the period in which the adjustments are recorded (see Note 13: Income Taxes in Item 
8 for additional information).

RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS
See Note 1: Nature of Operations and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies in Item 8 for a discussion of recent accounting 
pronouncements and the impact these standards are anticipated to have on our results of operations, liquidity or capital resources.

34

Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk.
Dollars in millions

INTEREST RATE RISK
For our long-term debt of $2,737, our exposure to interest rate risk is limited to changes in fair value. As our debt is primarily fixed-rate, 
changes in interest rates do not significantly impact our cash flows. However, changes in interest rates increase or decrease the fair value of 
our debt, depending on whether market rates are lower or higher than our fixed rates. As of February 3, 2018, the fair value of our long-term 
debt was $2,827. See Note 7: Debt and Credit Facilities and Note 8: Fair Value Measurements in Item 8 for additional information.

We are exposed to interest rate risk primarily from changes in short-term interest rates. Interest rate fluctuations can affect our interest 
income and interest expense. As of February 3, 2018, we had cash and cash equivalents of $1,181 which generate interest income at 
variable rates. 

FOREIGN CURRENCY EXCHANGE RISK
The majority of our revenues, expenses and capital expenditures are transacted in U.S. Dollars. Our U.S. operation periodically enters into 
merchandise purchase orders denominated in British Pounds or Euros. From time to time, we may use forward contracts to hedge against 
fluctuations in foreign currency prices. As of February 3, 2018, our outstanding forward contracts did not have a material impact on our 
Consolidated Financial Statements.

We have six full-line stores in Canada and have announced plans to open the first six Nordstrom Rack stores in Canada in 2018. The 
functional currency of our Canadian operation is the Canadian Dollar. We translate assets and liabilities into U.S. Dollars using the exchange 
rate in effect at the balance sheet date, while we translate revenues and expenses using a weighted-average exchange rate for the period. 
We record these translation adjustments as a component of accumulated other comprehensive loss on the Consolidated Balance Sheets in 
Item 8. Our Canadian operation enters into merchandise purchase orders denominated in U.S. Dollars for approximately one fourth of its 
inventory. As sales in Canada are denominated in the Canadian Dollar, gross profit for our Canadian operation can be impacted by foreign 
currency fluctuations. 

In addition, our U.S. operation incurs certain expenditures denominated in Canadian Dollars and our Canadian operation incurs certain 
expenditures denominated in U.S. Dollars. This activity results in transaction gains and losses that arise from exchange rate fluctuations, 
which are recorded as gains or losses in the Consolidated Statements of Earnings in Item 8. As of February 3, 2018, activities associated 
with foreign currency exchange risk have not had a material impact on our Consolidated Financial Statements. 

Nordstrom, Inc. and subsidiaries  35

Item 8: Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

To the Board of Directors and Shareholders of Nordstrom, Inc. 

Opinion on the Financial Statements

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Nordstrom, Inc. and subsidiaries (the “Company”) as of February 3, 2018 
and January 28, 2017, and the related consolidated statements of earnings, comprehensive earnings, shareholders’ equity, and cash flows 
for each of the three years in the period ended February 3, 2018, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). 
In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of February 3, 2018 
and January 28, 2017, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended February 3, 2018, in 
conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. 

We have also audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB), the 
Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of February 3, 2018, based on the criteria established in Internal Control-Integrated 
Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission and our report dated March 19, 2018, 
expressed an unqualified opinion on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

Basis for Opinion

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the 
Company’s financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required to be 
independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the 
Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to 
obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. Our 
audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, 
and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the 
amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant 
estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audits 
provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

/s/ Deloitte & Touche LLP
Seattle, Washington
March 19, 2018 

We have served as the Company’s auditor since 1970 

36

Nordstrom, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Earnings
In millions except per share amounts

Fiscal year

Net sales

Credit card revenues, net

Total revenues

Cost of sales and related buying and occupancy costs

Selling, general and administrative expenses

Goodwill impairment

Earnings before interest and income taxes

Interest expense, net

Earnings before income taxes

Income tax expense

Net earnings

Earnings per share:

Basic

Diluted

Weighted-average shares outstanding:

Basic

Diluted

2017

$15,137

341

15,478

(9,890)

(4,662)

—

926

(136)

790

(353)

$437

$2.62

$2.59

166.8

168.9

The accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements are an integral part of these financial statements.

Nordstrom, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Earnings
In millions

Fiscal year

Net earnings

Postretirement plan adjustments, net of tax of $2, ($1) and ($15)

Foreign currency translation adjustment

Comprehensive net earnings

2017

$437

(6)

20

$451

The accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements are an integral part of these financial statements.

2016

$14,498

259

14,757

(9,440)

(4,315)

(197)

805

(121)

684

(330)

$354

$2.05

$2.02

173.2

175.6

2016

$354

1

14

$369

2015

$14,095

342

14,437

(9,168)

(4,168)

—

1,101

(125)

976

(376)

$600

$3.22

$3.15

186.3

190.1

2015

$600

24

(18)

$606

Nordstrom, Inc. and subsidiaries  37

February 3, 2018

January 28, 2017

$1,181

145

2,027

150

3,503

3,939

238

435

$8,115

$1,409

578

1,246

56

3,289

2,681

495

673

2,816

(1,810)

(29)

977

$8,115

$1,007

199

1,896

140

3,242

3,897

238

481

$7,858

$1,340

455

1,223

11

3,029

2,763

521

675

2,707

(1,794)

(43)

870

$7,858

Nordstrom, Inc.
Consolidated Balance Sheets
In millions

Assets

Current assets:

Cash and cash equivalents

Accounts receivable, net

Merchandise inventories

Prepaid expenses and other

Total current assets

Land, property and equipment, net

Goodwill

Other assets

Total assets

Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity

Current liabilities:

Accounts payable

Accrued salaries, wages and related benefits

Other current liabilities

Current portion of long-term debt

Total current liabilities

Long-term debt, net

Deferred property incentives, net

Other liabilities

Commitments and contingencies (Note 10)

Shareholders’ equity:

Common stock, no par value: 1,000 shares authorized; 167.0 and 170.0 shares issued and
outstanding

Accumulated deficit

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

Total shareholders’ equity

Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity

The accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements are an integral part of these financial statements.

38

Nordstrom, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Shareholders’ Equity
In millions except per share amounts

Balance at January 31, 2015

Net earnings

Other comprehensive earnings

Dividends ($1.48 per share)
Special dividend related to the sale of credit card receivables
($4.85 per share)
Issuance of common stock for Trunk Club acquisition

Issuance of common stock under stock compensation plans

Stock-based compensation

Repurchase of common stock

Balance at January 30, 2016

Net earnings

Other comprehensive earnings

Dividends ($1.48 per share)

Issuance of common stock under stock compensation plans

Stock-based compensation

Repurchase of common stock

Balance at January 28, 2017

Net earnings

Other comprehensive earnings

Dividends ($1.48 per share)

Issuance of common stock under stock compensation plans

Stock-based compensation

Repurchase of common stock

Balance at February 3, 2018

 Common Stock

Shares
190.1

Amount
$2,338

Retained
Earnings
(Accumulated
Deficit)
$166

Accumulated
Other
Comprehensive
Loss
($64)

—

—

—

—

0.3

2.0

0.2

(19.1)

173.5

—

—

—

2.1

0.3

(5.9)

170.0

—

—

—

1.1

0.5

(4.6)

167.0

—

—

—

—

23

108

70

—

2,539

—

—

—

83

85

—

2,707

—

—

—

39

70

—

$2,816

600

—

(280)

(905)

—

—

—

(1,191)

(1,610)

354

—

(256)

—

—

(282)

(1,794)

437

—

(247)

—

—

(206)

($1,810)

—

6

—

—

—

—

—

—

(58)

—

15

—

—

—

—

(43)

—

14

—

—

—

—

($29)

Total
$2,440

600

6

(280)

(905)

23

108

70

(1,191)

871

354

15

(256)

83

85

(282)

870

437

14

(247)

39

70

(206)

$977

The accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements are an integral part of these financial statements.

Nordstrom, Inc. and subsidiaries  39

 
 
Nordstrom, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
In millions

Fiscal year
Operating Activities
Net earnings
Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to net cash provided by operating activities:

Depreciation and amortization expenses
Goodwill impairment
Amortization of deferred property incentives and other, net
Deferred income taxes, net
Stock-based compensation expense
Bad debt expense
Change in operating assets and liabilities:

Accounts receivable
Proceeds from sale of credit card receivables originated at Nordstrom
Merchandise inventories
Prepaid expenses and other assets
Accounts payable
Accrued salaries, wages and related benefits
Other current liabilities
Deferred property incentives
Other liabilities

Net cash provided by operating activities

Investing Activities

Capital expenditures
Change in credit card receivables originated at third parties
Proceeds from sale of credit card receivables originated at third parties
Other, net

Net cash used in investing activities

Financing Activities

Proceeds from long-term borrowings, net of discounts
Principal payments on long-term borrowings
Defeasance of long-term debt
(Decrease) increase in cash book overdrafts
Cash dividends paid
Payments for repurchase of common stock
Proceeds from issuances under stock compensation plans
Tax withholding on share-based awards
Other, net

Net cash used in financing activities

Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year

Supplemental Cash Flow Information
Cash paid during the year for:

Income taxes, net of refunds
Interest, net of capitalized interest

Non-cash investing and financing activities:

Beneficial interest asset acquired from the sale of credit card receivables
Issuance of common stock for Trunk Club acquisition

2017

$437

666
—
(82)
11
77
—

1
39
(62)
(21)
77
121
48
64
24
1,400

(731)
—
16
31
(684)

635
(661)
—
(55)
(247)
(211)
39
(7)
(35)
(542)

174
1,007
$1,181

$363
143

—
—

2016

$354

645
197
(76)
(15)
91
—

(3)
—
31
100
16
38
181
65
34
1,658

(846)
—
—
55
(791)

—
(10)
—
4
(256)
(277)
83
(5)
6
(455)

412
595
$1,007

$112
134

—
—

2015

$600

576
—
(64)
142
70
26

(56)
1,297
(203)
(126)
(2)
2
50
156
2
2,470

(1,082)
34
890
14
(144)

16
(8)
(339)
23
(1,185)
(1,192)
94
(4)
37
(2,558)

(232)
827
$595

$383
136

62
23

The accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements are an integral part of these financial statements.

40

Nordstrom, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Dollar and share amounts in millions except per share, per option and per unit amounts

NOTE 1: NATURE OF OPERATIONS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES 

The Company
Founded in 1901 as a retail shoe business in Seattle, Washington, Nordstrom, Inc. is now a leading fashion retailer that offers customers a 
well-edited selection of high-quality fashion brands focused on apparel, shoes, cosmetics and accessories for women, men, young adults and 
children. This breadth of merchandise allows us to serve a wide range of customers who appreciate quality fashion and a superior shopping 
experience. We offer an extensive selection of high-quality brand-name and private label merchandise through multiple retail channels, 
including 117 Nordstrom U.S. full-line stores, including Nordstrom Local and Nordstrom.com, six Canada full-line stores, 232 off-price 
Nordstrom Rack stores, Nordstromrack.com/HauteLook, seven Trunk Club clubhouses and TrunkClub.com, two Jeffrey boutiques and two 
Last Chance clearance stores. Our stores are located in 40 states throughout the U.S and in three provinces in Canada.

Through our Credit segment, our customers can access a variety of payment products and services, including a selection of Nordstrom-
branded Visa® credit cards in the U.S. and Canada, as well as a Nordstrom-branded private label credit card and a debit card for Nordstrom 
purchases. When customers use a Nordstrom-branded credit or debit card, they also participate in our loyalty program that provides benefits 
based on their level of spending. Although the primary purposes of our Credit segment are to foster greater customer loyalty and drive more 
sales, we also receive credit card revenue through our program agreement with TD Bank, N.A. (“TD”) (see Note 2: Credit Card Receivable 
Transaction). 

Fiscal Year
We operate on a 52/53-week fiscal year ending on the Saturday closest to January 31st. References to 2017 relate to the 53-week fiscal year 
ended February 3, 2018. References to any other years included within this document are based on a 52-week fiscal year.

Principles of Consolidation
The Consolidated Financial Statements include the balances of Nordstrom, Inc. and its subsidiaries. All intercompany transactions and 
balances are eliminated in consolidation.

Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. requires management to make 
estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses, and disclosure of contingent assets 
and liabilities during the reporting period. Uncertainties regarding such estimates and assumptions are inherent in the preparation of financial 
statements and actual results may differ from these estimates and assumptions. Our most significant accounting judgments and estimates 
include revenue recognition, inventory, long-lived assets, goodwill, stock-based compensation and income taxes.

Net Sales
We recognize sales revenue net of estimated returns and excluding sales taxes. Revenue from sales to customers shipped directly from our 
stores and fulfillment centers, which includes shipping revenue when applicable, is recognized upon estimated receipt by the customer. We 
estimate customer merchandise returns based on historical return patterns and reduce sales and cost of sales accordingly. Activity in the 
allowance for sales returns, net, for the past three fiscal years is as follows:

Fiscal year

Allowance at beginning of year

Charged to costs and expenses

Deductions1

Allowance at end of year

2017

$187

3,307

(3,310)

$184

2016

$170

3,023

(3,006)

$187

2015

$160

2,720

(2,710)

$170

1 Deductions consist of actual returns, net of the value of the merchandise returned and any sales commission. 

Credit Card Revenues, net
In October 2015, we completed the sale of a substantial majority of our U.S. Visa and private label credit card portfolio to TD. In November 
2017, we sold the remaining balances which consisted of employee credit card receivables for the U.S. Visa and Nordstrom private label 
credit cards to TD (see Note 2: Credit Card Receivable Transaction). Credit program revenues, net include our portion of the ongoing credit 
card revenue, net of credit losses, from both sold and newly generated credit card receivables pursuant to our program agreement with TD. 
Asset amortization and deferred revenue recognition associated with the assets and liabilities recorded as part of the transaction are also 
recorded in credit program revenues, net.

Nordstrom, Inc. and subsidiaries  41

Nordstrom, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Dollar and share amounts in millions except per share, per option and per unit amounts

Cost of Sales
Cost of sales includes the purchase cost of inventory sold (net of vendor allowances), in-bound freight and certain costs of our loyalty 
program benefits.

Loyalty Program
In 2016, our Nordstrom Rewards loyalty program, which allows customers to accumulate points based on their level of spending, was 
expanded to enable any customer interested in participating to earn benefits regardless of how they choose to pay. Prior to 2016, our loyalty 
program was only offered to Nordstrom cardholders. Upon reaching certain point thresholds, customers receive Nordstrom Notes (“Notes”), 
which can be redeemed for goods or services offered at Nordstrom full-line stores, Nordstrom.com, Nordstrom Rack and Nordstromrack.com/
HauteLook. Nordstrom cardholders can also earn rewards at Trunk Club. Customers who participate in our loyalty program through our credit 
and debit cards receive additional benefits including reimbursements for alterations, Personal Triple Points days, shopping and fashion 
events and early access to the Anniversary Sale. Nordstrom Rewards loyalty program liabilities of $69 and $62 were included in other current 
liabilities at the end of 2017 and 2016.

We estimate the net cost of Notes that will be issued and redeemed and record this cost as rewards points are accumulated. These costs, as 
well as reimbursed alterations, are recorded in cost of sales as we provide customers with products and services for these rewards. Other 
benefits of our Nordstrom Rewards loyalty program, including shopping and fashion events, are recorded in selling, general and 
administrative expenses. Total costs related to the Nordstrom Rewards loyalty program were $175, $162 and $164 in 2017, 2016 and 2015. 

Buying and Occupancy Costs
Buying costs consist primarily of compensation and other costs incurred by our merchandising and product development groups. Occupancy 
costs include rent, depreciation, property taxes and facility operating costs of our retail, corporate center, fulfillment facilities and distribution 
operations.

Rent
We recognize minimum rent expense, net of developer reimbursements, on a straight-line basis over the minimum lease term from the time 
that we control the leased property. For scheduled rent escalation clauses during the lease terms, we record minimum rent expense on a 
straight-line basis over the terms of the leases, with the adjustments accrued as current and noncurrent deferred rent and included in other 
current liabilities and other liabilities on our Consolidated Balance Sheet for the year ended February 3, 2018. Contingent rental payments, 
typically based on a percentage of sales, are recognized in rent expense when payment of the contingent rent is probable.

We receive incentives from developers to construct stores in certain developments. At the end of 2017 and 2016, liabilities of $485 and $507 
were recorded within deferred property incentives, net on the Consolidated Balance Sheets and were recognized as a reduction of rent 
expense on a straight-line basis over the lease terms. 

Selling, General and Administrative Expenses
Selling, general and administrative expenses consist primarily of compensation and benefit costs, marketing, supply chain, technology and, 
prior to our credit card receivable transactions in October 2015 and November 2017, bad debt expense related to our credit card operations.

Advertising
Advertising production costs for internet, magazines, store events and other media are expensed the first time the advertisement is run. 
Online marketing costs are expensed when incurred. Total advertising expenses, net of vendor allowances, of $261, $241 and $227 in 2017, 
2016 and 2015 were included in selling, general and administrative expenses.

42

Nordstrom, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Dollar and share amounts in millions except per share, per option and per unit amounts

Vendor Allowances
We receive allowances from merchandise vendors for cosmetic expenses, purchase price adjustments, cooperative advertising programs 
and various other expenses. Allowances for cosmetic expenses are recorded in selling, general and administrative expenses as a reduction 
of the related costs when incurred. Purchase price adjustments are recorded as a reduction of cost of sales at the point they have been 
earned and the related merchandise has been marked down or sold. Allowances for cooperative advertising programs and other expenses 
are recorded in selling, general and administrative expenses as a reduction of the related costs when incurred. Any allowances in excess of 
actual costs incurred that are included in selling, general and administrative expenses are recorded as a reduction of cost of sales. Vendor 
allowances earned are as follows:

Fiscal year

Cosmetic expenses

Purchase price adjustments

Cooperative advertising

Other

Total vendor allowances

2017

$159

184

107

7

$457

2016

$166

179

114

6

$465

2015

$161

178

109

7

$455

Shipping and Handling Costs
Our shipping and handling costs include payments to third-party shippers and costs to hold, move and prepare merchandise for shipment. 
These costs do not include in-bound freight to our distribution centers, which we include in the cost of our inventory. Shipping and handling 
costs of $523, $453 and $428 in 2017, 2016 and 2015 were included in selling, general and administrative expenses.

Stock-Based Compensation
We grant stock-based awards under our 2010 Equity Incentive Plan (“2010 Plan”), 2002 Nonemployee Director Stock Incentive Plan (“2002 
Plan”) and Trunk Club Value Creation Plan (“VCP”), and employees may purchase our stock at a discount under our Employee Stock 
Purchase Plan (“ESPP”). We predominantly recognize stock-based compensation expense related to stock-based awards at their estimated 
grant date fair value, recorded on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period. Compensation expense for certain award holders is 
accelerated based upon age and years of service. The total compensation expense is reduced by actual forfeitures as they occur over the 
vesting period of the awards. 

We estimate the grant date fair value of stock options using the Binomial Lattice option valuation model. Stock-based compensation expense 
related to the VCP is based on the grant date fair value of the payout scenario we believe is probable using the Black-Scholes valuation 
model and is recognized on an accelerated basis due to performance criteria and graded vesting features of the plan. The fair value of 
restricted stock is determined based on the number of shares granted and the quoted price of our common stock on the date of grant, less 
the estimated present value of dividends over the vesting period. Performance share units granted prior to 2016 are classified as liabilities 
and revalued using the quoted price of our common stock as of each reporting date. Performance share units granted in 2016 and beyond 
are classified as equity and the fair value is determined using the Monte-Carlo valuation model.

New Store Opening Costs
Non-capital expenditures associated with opening new stores, including marketing expenses, relocation expenses and occupancy costs, are 
charged to expense as incurred. These costs are included in both buying and occupancy costs and selling, general and administrative 
expenses according to their nature as disclosed above.

Gift Cards
We recognize revenue from the sale of gift cards when the gift card is redeemed by the customer, or we recognize breakage income when 
the likelihood of redemption, based on historical experience, is deemed to be remote. Based on an analysis of our program since its inception 
in 1999, we determined that balances remaining on cards issued beyond five years are unlikely to be redeemed and therefore are recognized 
as income. Breakage income was $16, $12 and $11 in 2017, 2016 and 2015. To date, our breakage rate is approximately 2% of the amount 
initially issued as gift cards. Gift card breakage income is included in selling, general and administrative expenses. We had outstanding gift 
card liabilities of $425 and $389 at the end of 2017 and 2016, which are included in other current liabilities.

Nordstrom, Inc. and subsidiaries  43

Nordstrom, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Dollar and share amounts in millions except per share, per option and per unit amounts

Income Taxes
We use the asset and liability method of accounting for income taxes. Using this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are recorded 
based on differences between the financial reporting and tax basis of assets and liabilities and for operating loss and tax credit carryforwards. 
The deferred tax assets and liabilities are calculated using the enacted tax rates and laws that are expected to be in effect when the 
differences are expected to reverse. We routinely evaluate the likelihood of realizing the benefit of our deferred tax assets and may record a 
valuation allowance if, based on all available evidence, it is determined that some portion of the tax benefit will not be realized. 

We regularly evaluate the likelihood of realizing the benefit for income tax positions we have taken in various federal, state and foreign filings 
by considering all relevant facts, circumstances and information available. If we believe it is more likely than not that our position will be 
sustained, we recognize a benefit at the largest amount that we believe is cumulatively greater than 50% likely to be realized. Interest and 
penalties related to income tax matters are classified as a component of income tax expense.

Income taxes require significant management judgment regarding applicable statutes and their related interpretation, the status of various 
income tax audits and our particular facts and circumstances. Also, as audits are completed or statutes of limitations lapse, it may be 
necessary to record adjustments to our taxes payable, deferred taxes, tax reserves or income tax expense. 

In December 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Tax Act”) was signed into law. Among numerous other provisions, the Tax Act significantly 
revises the U.S. federal corporate income tax by reducing the statutory rate from 35% to 21%. Net earnings included $42 related to the Tax 
Act, which includes a provisional one-time, non-cash charge of $51 related to the revaluation of our net deferred tax assets for the change in 
statutory tax rate and for the impacts associated with the future limitations on executive compensation, partially offset by cash tax savings 
from a lower federal tax rate. As we complete our analysis of the Tax Act and interpret any additional guidance issued by the U.S. Treasury 
Department, the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) and other standard-setting bodies, we may make adjustments to the provisional amounts, 
which may materially impact our provision for income taxes in the period in which the adjustments are recorded (see Note 13: Income Taxes).

Comprehensive Net Earnings
Comprehensive net earnings consist of net earnings and other gains and losses affecting equity that are excluded from net earnings. These 
consist of postretirement plan adjustments, net of related income tax effects and foreign currency translation adjustments. 

Cash Equivalents
Cash equivalents are short-term investments with a maturity of three months or less from the date of purchase and are carried at cost, which 
approximates fair value. At the end of 2017 and 2016, checks not yet presented for payment drawn in excess of our bank deposit balances 
were $101 and $156 and included within accounts payable on our Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Accounts Receivable
Accounts receivable, net includes receivables from non-Nordstrom-branded credit and debit cards and, prior to our credit card receivable sale 
transaction in November 2017, employee credit card receivables. 

Merchandise Inventories
Merchandise inventories are generally stated at the lower of cost or market value using the retail inventory method. Under the retail method, 
the valuation of inventories is determined by applying a calculated cost-to-retail ratio to the retail value of ending inventory. The value of our 
inventory on the balance sheet is then reduced by a charge to cost of sales for retail inventory markdowns taken on the selling floor. To 
determine if the retail value of our inventory should be marked down, we consider current and anticipated demand, customer preferences, 
age of the merchandise and fashion trends. We reserve for obsolescence based on historical trends and specific identification.

Physical inventories are taken and inventory records are adjusted accordingly. We evaluate and determine our shrinkage rate using the most 
recent physical inventory and historical results as the basis for the shrinkage reserve following each physical inventory cycle and reporting 
date. The shrinkage reserve is based on a percentage of sales.

Land, Property and Equipment
Land is recorded at historical cost, while property and equipment are recorded at cost less accumulated depreciation and amortization. 
Capitalized software includes the costs of developing or obtaining internal-use software, including external direct costs of materials and 
services and internal payroll costs related to the software project.

We capitalize interest on construction in progress and software projects during the period in which expenditures have been made, activities 
are in progress to prepare the asset for its intended use and actual interest costs are being incurred. 

44

Nordstrom, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Dollar and share amounts in millions except per share, per option and per unit amounts

Depreciation and amortization are computed using the straight-line method over the asset’s estimated useful life, which is determined by 
asset category as follows:

Asset

Buildings and improvements

Store fixtures and equipment

Leasehold improvements

Capitalized software

Life (in years)

5 – 40

3 – 15

5 – 40

3 – 7

Leasehold improvements and leased property and equipment that are purchased at the inception of the lease, or during the lease term, are 
amortized over the shorter of the lease term or the asset life. Lease terms include the fixed, non-cancellable term of a lease, plus any renewal 
periods determined to be reasonably assured. 

We receive contributions from vendors for the construction of certain fixtures in our stores. These contributions offset the related capital 
expenditures. 

Goodwill
Goodwill represents the excess of acquisition cost over the fair value of the related net assets acquired and is not subject to amortization. We 
review our goodwill annually for impairment or when circumstances indicate that the carrying value may exceed the fair value. We perform 
this evaluation at the reporting unit level, comprised of the principal business units within our Retail segment, through the application of a two-
step fair value test. The first step compares the carrying value of the reporting unit to its estimated fair value, which is based on the expected 
present value of future cash flows (income approach), comparable public companies and acquisitions (market approach) or a combination of 
both. If fair value is lower than the carrying value, then a second step is performed to quantify the amount of the impairment. The following 
summarizes our goodwill activity for the past three fiscal years:

Balance at January 31, 2015

Additions

Balance at January 30, 2016

Impairment

Balance at January 28, 2017

Additions

Balance at February 3, 2018

1 Other includes Nordstrom.com and Jeffrey goodwill.

Trunk Club

HauteLook

$261

—

261

(197)

64

—

$64

$121

—

121

—

121

—

$121

Other1

$53

—

53

—

53

—

$53

Total

$435

—

435

(197)

238

—

$238

The goodwill impairment charge of $197 for the year ended January 28, 2017 related to Trunk Club resulted from changes to the long-term 
operating plan that reflected lower expectations for growth and profitability than previous expectations (see Note 8: Fair Value 
Measurements). 

Long-Lived Assets
When facts and circumstances indicate that the carrying values of long-lived assets, including buildings, equipment and amortizable 
intangible assets, may be impaired, we perform an evaluation of recoverability by comparing the carrying values of the net assets to their 
related projected undiscounted future cash flows, in addition to other quantitative and qualitative analyses. 

Land, property and equipment are grouped at the lowest level at which there are identifiable cash flows when assessing impairment. Cash 
flows for our retail store assets are identified at the individual store level, while our intangible assets associated with HauteLook and Trunk 
Club are identified at their respective reporting unit levels. The assets recorded in connection with the credit card receivable transaction are 
individually evaluated against the anticipated cash flows under the program agreement (see Note 2: Credit Card Receivable Transaction).

We did not record any material impairment losses for long-lived tangible or amortizable intangible assets in 2017 or 2016. In 2015, our cash 
flow analyses resulted in retail store impairment charges of $24 and other various impairment losses of $23. The 2015 retail store impairment 
of $24 related to our full-line store in Puerto Rico and was primarily driven by a challenging retail market in this territory.

Amortization expense for acquired intangibles was $11, $14 and $16 in 2017, 2016 and 2015. Future amortization expense of acquired 
intangible assets as of February 3, 2018, are expected to be $7 in 2018 and $7 in 2019. 

Nordstrom, Inc. and subsidiaries  45

Nordstrom, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Dollar and share amounts in millions except per share, per option and per unit amounts

Self-Insurance
We retain a portion of the risk for certain losses related to employee health and welfare, workers’ compensation and other liability claims. 
Liabilities associated with these losses include undiscounted estimates of both losses reported and losses incurred but not yet reported. We 
estimate our ultimate cost using an actuarially-based analysis of claims experience, regulatory changes and other relevant factors.

Foreign Currency
We have six full-line stores in Canada and have announced plans to open the first six Nordstrom Rack stores in Canada in 2018. The 
functional currency of our Canadian operation is the Canadian Dollar. We translate assets and liabilities into U.S. Dollars using the exchange 
rate in effect at the balance sheet date, while we translate revenues and expenses using a weighted-average exchange rate for the period. 
We record these translation adjustments as a component of accumulated other comprehensive loss on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. 

In addition, our U.S. operation incurs certain expenditures denominated in Canadian Dollars and our Canadian operation incurs certain 
expenditures denominated in U.S. Dollars. This activity results in transaction gains and losses that arise from exchange rate fluctuations, 
which are recorded as gains or losses in the Consolidated Statements of Earnings. As of February 3, 2018, activities associated with foreign 
currency exchange risk have not had a material impact on our Consolidated Financial Statements.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements
In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2014-09, Revenue from 
Contracts with Customers, which was subsequently modified in August 2015 by ASU No. 2015-14, Revenue from Contracts with Customers: 
Deferral of the Effective Date. The core principle of ASU No. 2014-09 is that companies should recognize revenue when the transfer of 
promised goods or services to customers occurs in an amount that reflects what the company expects to receive. It requires additional 
disclosures to describe the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows from contracts with customers. In 2016, the 
FASB issued additional ASUs which clarify the implementation guidance on principal versus agent considerations, on identifying performance 
obligations and licensing, on the revenue recognition criteria and other technical corrections. We plan to adopt this ASU in the first quarter of 
2018 using the modified retrospective adoption method. In our ongoing evaluation of this ASU, we have determined that the new standard will 
result in a net cumulative effect adjustment to decrease beginning accumulated deficit by approximately $55, as well as the following impacts: 

•  Gift card breakage will be recorded in sales, rather than selling, general, and administrative expenses. It will be estimated based on 

expected customer redemption periods, rather than when redemption is considered remote. 

•  Loyalty sales attributable to our Nordstrom Rewards loyalty program benefits (for example, Notes, alterations) will be deferred rather 

than recording the loyalty program expenses as an increase to cost of sales. 

•  Remaining unamortized balances of deferred revenue and investment in contract asset related to the sale of our receivables to TD will 

be written off as a cumulative-effect adjustment reducing accumulated deficit.

•  Revenue related to our online sales will be recognized at the shipping point rather than upon receipt by the customer. 

•  Estimated costs of returns will be recorded as a current asset rather than netted with our sales return reserve. 

We do not expect the provisions of this ASU to have a material impact on our Consolidated Financial Statements beyond our initial adoption.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases. This ASU increases transparency and comparability by recognizing a lessee’s 
rights and obligations resulting from leases by recording them on the balance sheet as right-of-use assets and lease liabilities. The new 
standard requires lessees to apply a dual approach, classifying leases as either finance or operating leases based on the principle of whether 
or not the lease is effectively a financed purchase by the lessee. This classification dictates whether lease expense is to be recognized based 
on an effective interest method or on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease. Additional qualitative and quantitative disclosures will be 
required to give financial statement users information on the amount, timing and judgments related to a reporting entity’s cash flows arising 
from leases. This ASU is effective for Nordstrom beginning in the first quarter of 2019. We are currently evaluating the impact of the standard, 
which will require recognizing and measuring leases at the beginning of the earliest period presented using a modified retrospective 
approach. We expect adoption of this standard will have a material impact on our Consolidated Financial Statements.

46

Nordstrom, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Dollar and share amounts in millions except per share, per option and per unit amounts

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-09, Compensation — Stock Compensation — Improvements to Employee Share-Based 
Payment Accounting, which simplifies several aspects of the accounting for share-based payments and presentation within the financial 
statements. We adopted ASU No. 2016-09 with an effective date of January 29, 2017. The impact of the adoption resulted in the following:

•  Excess tax benefits and deficiencies resulting from stock-based compensation arrangements are now recorded within income tax 
expense on the Consolidated Statement of Earnings when the awards vest or are settled, rather than within equity. Additionally, 
excess tax benefits are now excluded from assumed future proceeds in our calculation of diluted shares for purposes of determining 
diluted earnings per share. The prospective adoption of this provision did not have a material effect on the Consolidated Financial 
Statements for the year ended February 3, 2018. We had no previously unrecognized excess tax benefits that would have resulted in 
a cumulative-effect adjustment to beginning retained earnings.

•  Forfeitures on share-based awards are recorded as they occur, rather than our historical method of estimating forfeitures at the grant 
date. In evaluating the impact of this change, the adjustment to adopt on a modified retrospective basis was immaterial, therefore, no 
adjustment has been made to beginning retained earnings.

•  Excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation arrangements are classified as cash flows from operations, rather than as cash 

flows from financing activities. We adopted this change retrospectively, which resulted in an increase to net cash provided by 
operating activities and an increase in cash flows used in financing activities of $5 for 2016 and $15 for 2015. Additionally, cash flows 
related to withholding shares for tax purposes on net-settled awards are classified as financing activities, rather than operating 
activities. This classification change was also adopted retrospectively, resulting in an increase of $5 for 2016 and $4 for 2015 to net 
cash provided by operating activities with an offsetting increase to net cash used in financing activities on the Consolidated Statement 
of Cash Flows for 2016 and 2015. 

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-04, Intangibles — Goodwill and Other: Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment, which 
simplifies the accounting for goodwill impairment by eliminating step two from the goodwill impairment test. Under this new guidance, if the 
carrying amount of a reporting unit exceeds its estimated fair value, an impairment charge shall be recognized in an amount equal to that 
excess, limited to the total amount of goodwill allocated to that reporting unit. The ASU is effective prospectively for fiscal years and interim 
periods within those years beginning after December 15, 2019. Early adoption is permitted for interim or annual goodwill impairment tests 
performed on testing dates after January 1, 2017. We are currently evaluating the impact this guidance would have on our Consolidated 
Financial Statements.

In December 2017, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) released Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118 (the “Bulletin”), which 
provides accounting guidance regarding accounting for income taxes for the reporting period that includes the enactment of the Tax Act. The 
Bulletin provides guidance in those situations where the accounting for certain income tax effects of the Tax Act will be incomplete by the time 
financial statements are issued for the reporting period that includes the enactment date. For those elements of the Tax Act that cannot be 
reasonably estimated, no effect will be recorded.

The SEC has provided in the Bulletin that in situations where the accounting is incomplete for certain effects of the Tax Act, a measurement 
period which begins in the reporting period that includes the enactment of the Tax Act and ends when the entity has obtained, prepared and 
analyzed the information is needed in order to complete the accounting requirements. The measurement period shall not exceed one year 
from enactment. In accordance with SAB 118, we have recorded provisional tax expense associated with the impacts of the Tax Act (see 
Note 13: Income Taxes for additional information).

In February 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-02, Income Statement — Reporting Comprehensive Income: Reclassification of Certain 
Tax Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income. This new guidance will allow a reclassification from accumulated other 
comprehensive income to retained earnings for stranded tax effects resulting from the Tax Act. The ASU is effective for us beginning in the 
first quarter of 2019, with early adoption permitted. We do not expect the adoption of this standard to have a material impact on our 
Consolidated Financial Statements.

NOTE 2: CREDIT CARD RECEIVABLE TRANSACTION 
In October 2015, we completed the sale of a substantial majority of our U.S. Visa and private label credit card portfolio to TD. In November 
2017, we sold the remaining balances which consisted of employee credit card receivables for the U.S. Visa and Nordstrom private label 
credit cards to TD for an amount equal to the gross value of the outstanding receivables. Additionally, we entered into an amended long-term 
program agreement under which TD is the exclusive issuer of our U.S. consumer credit cards and we perform account servicing functions. 

Nordstrom, Inc. and subsidiaries  47

Nordstrom, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Dollar and share amounts in millions except per share, per option and per unit amounts

In connection with the close of the credit card receivable transaction in October 2015, we defeased $325 in secured Series 2011-1 Class A 
Notes in order to provide the credit card receivables to TD free and clear. At close, we received $2.2 billion in cash consideration reflecting 
the par value of the receivables sold, and incurred $32 in transaction-related expenses during the third quarter of 2015. Pursuant to the 
agreement, we are obligated to offer and administer our Nordstrom Rewards loyalty program and perform other account servicing functions. 
In return, we receive a portion of the ongoing credit card revenue, net of credit losses, from both the sold and newly generated credit card 
receivables. At close of the November 2017 transaction, we received $55 in cash consideration reflecting the par value of the employee 
receivables sold.

In October 2015, we recorded certain assets and liabilities associated with the arrangement. The beneficial interest asset is amortized over 
approximately four years based primarily on the payment rate of the associated receivables. The deferred revenue and investment in contract 
asset are recognized/amortized over seven years on a straight-line basis, following the delivery of the contract obligations and expected life 
of the agreement. We record each of these items in credit card revenue, net in our Consolidated Statements of Earnings.

Cash Flows Presentation
Nordstrom private label credit and debit cards can be used at a majority of our U.S. retail businesses, while Nordstrom Visa credit cards also 
may be used for purchases outside of Nordstrom. Prior to the completion of the credit card receivable transactions in October 2015 and 
November 2017, cash flows from the use of both the private label and Nordstrom Visa credit cards for sales originating at our stores and our 
digital channels were treated as an operating activity within the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows, as they related to sales at 
Nordstrom. Additionally, cash flows arising from the use of Nordstrom Visa credit cards outside of our stores were treated as an investing 
activity within the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows, as they represented loans made to our customers for purchases at third parties. 

NOTE 3: LAND, PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT 
Land, property and equipment consist of the following:

Land and land improvements

Buildings and building improvements

Leasehold improvements

Store fixtures and equipment

Capitalized software

Construction in progress

Land, property and equipment

Less: accumulated depreciation and amortization

Land, property and equipment, net

February 3, 2018

January 28, 2017

$111

1,246

3,099

3,724

1,280

584

10,044
(6,105)

$3,939

$107

1,198

2,938

3,513

1,183

554

9,493

(5,596)

$3,897

The total cost of property and equipment held under capital lease obligations was $26 at the end of 2017 and 2016, with related accumulated 
amortization of $25 in 2017 and 2016. Depreciation and amortization expense was $655, $631 and $560 in 2017, 2016 and 2015. 

NOTE 4: SELF-INSURANCE 
Our self-insurance reserves are summarized as follows:

Workers’ compensation

Employee health and welfare

Other liability

Total self-insurance reserve

February 3, 2018

January 28, 2017

$71

26

18

$115

$69

29

16

$114

Our workers’ compensation policies have a retention per claim of $1 or less and no policy limits.

We are self-insured for the majority of our employee health and welfare coverage and we do not use stop-loss coverage. Participants 
contribute to the cost of their coverage through premiums and out-of-pocket expenses for deductibles, co-pays and co-insurance.

Our liability policies, encompassing an employment practices liability, with a policy limit up to $30, and a commercial general liability, with a 
policy limit up to $151, have a retention per claim of $3 or less.

Nordstrom, Inc. and subsidiaries  48

Nordstrom, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Dollar and share amounts in millions except per share, per option and per unit amounts

NOTE 5: 401(K) PLAN 
We provide a 401(k) plan for our employees that allows for employee elective contributions and discretionary Company contributions. 
Employee elective contributions are funded through voluntary payroll deductions. Our discretionary Company contribution is funded in an 
amount determined by our Board of Directors each year. Total expenses related to Company contributions of $110, $92 and $62 in 2017, 
2016 and 2015 were included in both buying and occupancy costs and selling, general and administrative expenses on our Consolidated 
Statements of Earnings. The $110 in 2017 included $94 of matching contributions and $16 for a one-time discretionary profit-sharing 
contribution.

NOTE 6: POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS 
We have an unfunded defined benefit Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (“SERP”), which provides retirement benefits to certain 
officers and select employees. The SERP has different benefit levels depending on the participant’s role in the Company. At the end of 2017, 
we had 57 participants in the plan, including 16 officers and select employees eligible for SERP benefits, 40 retirees and one beneficiary. This 
plan is non-qualified and does not have a minimum funding requirement.

Benefit Obligations and Funded Status
Our benefit obligation and funded status is as follows:

Change in benefit obligation:

Benefit obligation at beginning of year

Participant service cost

Interest cost

Benefits paid

Actuarial gain

Benefit obligation at end of year

Change in plan assets:

Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year

Employer contribution

Benefits paid

Fair value of plan assets at end of year

Underfunded status at end of year

February 3, 2018

January 28, 2017

$188

3

7

(8)

10

200

—

8

(8)

—

$181

3

7

(7)

4

188

—

7

(7)

—

($200)

($188)

The accumulated benefit obligation, which is the present value of benefits, assuming no future compensation changes, was $197 and $184 at 
the end of 2017 and 2016. 

Amounts recognized as liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheets consist of the following:

February 3, 2018

January 28, 2017

Accrued salaries, wages and related benefits

Other liabilities (noncurrent)
Net amount recognized

Components of SERP Expense
The components of SERP expense recognized in the Consolidated Statements of Earnings are as follows:

Fiscal year

Participant service cost

Interest cost

Amortization of net loss and other

Total SERP expense

2017

$3

7

3

$13

$9

191

$200

2016

$3

7

3

$13

$8

180

$188

2015

$3

7

11

$21

Nordstrom, Inc. and subsidiaries  49

Nordstrom, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Dollar and share amounts in millions except per share, per option and per unit amounts

Amounts not yet reflected in SERP expense and included in accumulated other comprehensive loss (pre-tax) consist of the following:

February 3, 2018

January 28, 2017

($41)

4

($37)

2015

4.55%

3.00%

3.70%

3.00%

$9

10

11

11

11

61

Accumulated loss

Prior service credit

Total accumulated other comprehensive loss

($46)

2

($44)

In 2018, we expect $4 of costs currently in accumulated other comprehensive loss to be recognized as components of SERP expense.

Assumptions
Weighted-average assumptions used to determine our benefit obligation and SERP expense are as follows:

Fiscal year

Assumptions used to determine benefit obligation:

Discount rate

Rate of compensation increase

Assumptions used to determine SERP expense:

Discount rate

Rate of compensation increase

2017

3.95%

3.00%

4.31%

3.00%

2016

4.31%

3.00%

4.55%

3.00%

Future Benefit Payments and Contributions
As of February 3, 2018, the expected future benefit payments based upon the assumptions described above and including benefits 
attributable to estimated future employee service are as follows:

Fiscal year

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023 – 2027

50

Nordstrom, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Dollar and share amounts in millions except per share, per option and per unit amounts

NOTE 7: DEBT AND CREDIT FACILITIES 

Debt
A summary of our long-term debt, including capital leases, is as follows:

February 3, 2018

January 28, 2017

Secured

Mortgage payable, 7.68%, due April 2020

Other

 Total secured debt

Unsecured

Net of unamortized discount:

Senior notes, 6.25%, due January 2018

Senior notes, 4.75%, due May 2020

Senior notes, 4.00%, due October 2021

Senior notes, 4.00%, due March 2027

Senior debentures, 6.95%, due March 2028

Senior notes, 7.00%, due January 2038

Senior notes, 5.00%, due January 2044

Other1

 Total unsecured debt

Total long-term debt

Less: current portion

Total due beyond one year

1 Other unsecured debt includes our Puerto Rico unsecured borrowing facility partially offset by deferred bond issue costs. 

Our mortgage payable is secured by an office building that had a net book value of $56 at the end of 2017. 

Required principal payments on long-term debt, excluding capital lease obligations, are as follows:

Fiscal year

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

Thereafter

$17

1

18

—

500

500

349

300

146

892

32

2,719

2,737

(56)

$2,681

$24

3

27

650

499

500

—

300

146

602

50

2,747

2,774

(11)

$2,763

$56

8

502

500

—

1,764

During 2017, we issued $350 aggregate principal amount of 4.00% senior unsecured notes due March 2027 and $300 aggregate principal 
amount of 5.00% senior unsecured notes due January 2044. With the proceeds of these new notes, we retired our $650 senior unsecured 
notes that were due January 2018. We incurred $18 of net interest expense related to the refinancing, which included the write-off of 
unamortized balances associated with the debt discount, issue costs and fair value hedge adjustment resulting from the sale of our interest 
rate swap agreements in 2012. It also included a one-time payment of $24 to 2018 Senior Note holders under a make-whole provision, which 
represents the net present value of the expected coupon payments had the notes been outstanding through the original maturity date. 

Nordstrom, Inc. and subsidiaries  51

Nordstrom, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Dollar and share amounts in millions except per share, per option and per unit amounts

Interest Expense
The components of interest expense, net are as follows:

Fiscal year

Interest on long-term debt and short-term borrowings

Less:

Interest income

Capitalized interest

Interest expense, net

2017

$168

(5)

(27)

$136

2016

$147

(1)

(25)

$121

2015

$153

—

(28)

$125

Credit Facilities
As of February 3, 2018, we had total short-term borrowing capacity of $800 under our senior unsecured revolving credit facility (“revolver”) 
that expires in April 2020. Under the terms of our revolver, we pay a variable rate of interest and a commitment fee based on our debt rating. 
The revolver is available for working capital, capital expenditures and general corporate purposes. We have the option to increase the 
revolving commitment by up to $200, to a total of $1,000, provided that we obtain written consent from the lenders.

The revolver requires that we maintain an adjusted debt to earnings before interest, income taxes, depreciation, amortization and rent 
(“EBITDAR”) leverage ratio of no more than four times. As of February 3, 2018 and January 28, 2017, we were in compliance with this 
covenant. 

Our $800 commercial paper program allows us to use the proceeds to fund operating cash requirements. Under the terms of the commercial 
paper agreement, we pay a rate of interest based on, among other factors, the maturity of the issuance and market conditions. The issuance 
of commercial paper has the effect, while it is outstanding, of reducing available liquidity under the revolver by an amount equal to the 
principal amount of commercial paper. 

As of February 3, 2018 and January 28, 2017, we had no issuances outstanding under our commercial paper program and no borrowings 
outstanding under our revolver.

Our wholly owned subsidiary in Puerto Rico maintains a $52 unsecured borrowing facility to support our expansion into that market. The 
facility expires in Fall 2018 and borrowings on this facility incur interest based upon the LIBOR plus 1.275% per annum and also incurred a 
fee based on any unused commitment. As of February 3, 2018 and January 28, 2017, we had $48 and $50 outstanding on this facility, which 
is included as a component in other unsecured debt and the current portion of debt.

NOTE 8: FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS 
We disclose our financial assets and liabilities that are measured at fair value in our Consolidated Balance Sheets by level within the fair 
value hierarchy as defined by applicable accounting standards:

Level 1: Quoted market prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities
Level 2: Other observable market-based inputs or unobservable inputs that are corroborated by market data
Level 3: Unobservable inputs that cannot be corroborated by market data that reflect the reporting entity’s own assumptions

Financial Instruments Not Measured at Fair Value
Financial instruments not measured at fair value on a recurring basis include cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, accounts 
payable and certificates of deposit, which approximate fair value due to their short-term nature, and long-term debt.

We estimate the fair value of long-term debt using quoted market prices of the same or similar issues and, as such, this is considered a Level 
2 fair value measurement. The following table summarizes the carrying value and fair value estimate of our long-term debt, including current 
maturities:

Carrying value of long-term debt

Fair value of long-term debt

52

February 3, 2018

January 28, 2017

$2,737

2,827

$2,774

2,949

Nordstrom, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Dollar and share amounts in millions except per share, per option and per unit amounts

Non-financial Assets Measured at Fair Value on a Nonrecurring Basis
We also measure certain non-financial assets at fair value on a nonrecurring basis, primarily goodwill, investment in contract asset and long-
lived tangible and intangible assets, in connection with periodic evaluations for potential impairment. We estimate the fair value of these 
assets using primarily unobservable inputs and, as such, these are considered Level 3 fair value measurements. There were no material 
impairment charges for these assets for fiscal year 2017.

In the third quarter of 2016, the long-term operating plan for Trunk Club was updated to reflect current expectations for future growth and 
profitability, which were lower than previous expectations. Due to lowered expectations, we tested Trunk Club goodwill for impairment one 
quarter prior to the annual evaluation. Step 1 test results indicated that the estimated fair value of the reporting unit was less than the carrying 
value.

In our Step 2 analysis, we used a combination of the expected present value of future cash flows (income approach) and comparable public 
companies (market approach) to determine the fair value of the reporting unit. These approaches use primarily unobservable inputs, including 
discount, sales growth and profit margin rates, which are considered Level 3 fair value measurements. The fair value analysis took into 
account recent and expected operating performance as well as the overall decline in the retail industry. Within our Retail Segment, we 
recognized a goodwill impairment charge of $197 in 2016, reducing Trunk Club goodwill to $64 as of January 28, 2017, from $261 as of 
January 30, 2016. 

In 2015, we recorded asset impairment charges of $59, which are included in our Retail Business selling, general and administrative 
expenses. For additional information related to goodwill, intangible assets, long-lived assets and impairments, see Note 1: Nature of 
Operations and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies.

NOTE 9: LEASES 
We lease the land or the land and buildings at many of our stores. Additionally, we lease office facilities, warehouses and equipment. Most of 
these leases are classified as operating leases and they expire at various dates through 2080. The majority of our fixed, non-cancellable 
lease terms are 15 to 30 years for Nordstrom full-line stores and 10 to 15 years for Nordstrom Rack stores. Many of our leases include 
options that allow us to extend the lease term beyond the initial commitment period, subject to terms agreed to at lease inception. Most of our 
leases also provide for payment of operating expenses, such as common area charges, real estate taxes and other executory costs, and 
some leases require additional payments based on sales, referred to as “percentage rent.”

Future minimum lease payments as of February 3, 2018 are as follows:

Fiscal year

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

Thereafter

Total minimum lease payments

Rent expense for 2017, 2016 and 2015 was as follows:

Fiscal year

Minimum rent:

Store locations

Offices, warehouses and equipment

Percentage rent

Property incentives

Total rent expense

Operating leases

$309

312

293

269

247

1,310

$2,740

2015

$204

41

13

(82)

$176

2017

$274

44

11

(79)

$250

2016

$230

40

12

(80)

$202

The rent expense above does not include common area charges, real estate taxes and other executory costs, which were $121 in 2017, $112 
in 2016 and $97 in 2015.

Nordstrom, Inc. and subsidiaries  53

Nordstrom, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Dollar and share amounts in millions except per share, per option and per unit amounts

NOTE 10: COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES 
Our estimated total purchase obligations, capital expenditure contractual commitments and inventory purchase orders were $1,462 as of 
February 3, 2018. In connection with the purchase of foreign merchandise, we have no outstanding trade letters of credit as of February 3, 
2018.

Plans for our Nordstrom NYC store, which we currently expect to open in 2019, ultimately include owning a condominium interest in a mixed-
use tower and leasing certain nearby properties. As of February 3, 2018, we had approximately $289 of fee interest in land, which is expected 
to convert to the condominium interest once the store is constructed. We have committed to make future installment payments based on the 
developer meeting pre-established construction and development milestones. In the event that this project is not completed, the opening may 
be delayed and we may be subject to future losses or capital commitments in order to complete construction or to monetize our investment in 
the land.

NOTE 11: SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY 
The following is a summary of the activity related to our share repurchase programs in 2015, 2016 and 2017:

Capacity at January 31, 2015

October 2015 authorization (ended March 1, 2017)

Shares repurchased

Expiration of unused capacity in March 20151

Capacity at January 30, 2016

Shares repurchased

Capacity at January 28, 2017

February 2017 authorization (ending August 31, 2018)

Shares repurchased

Expiration of unused October 2015 authorization capacity in March 2017

Capacity at February 3, 2018

1 Expiration relates to the February 2013 program.

Shares

Average price
per share

19.1

5.9

4.6

$63

$48

$45

Amount

$1,075

1,000

(1,191)

(73)

811

(282)

529

500

(206)

(409)

$414

The actual timing, price, manner and amounts of future share repurchases, if any, will be subject to market and economic conditions and 
applicable SEC rules.

We paid dividends of $1.48 per share in 2017 and 2016 and $6.33 per share in 2015. Dividends paid in 2015 included a special cash 
dividend of $905, or $4.85 per share of outstanding common stock, in addition to our quarterly dividends totaling $1.48 per share. The special 
dividend was authorized by our Board of Directors on October 1, 2015, and was paid using proceeds from the sale of our credit card 
receivables (see Note 2: Credit Card Receivable Transaction).

In February 2018, subsequent to year end, we declared a quarterly dividend of $0.37 per share, which will be paid on March 20, 2018.

NOTE 12: STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION 
We currently grant stock-based awards under our 2010 Plan, 2002 Plan and Trunk Club VCP, and employees may purchase our stock at a 
discount under our employee stock purchase plan (“ESPP”).

In 2010, our shareholders approved the adoption of the 2010 Plan, which replaced the 2004 Equity Incentive Plan (“2004 Plan”). The 2010 
Plan authorizes the grant of stock options, restricted stock, performance share units, stock appreciation rights and unrestricted shares of 
common stock to employees. On May 16, 2017, our shareholders approved an amendment to the 2010 Equity Incentive Plan. The 
amendment increases common stock available for issuance by 6.2. The aggregate number of shares to be issued under the 2010 Plan may 
not exceed 30.4 plus any shares currently outstanding under the 2004 Plan that are forfeited or expire during the term of the 2010 Plan. No 
future grants will be made under the 2004 Plan. As of February 3, 2018, we have 77.5 shares authorized, 52.8 shares issued and outstanding 
and 8.7 shares remaining available for future grants under the 2010 Plan.

The 2002 Plan authorizes the grant of stock awards to our nonemployee directors. These awards may be deferred or issued in the form of 
restricted or unrestricted stock, non-qualified stock options or stock appreciation rights. As of February 3, 2018, we had 0.9 shares authorized 
and 0.4 shares available for issuance under this plan. In 2017, total expense on deferred shares was less than $1.

54

 
 
 
Nordstrom, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Dollar and share amounts in millions except per share, per option and per unit amounts

The Trunk Club VCP is a performance-based plan that provides for three payout scenarios based on the results of Trunk Club’s business 
meeting minimum or exceeding maximum 2018 sales and earnings metrics. As of February 3, 2018, we granted 0.6 of the 1.0 units available 
for grant. There is no unrecognized stock-based compensation expense related to nonvested VCP units as no payout is expected. If at any 
time it becomes probable that another outcome will be achieved, compensation expense will be cumulatively adjusted based on the grant 
date fair value associated with that payout scenario.

Under the ESPP, employees may make payroll deductions of up to 10% of their base and bonus compensation for the purchase of Nordstrom 
common stock. At the end of each six-month offering period, participants apply their accumulated payroll deductions toward the purchase of 
shares of our common stock at 90% of the fair market value on the last day of the offer period. As of February 3, 2018, we had 12.6 shares 
authorized and 2.2 shares available for issuance under the ESPP. We issued 0.4 shares under the ESPP during 2017 and 2016. At the end of 
2017 and 2016, we had current liabilities of $6 for future purchases of shares under the ESPP.

The following table summarizes our stock-based compensation expense:

Fiscal year

Stock options

Restricted stock units

Acquisition-related stock compensation

Performance share units

Other

Total stock-based compensation expense, before income tax benefit

Income tax benefit

Total stock-based compensation expense, net of income tax benefit

2017

$18

51

1

2

5

77

(20)

$57

2016

$36

34

15

1

5

91

(28)

$63

2015

$33

18

17

(3)

5

70

(21)

$49

The stock-based compensation expense before income tax benefit was recorded in our Consolidated Statements of Earnings as follows:

Fiscal year

Cost of sales and related buying and occupancy costs

Selling, general and administrative expenses

Total stock-based compensation expense, before income tax benefit

2017

$25

52

$77

2016

$25

66

$91

2015

$20

50

$70

The benefit of tax deductions in excess of the compensation cost recognized for stock-based awards is classified as operating cash inflows 
and is reflected as excess tax benefit from stock-based compensation in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.

Special Dividend Adjustment
In connection with the closing of our credit card receivable transaction on October 1, 2015, our Board of Directors authorized a special cash 
dividend of $4.85 per share (see Note 11: Shareholders’ Equity). As required by our equity incentive plan’s non-discretionary anti-dilutive 
provisions, an adjustment was made to outstanding awards to prevent dilution of their value resulting from the special cash dividend. These 
adjustments did not result in incremental stock-based compensation expense as the fair value measure of the awards were the same 
immediately before and after the adjustment. The adjustments to awards included increasing the number of outstanding restricted stock units, 
stock options and performance shares, as well as reducing the exercise prices of outstanding stock options. 

Nordstrom, Inc. and subsidiaries  55

Nordstrom, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Dollar and share amounts in millions except per share, per option and per unit amounts

Stock Options
Our Compensation Committee of our Board of Directors approves annual grants of nonqualified stock options to employees. We used the 
following assumptions to estimate the fair value for stock options at each grant date (excluding options granted in connection with the Trunk 
Club acquisition):

Fiscal Year

Assumptions

Risk-free interest rate: Represents the yield on U.S. Treasury zero-coupon 

securities that mature over the 10-year life of the stock options.

Weighted-average volatility: Based on a combination of the historical volatility of 
our common stock and the implied volatility of exchange-traded options for our 
common stock.

Weighted-average expected dividend yield: Our forecasted dividend yield for 

the next 10 years.

Expected life in years: Represents the estimated period of time until option 

exercise. The expected term of options granted was derived from the output of 
the Binomial Lattice option valuation model and was based on our historical 
exercise behavior, taking into consideration the contractual term of the option 
and our employees’ expected exercise and post-vesting employment 
termination behavior.

2017

2016

2015

1.0% – 2.5%

0.7% – 1.9%

0.2% – 2.1%

40.1%

2.4%

36.8%

2.2%

29.4%

1.8%

7.1

6.9

6.7

Grant Date Information

Date of grant

Weighted-average fair value per option

Exercise price per option

February 28, 2017

February 29, 2016

February 24, 2015

$16

$47

$16

$51

$21

$81

Supplemental nonqualified stock options were also granted to certain company leaders on June 7, 2016, at an exercise price per option of 
$41. The assumptions used to estimate the fair value for the supplemental stock options were similar to the 2016 annual grant assumptions. 
The weighted-average fair value per option at the grant date was $13. In 2016, we also granted stock options to certain qualified employees 
outside of the annual and supplemental grant dates, which were insignificant in aggregate. The number of awards granted to an individual are 
determined based upon a percentage of the recipient’s base salary and the fair value of the stock options. Options typically vest over four 
years, and expire 10 years after the date of grant.

A summary of stock option activity for 2017, which includes awards issued as part of the Trunk Club acquisition in 2014, is presented below:

Fiscal year

2017

Outstanding, beginning of year

Granted

Exercised

Forfeited or cancelled

Outstanding, end of year

Exercisable, end of year

Vested or expected to vest, end of year

Fiscal year

Aggregate intrinsic value of options exercised

Fair value of stock options vested

Shares

13.5

0.3

(0.7)

(0.8)

12.3

9.1

11.8

Weighted-
average
exercise price

Weighted-average
remaining 
contractual
life (years)

Aggregate 
intrinsic 
value 

$48

47

30

54

$49

$47

$49

2017

$13

$34

5

4

5

2016

$30

$40

$52

$49

$52

2015

$62

$44

As of February 3, 2018, the total unrecognized stock-based compensation expense related to nonvested stock options was $22, which is 
expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 21 months.

56

 
 
 
Nordstrom, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Dollar and share amounts in millions except per share, per option and per unit amounts

Restricted Stock 
Our Compensation Committee of our Board of Directors approves grants of restricted stock units to employees. The number of units granted 
to an individual are determined based upon a percentage of the recipient’s base salary and the fair value of the restricted stock. Restricted 
stock units typically vest over four years.

A summary of restricted stock unit activity for 2017 is presented below:

Fiscal year

Outstanding, beginning of year

Granted

Vested

Forfeited or cancelled

Outstanding, end of year

2017

Weighted-average
grant date fair value
per unit

Shares

2.3

1.9

(0.5)

(0.4)

3.3

$49

42

56

63

$45

The aggregate fair value of restricted stock units vested during 2017, 2016 and 2015 was $26, $17 and $11. As of February 3, 2018, the total 
unrecognized stock-based compensation expense related to nonvested restricted stock units was $83, which is expected to be recognized 
over a weighted-average period of 28 months.

Performance Share Units
We grant performance share units to executive officers as one of the ways to align compensation with shareholder interests. Performance 
share units are earned after a three-year performance cycle only when our total shareholder return (reflecting daily stock price appreciation 
and compounded reinvestment of dividends) outperforms companies in a defined peer group determined by the Compensation Committee of 
our Board of Directors. The percentage of units that are earned depends on our relative position at the end of the performance cycle and can 
range from 0% to 175% of the number of units granted. 

Beginning in 2016, performance share units are payable only in Company stock and are classified as equity awards. We record 
compensation cost based upon the value of the underlying stock at the date of grant. The provisions of the performance share units are 
considered a market condition, and therefore the effect of that market condition is reflected in the grant date fair value of the award. We used 
a Monte-Carlo simulation to account for the market condition in the fair value of the award. Compensation cost is recognized regardless of 
whether the market condition is actually satisfied; however, the compensation cost is reversed if an employee terminates prior to satisfying 
the requisite service period. Dividends are not paid during the performance period.

Our 2015 performance share units are liability-based awards due to our ability to settle them in cash or stock as elected by the employee. As 
liability-based awards, they are remeasured, with a corresponding adjustment to earnings, at each fiscal quarter-end during the performance 
cycle. The performance share unit liability is remeasured using the estimated percentage of units earned multiplied by the closing market 
price of our common stock on the current period-end date and is pro-rated based on the amount of time that has passed in the vesting period. 
The price used to determine the amount of cash or stock settled for the performance share units upon vesting is the closing market price of 
our common stock on the last day of the performance cycle.

The following is a summary of performance share unit activity, which assumes performance share units vest at 100% of the number of units 
granted:

Fiscal year

Outstanding units, beginning of year

Granted

Vested

Forfeited or cancelled

Outstanding units, end of year

2017

0.2

0.1

—

(0.1)

0.2

No performance share units were earned nor vested in 2017. In both 2016 and 2015, performance share units earned and vested at 75%, 
there was a stock and cash settlement of $3 and performance share units earned were less than 0.1.

Nordstrom, Inc. and subsidiaries  57

 
Nordstrom, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Dollar and share amounts in millions except per share, per option and per unit amounts

As of February 3, 2018, there were no liabilities recorded for performance share units and there was $4 in remaining unrecognized stock-
based compensation expense for unvested performance share units.

NOTE 13: INCOME TAXES
In December 2017, the Tax Act was signed into law. Among numerous other provisions, the Tax Act significantly revises the U.S. federal 
corporate income tax by reducing the statutory rate from 35% to 21%, imposing a mandatory one-time transition tax on accumulated 
unrepatriated earnings of foreign subsidiaries and enhancing and extending the option to claim accelerated depreciation on qualified property. 
The Tax Act also revises tax laws that will affect 2018, including, but not limited to, eliminating certain deductions for executive compensation 
and limiting the deduction for interest. We have reasonably estimated the effects of the Tax Act and recorded provisional amounts in our 
Consolidated Financial Statements as of February 3, 2018. Net earnings included $42 related to the Tax Act, which includes a provisional 
one-time, non-cash charge of $51 related to the revaluation of our net deferred tax assets for the change in statutory tax rate and for the 
impacts associated with the future limitations on executive compensation, partially offset by cash tax savings from a lower federal tax rate. As 
we complete our analysis of the Tax Act and interpret any additional guidance issued by the U.S. Treasury Department, the IRS and other 
standard-setting bodies, we may make adjustments to the provisional amounts, which may materially impact our provision for income taxes in 
the period in which the adjustments are recorded. 

U.S. and foreign components of earnings before income taxes were as follows:

Fiscal year

U.S.

Foreign

Earnings before income taxes

Income tax expense consists of the following:

Fiscal year

Current income taxes:

Federal

State and local

Foreign

Total current income tax expense

Deferred income taxes:

Federal

State and local

Foreign

Total deferred income tax (benefit) expense

Total income tax expense

2017

$803

(13)

$790

2017

$291

51

—

342

10

1

—

11

$353

2016

$687

(3)

$684

2016

$290

54

1

345

(17)

(5)

7

(15)

$330

A reconciliation of the statutory federal income tax rate to the effective tax rate on earnings before income taxes is as follows:

Fiscal year

Statutory rate1

Tax Act impact

Goodwill impairment

State and local income taxes, net of federal income taxes

Non-deductible acquisition-related items

Federal credits

Other, net

Effective tax rate

1 The statutory rate in 2017 is reduced due to tax reform.

58

2017

33.7%

6.1%

—

4.5%

0.3%

(0.7%)

0.8%

44.7%

2016

35.0%

—

10.1%

5.1%

0.6%

(0.6%)

(2.0%)

48.2%

2015

$996

(20)

$976

2015

$202

32

—

234

123

23

(4)

142

$376

2015

35.0%

—

—

4.1%

0.4%

(0.6%)

(0.3%)

38.6%

Nordstrom, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Dollar and share amounts in millions except per share, per option and per unit amounts

The components of deferred tax assets and liabilities are as follows:

Compensation and benefits accruals

Allowance for sales returns

Credit card receivable transaction

Accrued expenses

Merchandise inventories

Gift cards

Federal benefit of state taxes

Net operating losses

(Loss) Gain on sale of interest rate swap

Other

Total deferred tax assets

Valuation allowance

Total net deferred tax assets

Land, property and equipment basis and depreciation differences

Debt exchange premium

Total deferred tax liabilities

Net deferred tax assets

February 3, 2018

January 28, 2017

$148

$209

50

8

27

12

27

16

22

(1)

3

312

(51)

261

(109)

(14)

(123)

$138

76

13

39

43

33

18

12

4

18

465

(37)

428

(258)

(23)

(281)

$147

As of February 3, 2018, our state and foreign net operating loss carryforwards for income tax purposes were approximately $11 and $64. As 
of January 28, 2017, our state and foreign net operating loss carryforwards for income tax purposes were approximately $11 and $37. The 
net operating loss carryforwards are subject to certain statutory limitations of the Internal Revenue Code, applicable state laws and applicable 
foreign laws. If not utilized, a portion of our state and foreign net operating loss carryforwards will begin to expire in 2031 and 2033. 
Management believes it is more likely than not that certain state and foreign net operating loss carryforwards and deferred tax assets of 
foreign subsidiaries will not be realized in the foreseeable future. As such, a valuation allowance of $51 and $37 have been recorded as of 
February 3, 2018 and January 28, 2017.

A reconciliation of the beginning and ending amount of unrecognized tax benefits is as follows:

Fiscal year

Unrecognized tax benefit at beginning of year

Gross increase to tax positions in prior periods

Gross decrease to tax positions in prior periods

Gross increase to tax positions in current period

Lapses in statute

Unrecognized tax benefit at end of year

2017

$32

2

(7)

5

(1)

$31

2016

$19

16

—

2

(5)

$32

2015

$15

6

(2)

2

(2)

$19

At the end of 2017 and 2016, $18 and $19 of the ending gross unrecognized tax benefit related to items which, if recognized, would affect the 
effective tax rate.

Our income tax expense included an increase to expense of $1 in 2017 for tax-related interest and penalties. There were no significant 
changes to expense in 2016 and 2015. At the end of 2017 and 2016, our liability for interest and penalties was $3 and $2. 

We file income tax returns in the U.S. and a limited number of foreign jurisdictions. With few exceptions, we are no longer subject to federal, 
state and local, or non-U.S. income tax examinations for years before 2013. Unrecognized tax benefits related to federal, state and local tax 
positions may decrease by $6 by February 2, 2019, due to the completion of examinations and the expiration of various statutes of 
limitations.

Nordstrom, Inc. and subsidiaries  59

Nordstrom, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Dollar and share amounts in millions except per share, per option and per unit amounts

NOTE 14: EARNINGS PER SHARE 
Earnings per basic share is computed using the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the year. Earnings per 
diluted share uses the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the year plus dilutive common stock equivalents, 
primarily stock options and restricted stock. Dilutive common stock is calculated using the treasury stock method and includes unvested 
RSUs and outstanding options that would reduce the amount of earnings for which each share is entitled. Anti-dilutive shares (including stock 
options and other shares) are excluded from the calculation of diluted shares and earnings per diluted share because their impact could 
increase earnings per diluted share. The computation of earnings per share is as follows:

Fiscal year

Net earnings

Basic shares

Dilutive effect of common stock equivalents

Diluted shares

Earnings per basic share

Earnings per diluted share

Anti-dilutive common stock equivalents

2017

$437

166.8

2.1

168.9

$2.62

$2.59

10.5

2016

$354

173.2

2.4

175.6

$2.05

$2.02

8.0

2015

$600

186.3

3.8

190.1

$3.22

$3.15

2.3

Net earnings in 2016 included the Trunk Club goodwill impairment charge of $197, which had an impact of $1.14 per basic share and $1.12 
per diluted share.

NOTE 15: SEGMENT REPORTING 

Segments
We have two reportable segments, which include Retail and Credit. 

Our Retail segment includes our Full-price operating segment, which is comprised of our Nordstrom U.S. full-line stores and Nordstrom.com. 
Both of these divisions earn revenue by offering customers a wide range of apparel, shoes, cosmetics and accessories for women, men, 
young adults and children. Through our multi-channel initiatives, we have integrated the operations, merchandising and technology of our 
Nordstrom full-line and online stores, consistent with our customers’ expectations of a seamless shopping experience regardless of channel. 
Internal reporting to our principal executive officer, who is also our chief operating decision maker, is consistent with these multi-channel 
initiatives. Our Nordstrom Rack, Nordstromrack.com/HauteLook, Nordstrom Canada, Trunk Club and Jeffrey operating segments have similar 
economic and qualitative characteristics, including nature of products, method of distribution and type of customer, or the segment results are 
not significant to the operating results of Full-price. Therefore, the results of these operating segments have been aggregated with our Full-
price operating segment into the Retail reportable segment.

Through our Credit segment, our customers can access a variety of payment products and services, including a selection of Nordstrom-
branded Visa® credit cards in the U.S. and Canada, as well as a Nordstrom-branded private label credit card and a debit card for Nordstrom 
purchases. When customers use a Nordstrom-branded credit or debit card, they also participate in our loyalty program that provides benefits 
based on their level of spending. Although the primary purposes of our Credit segment are to foster greater customer loyalty and drive more 
sales, we also receive credit card revenue through our program agreement with TD (see Note 2: Credit Card Receivable Transaction). 

Amounts in the Corporate/Other column include unallocated corporate expenses and assets (including unallocated assets in corporate 
headquarters, consisting primarily of cash, land, buildings and equipment and deferred tax assets), sales return reserves, inter-segment 
eliminations and other adjustments to segment results necessary for the presentation of consolidated financial results in accordance with 
generally accepted accounting principles.

Retail Business represents a subtotal of the Retail segment and Corporate/Other, and is consistent with our presentation in Item 7: 
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations. Retail Business is not a reportable segment.

60

Nordstrom, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Dollar and share amounts in millions except per share, per option and per unit amounts

We continually monitor and review our segment reporting structure in accordance with authoritative guidance to determine whether any 
changes have occurred that would impact our reportable segments. As a result of the evolution of our operations, our reportable segments 
have become progressively more integrated such that we will change our reportable segments to one reportable segment to align with how 
management will view the results of our operations in the first quarter of 2018. 

Accounting Policy
In general, we use the same measurements to compute earnings before income taxes for reportable segments as we do for the consolidated 
Company. However, redemptions of our Nordstrom Notes are included in net sales for our Retail segment. The sales amount in our 
Corporate/Other column includes an entry to eliminate these transactions from our consolidated net sales. The related Nordstrom Notes 
expenses are included in our Retail segment at face value. Our Corporate/Other column includes an adjustment to reduce the Nordstrom 
Notes expense from face value to their estimated cost. In addition, our sales return reserve and other corporate adjustments are recorded in 
the Corporate/Other column. Other than as described above, the accounting policies of the operating segments are the same as those 
described in Note 1: Nature of Operations and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies.

The following table sets forth information for our reportable segments:

Retail 

Corporate/
Other

Retail
Business

Credit 

Total

Fiscal year 2017

Net sales

Credit card revenues, net

Earnings (loss) before interest and income taxes

Interest expense, net

Earnings (loss) before income taxes

Capital expenditures

Depreciation and amortization

Assets

Fiscal year 2016

Net sales

Credit card revenues, net

Earnings (loss) before interest and income taxes

Interest expense, net

Earnings (loss) before income taxes

Capital expenditures

Depreciation and amortization

Assets

Fiscal year 2015

Net sales

Credit card revenues, net

Earnings (loss) before interest and income taxes

Interest expense, net

Earnings (loss) before income taxes

Capital expenditures

Depreciation and amortization

Assets

$15,408

($271)

$15,137

—

1,206

—

1,206

516

445

5,237

—

(454)

(136)

(590)

214

213

—

752

(136)

616

730

658

2,638

7,875

$14,768

($270)

$14,498

—

1,006

—

1,006

593

456

5,291

—

(298)

(121)

(419)

249

182

—

708

(121)

587

842

638

2,088

7,379

$14,376

($281)

$14,095

—

1,220

—

1,220

837

428

5,460

—

(302)

(112)

(414)

241

143

1,720

—

918

(112)

806

1,078

571

7,180

$—

341

174

—

174

1

8

240

$—

259

97

—

97

4

7

479

$—

342

183

(13)

170

4

5

518

$15,137

341

926

(136)

790

731

666

8,115

$14,498

259

805

(121)

684

846

645

7,858

$14,095

342

1,101

(125)

976

1,082

576

7,698

Nordstrom, Inc. and subsidiaries  61

Nordstrom, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Dollar and share amounts in millions except per share, per option and per unit amounts

The following table summarizes net sales within our reportable segments:

2017

$6,951

2,887

9,838

4,059

897

4,956

614

15,408

(271)

$15,137

2017

32%

23%

16%

11%

11%

4%

3%

100%

2016

$7,186

2,519

9,705

3,809

700

4,509

554

14,768

(270)

$14,498

2016

32%

23%

17%

11%

11%

3%

3%

100%

2015

$7,633

2,300

9,933

3,533

532

4,065

378

14,376

(281)

$14,095

2015

31%

23%

17%

12%

11%

3%

3%

100%

Fiscal year

Nordstrom full-line stores - U.S.1

Nordstrom.com

Full-price

Nordstrom Rack

Nordstromrack.com/HauteLook

Off-price

Other retail2

Retail segment

Corporate/Other

Total net sales

1 Nordstrom full-line stores - U.S. includes Nordstrom Local.
2 Other retail includes Nordstrom Canada full-line stores, Trunk Club and Jeffrey boutiques.

The following table summarizes the percent of net sales by merchandise category:

Fiscal year

Women’s Apparel

Shoes

Men’s Apparel

Women’s Accessories

Beauty

Kids’ Apparel

Other

Total net sales

62

Nordstrom, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Dollar and share amounts in millions except per share, per option and per unit amounts

NOTE 16: SELECTED QUARTERLY DATA1 (UNAUDITED)

Fiscal year 2017

Net sales

Comparable sales (decrease) increase2

Credit card revenues, net

Gross profit

Selling, general and administrative expenses

Earnings before interest and income taxes

Net earnings

Earnings per basic share

Earnings per diluted share

Fiscal year 2016

Net sales

Comparable sales (decrease) increase3

Credit card revenues, net

Gross profit

Selling, general and administrative expenses

Goodwill impairment

Earnings before interest and income taxes

Net earnings (loss)

Earnings (Loss) per basic share4

Earnings (Loss) per diluted share4,5

1st Quarter

2nd Quarter

3rd Quarter

4th Quarter

Total

$3,279

(0.8%)

75

1,124

(1,048)

151

63

$0.38

$0.37

$3,192

(1.7%)

57

1,092

(1,043)

—

106

46

$0.27

$0.26

$3,717

1.7%

76

1,266

(1,125)

217

110

$0.66

$0.65

$3,592

(1.2%)

59

1,233

(1,071)

—

221

117

$0.67

$0.67

$3,541

(0.9%)

88

1,226

(1,106)

208

114

$0.68

$0.67

$3,472

2.4%

70

1,211

(1,029)

(197)

55

(10)

($0.06)

($0.06)

$4,600

2.6%

102

1,631

(1,383)

350

151

$0.90

$0.89

$4,243

(0.9%)

73

1,523

(1,172)

—

424

201

$1.17

$1.15

$15,137

0.8%

341

5,247

(4,662)

926

437

$2.62

$2.59

$14,498

(0.4%)

259

5,058

(4,315)

(197)

805

354

$2.05

$2.02

1 Quarterly totals may not foot across due to rounding.
2 The 53rd week is not included in comparable sales calculations (see Item 7: Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations for more 

information about the 53rd week). 

3 One week of the Anniversary Sale, historically our largest event of the year, shifted into the third quarter. Combined second and third quarter comparable sales, which removes 

the impact of the event shift, increased 0.4% compared with the same period last year.

4 Loss per basic and diluted share included the impact of the Trunk Club goodwill impairment charge of $1.14 and $1.12 per share in the third quarter of 2016. 
5 Due to the anti-dilutive effect resulting from the reported net loss in the third quarter of 2016, the impact of potentially dilutive securities on the weighted-average shares 

outstanding has been omitted from the quarterly calculation of loss per diluted share. The impact of these potentially dilutive securities has been included in the calculation of 
weighted-average shares for all other periods in 2016.

Nordstrom, Inc. and subsidiaries  63

Item 9. Changes in and Disagreements With Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure.

None.

Item 9A. Controls and Procedures.

DISCLOSURE CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
Blake Nordstrom, Pete Nordstrom and Erik Nordstrom serve as co-presidents of Nordstrom, Inc. (“Company”). Blake Nordstrom continues to 
serve as the Company’s principal executive officer for purposes of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). 
The Company’s Chief Financial Officer is the Company’s principal financial officer for purposes of the Exchange Act.

As of the end of the period covered by this Annual Report on Form 10-K, the Company performed an evaluation under the supervision and 
with the participation of management, including our principal executive officer and principal financial officer, of the design and effectiveness of 
our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in rules 13a-15(e) or 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act). Based upon that evaluation, our 
principal executive officer and principal financial officer concluded that, as of the end of the period covered by this Annual Report, our 
disclosure controls and procedures were effective in the timely and accurate recording, processing, summarizing and reporting of material 
financial and non-financial information within the time periods specified within the SEC’s rules and forms. Our principal executive officer and 
principal financial officer also concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective to ensure that information required to be 
disclosed in the reports that we file or submit under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our 
principal executive officer and principal financial officer, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

CHANGES IN INTERNAL CONTROL OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING
There have been no changes in our internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) or 15d-15(f) of the Exchange Act) 
during our most recently completed fiscal quarter that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal 
control over financial reporting.

MANAGEMENT’S REPORT ON INTERNAL CONTROL OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING
Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, as is defined in the 
Exchange Act. These internal controls are designed to provide reasonable assurance that the reported financial information is presented 
fairly, that disclosures are adequate and that the judgments inherent in the preparation of financial statements are reasonable. There are 
inherent limitations in the effectiveness of any system of internal control, including the possibility of human error and overriding of controls. 
Consequently, an effective internal control system can only provide reasonable, not absolute, assurance with respect to reporting financial 
information.

Management conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting based on the framework and criteria 
established in Internal Control – Integrated Framework (2013), issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway 
Commission. Based on this evaluation, management concluded that the Company’s internal control over financial reporting was effective as 
of February 3, 2018.

Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, was retained to audit Nordstrom’s Consolidated Financial 
Statements and the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. They have issued an attestation report on the 
Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of February 3, 2018, which is included herein.

64

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

To the Board of Directors and Shareholders of Nordstrom, Inc.

Opinion on Internal Control over Financial Reporting

We have audited the internal control over financial reporting of Nordstrom, Inc. and subsidiaries (the “Company”) as of February 3, 2018, 
based on criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the 
Treadway Commission (COSO). In our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial 
reporting as of February 3, 2018, based on criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by COSO. 

We have also audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB), the 
consolidated financial statements as of and for the year ended February 3, 2018, of the Company and our report dated March 19, 2018 
expressed an unqualified opinion on those financial statements.

Basis for Opinion

The Company’s management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its assessment of the 
effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in the accompanying Management’s Report On Internal Control Over 
Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting based on our audit. 
We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance 
with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to 
obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our 
audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, 
testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk, and performing such other 
procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion. 

Definition and Limitations of Internal Control over Financial Reporting

A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of 
financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting 
principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of 
records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide 
reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally 
accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of 
management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized 
acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements. 

Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any 
evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, 
or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate. 

/s/ Deloitte & Touche LLP
Seattle, Washington
March 19, 2018

Nordstrom, Inc. and subsidiaries  65

Item 9B. Other Information.

None.

Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance.

PART III

The information required under this item is included in the following sections of our Proxy Statement for our 2018 Annual Meeting of 
Shareholders, the sections of which are incorporated by reference herein and will be filed within 120 days after the end of our fiscal year:

Corporate Governance
Director Nominating Process
Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance
Requirements and Deadlines for Submission of Proxy Proposals, Nomination of Directors and other Business of Shareholders

The certifications of our Co-President and Chief Financial Officer required pursuant to Sections 302 and 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 
2002 are included as exhibits to this Annual Report on Form 10-K and were included as exhibits to each of our quarterly reports on Form 10-
Q. Our Co-President certified to the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) on May 30, 2017 pursuant to Section 303A.12(a) of the NYSE’s 
listing standards, that he was not aware of any violation by the Company of the NYSE’s corporate governance listing standards as of that 
date.

Item 11. Executive Compensation.

The information required under this item is included in the following sections of our Proxy Statement for our 2018 Annual Meeting of 
Shareholders, the sections of which are incorporated by reference herein and will be filed within 120 days after the end of our fiscal year:

Compensation of Executive Officers
Director Compensation
Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation
Compensation Committee Report

Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Shareholder Matters.

The information required under this item is included in the following sections of our Proxy Statement for our 2018 Annual Meeting of 
Shareholders, the sections of which are incorporated by reference herein and will be filed within 120 days after the end of our fiscal year:

Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management
Equity Compensation Plans

Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence.

The information required under this item is included in the following sections of our Proxy Statement for our 2018 Annual Meeting of 
Shareholders, the sections of which are incorporated by reference herein and will be filed within 120 days after the end of our fiscal year:

Corporate Governance
Certain Relationships and Related Transactions

Item 14. Principal Accounting Fees and Services.

The information required under this item is included in the following section of our Proxy Statement for our 2018 Annual Meeting of 
Shareholders, the section of which is incorporated by reference herein and will be filed within 120 days after the end of our fiscal year:

Ratification of the Appointment of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

66

PART IV

Item 15. Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules.

The following information required under this item is filed as part of this report:

(a)1. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
Consolidated Statements of Earnings
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Earnings
Consolidated Balance Sheets
Consolidated Statements of Shareholders’ Equity
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

(a)3. EXHIBITS

Page
36
37
37
38
39
40
64
65

Exhibits are incorporated herein by reference or are filed with this report as set forth in the Index to Exhibits on pages 68 through 73 hereof.

All other schedules and exhibits are omitted because they are not applicable, not required or because the information required has been 
given as part of this report.

Nordstrom, Inc. and subsidiaries  67

Nordstrom, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Exhibit Index

1.1

3.1

3.2

4.1

4.2

4.3

4.4

4.5

4.6

4.7

4.8

4.9

Exhibit

Underwriting Agreement, dated March 6, 2017, by and 
between the Company and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & 
Smith Incorporated, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and U.S. 
Bancorp Investments, Inc., as representatives of the several 
underwriters named therein

Method of Filing
Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on March 10, 2017, Exhibit 1.1

Articles of Incorporation as amended and restated on May 25, 
2005

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on May 31, 2005, Exhibit 3.1

Bylaws, as amended and restated as of June 7, 2017

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on June 8, 2017, Exhibit 3.1

Indenture between Registrant and Norwest Bank Colorado, 
N.A., as trustee, dated March 11, 1998

Incorporated by reference from Registration No. 333-47035,
Exhibit 4.1

Amended and Restated Master Indenture, dated as of May 1, 
2007, by and between Nordstrom Credit Card Master Note 
Trust II and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as 
indenture trustee

Series 2011-1 Indenture Supplement, dated as of November 
22, 2011, by and between Nordstrom Credit Card Master Note 
Trust II and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as 
indenture trustee

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on May 8, 2007, Exhibit 4.1

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on November 28, 2011, Exhibit 4.2

Indenture dated December 3, 2007, between the Company 
and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form S-4/A
filed on April 29, 2014, Exhibit 4.1

Note Purchase Agreement, dated as of November 16, 2011, 
by and between Nordstrom Credit Card Receivables II LLC, 
Nordstrom fsb, Nordstrom Credit, Inc., RBS Securities Inc. 
and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

Form of 6.25% Note due January 2018

Form of 4.75% Note due May 1, 2020

Form of 4.00% Note due 2021

Form of 5.00% Global Note due 2044

4.10

Form of 5.00% Rule 144A Global Note due 2044

4.11

Form of 5.00% Regulation S Global Note due 2044

4.12

Form of 4.00% Note due 2027

4.13

Form of 5.00% Note due 2044

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on November 28, 2011, Exhibit 4.1

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on December 3, 2007, Exhibit 4.1

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on April 23, 2010, Exhibit 4.1

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on October 11, 2011, Exhibit 4.1

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form S-4 filed
on March 28, 2014, Exhibit 4.2

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form S-4 filed
on March 28, 2014, Exhibit 4.3

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form S-4 filed
on March 28, 2014, Exhibit 4.4

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on March 9, 2017, Exhibit 4.1

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on March 9, 2017, Exhibit 4.2

4.14

Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of December 12, 
2013

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form S-4 filed
on March 28, 2014, Exhibit 4.5

4.15*

Trunk Club Newco, Inc. 2010 Equity Incentive Plan

10.1*

Nordstrom 401(k) Plan & Profit Sharing, amended and 
restated on June 12, 2014

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form S-8 filed
on August 27, 2014, Exhibit 4.1

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended May 2, 2015,
Exhibit 10.2

*This exhibit is a management contract, compensatory plan or arrangement

68

10.2*

10.3*

10.4*

10.5*

10.6*

10.7*

10.8*

10.9*

10.10*

10.11*

10.12*

10.13*

10.14*

Exhibit

Method of Filing

Amendment 2014-4 to the Nordstrom 401(k) Plan & Profit 
Sharing

Amendment 2014-5 to the Nordstrom 401(k) Plan & Profit 
Sharing

Amendment 2014-6 to the Nordstrom 401(k) Plan & Profit 
Sharing

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended August 2, 2014,
Exhibit 10.6

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended November 1, 2014,
Exhibit 10.2

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended November 1, 2014,
Exhibit 10.3

Amended and Restated Nordstrom, Inc. Executive 
Management Bonus Plan

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form DEF 14A
filed on March 30, 2012

Amended and Restated Nordstrom, Inc. Executive 
Management Bonus Plan

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form DEF 14A
filed on April 8, 2016

Nordstrom Executive Deferred Compensation Plan (2017 
Restatement)

Filed herewith electronically

Nordstrom, Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan (2011 
Restatement)

Incorporated by reference to Appendix A to the Registrant’s
Form DEF 14A filed on March 31, 2011

Amendment 2016-1 to the Nordstrom, Inc. Employee Stock 
Purchase Plan (2011 Restatement)

Form of Notice of 2005 Stock Option Grant and Stock Option 
Agreement under the Nordstrom, Inc. 2004 Equity Incentive 
Plan

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended July 30, 2016,
Exhibit 10.1

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on March 1, 2005, Exhibit 10.1

Form of Notice of 2006 Stock Option Grant and Stock Option 
Agreement under the Nordstrom, Inc. 2004 Equity Incentive 
Plan

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Annual Report
on Form 10-K for the year ended February 2, 2008, Exhibit
10.45

2007 Stock Option Notice Award Agreement and Form of 
Notice

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on February 26, 2007, Exhibit 10.1

2008 Stock Option Notice Award Agreement and Form of 
Notice

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on February 22, 2008, Exhibit 10.1

2009 Nonqualified Stock Option Grant Agreement and Form of 
Notice

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on March 3, 2009, Exhibit 10.2

10.15*

2010 Stock Option Award Agreement

10.16*

Form of 2011 Stock Option Award Agreement

10.17*

Form of 2012 Nonqualified Stock Option Grant Agreement

10.18*

Form of 2013 Nonqualified Stock Option Grant Agreement

10.19*

Form of 2014 Nonqualified Stock Option Grant Agreement

10.20*

Form of the 2015 Nonqualified Stock Option Grant Agreement

10.21*

Form of the 2016 Nonqualified Stock Option Grant Agreement

10.22*

Form of 2016 Nonqualified Stock Option Grant Agreement, 
Supplemental Award

*This exhibit is a management contract, compensatory plan or arrangement

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on November 24, 2009, Exhibit 10.1

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on November 19, 2010, Exhibit 10.1

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on November 18, 2011, Exhibit 10.1

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on November 14, 2012, Exhibit 10.1

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on March 4, 2014, Exhibit 10.1

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on February 19, 2015, Exhibit 10.1

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on March 1, 2016, Exhibit 10.1

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended July 30, 2016,
Exhibit 10.2

Nordstrom, Inc. and subsidiaries  69

Exhibit
Form of the 2017 Nonqualified Stock Option Grant Agreement

10.23*

10.24*

2004 Equity Incentive Plan

Method of Filing
Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on February 23, 2017, Exhibit 10.1

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s definitive proxy
statement filed with the Commission on April 15, 2004

10.25*

10.26*

Nordstrom, Inc. 2004 Equity Incentive Plan (2007 
Amendment)

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on November 19, 2007, Exhibit 10.44

Nordstrom, Inc. 2004 Equity Incentive Plan (2008 
Amendment)

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on November 24, 2008, Exhibit 10.1

10.27*

Nordstrom, Inc. 2010 Equity Incentive Plan

Incorporated by reference to Appendix A to the Registrant’s
Form DEF 14A filed on April 8, 2010

10.28*

10.29*

10.30*

10.31*

Nordstrom, Inc. 2010 Equity Incentive Plan as amended 
February 27, 2013

Incorporated by reference to Appendix A to the Registrant’s
Form DEF 14A filed on April 1, 2013

Nordstrom, Inc. 2010 Equity Incentive Plan as amended and 
restated February 26, 2014

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on March 4, 2014, Exhibit 10.4

Nordstrom, Inc. 2010 Equity Incentive Plan as amended and 
restated February 16, 2017

Incorporated by reference to Appendix A to the Registrant’s
Form DEF 14A filed on April 5, 2017

Nordstrom, Inc. Leadership Separation Plan (Effective March 
1, 2005)

10.32*

Amendment 2006-1 to the Nordstrom, Inc. Leadership 
Separation Plan

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Annual Report
on Form 10-K for the year ended January 29, 2005, Exhibit
10.43

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Annual Report
on Form 10-K for the year ended February 2, 2008, Exhibit
10.56

10.33*

10.34*

10.35*

Amendment 2008-1, Nordstrom, Inc. Leadership Separation 
Plan

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on November 24, 2008, Exhibit 10.3

Amendment 2011-1 to the Nordstrom Leadership Separation 
Plan

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on August 25, 2011, Exhibit 10.1

Amendment 2013-1 to the Nordstrom Leadership Separation 
Plan

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on March 5, 2013, Exhibit 10.1

10.36*

Amendment 2016-1 to Nordstrom Leadership Separation Plan

10.37*

Form of 2011 Performance Share Unit Award Agreement

10.38*

Form of 2012 Performance Share Unit Agreement

10.39*

Form of 2013 Performance Share Unit Award Agreement

10.40*

Form of 2014 Performance Share Unit Award Agreement

10.41*

Form of the 2015 Performance Share Unit Award Agreement

10.42*

Form of the 2016 Performance Share Unit Award Agreement

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on March 1, 2016, Exhibit 10.4

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on November 19, 2010, Exhibit 10.2

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on November 18, 2011, Exhibit 10.2

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on November 14, 2012, Exhibit 10.2

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on March 4, 2014, Exhibit 10.3

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on February 19, 2015, Exhibit 10.3

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on March 1, 2016, Exhibit 10.3

10.43*

10.44*

Form of the 2017 Performance Share Unit Notice and Award 
Agreement

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on February 23, 2017, Exhibit 10.3

Nordstrom Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (2008 
Restatement)

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on November 24, 2008, Exhibit 10.4

*This exhibit is a management contract, compensatory plan or arrangement

70

10.45*

10.46*

10.47*

10.48

10.49

10.50

Exhibit
Amendment 2009-1 to the Nordstrom Supplemental Executive 
Retirement Plan

Method of Filing
Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on March 3, 2009, Exhibit 10.4

Amendment 2014-1 to the Nordstrom Supplemental Executive 
Retirement Plan

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on August 25, 2014, Exhibit 10.1

Amendment 2014-2 to the Nordstrom Supplemental Executive 
Retirement Plan

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on August 25, 2014, Exhibit 10.2

Nordstrom Directors Deferred Compensation Plan (2017 
Restatement)

Filed herewith electronically

2009 Form of Independent Director Indemnification 
Agreement

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on March 3, 2009, Exhibit 10.1

2010 Form of Independent Director Indemnification 
Agreement

10.51

The 2002 Nonemployee Director Stock Incentive Plan

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Annual Report
on Form 10-K for the year ended January 29, 2011, Exhibit
10.78

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended July 31, 2002,
Exhibit 10.1

10.52

10.53

Nordstrom, Inc. 2002 Nonemployee Director Stock Incentive 
Plan (2007 Amendment)

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on November 19, 2007, Exhibit 10.39

Form of Restricted Stock Award under the 2002 Nonemployee 
Director Stock Incentive Plan

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended November 3, 2007,
Exhibit 10.1

10.54

Form of 2012 Restricted Stock Unit Agreement

10.55

Form of 2013 Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement

10.56

Form of 2014 Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement

10.57

Form of the 2015 Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement

10.58

Form of the 2016 Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement

10.59

Form of 2016 Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement, 
Supplemental Award

10.60

Form of the 2017 Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement

10.61

Form of 2017 Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement, 
Supplemental Award

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on November 18, 2011, Exhibit 10.3

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on November 14, 2012, Exhibit 10.3

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on March 4, 2014, Exhibit 10.2

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on February 19, 2015, Exhibit 10.2

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on March 1, 2016, Exhibit 10.2

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended July 30, 2016,
Exhibit 10.3

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on February 23, 2017, Exhibit 10.2

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Annual Report
on Form 10-K for the year ended January 28, 2017, Exhibit
10.67

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended July 31, 2004,
Exhibit 10.4

Commitment of Nordstrom, Inc. to Nordstrom fsb dated June 
17, 2004

10.62

10.63

Nordstrom fsb Segregated Earmarked Deposit Agreement and 
Security Agreement by and between Nordstrom fsb and 
Nordstrom, Inc. dated July 1, 2004

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended July 31, 2004,
Exhibit 10.5

*This exhibit is a management contract, compensatory plan or arrangement

Nordstrom, Inc. and subsidiaries  71

Exhibit

10.64

Revolving Credit Agreement dated April 1, 2015, between 
Registrant and each of the initial lenders named therein as 
lenders; Bank of America, N.A. as administrative agent; Wells 
Fargo Bank, National Association and U.S. Bank, National 
Association as co-syndication agents; and Fifth Third Bank as 
managing agent.

Method of Filing
Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on April 6, 2015, Exhibit 10.1

10.65

First Amendment to Revolving Credit Agreement dated March 
31, 2016, between Registrant, Bank of America, N.A. as Agent 
and the Lenders party thereto

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on April 6, 2016, Exhibit 10.1

10.66

Performance Undertaking dated December 4, 2001 between 
Registrant and Bank One, N.A.

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Annual Report
on Form 10-K for the year ended January 31, 2002, Exhibit
10.38

Servicing Agreement, dated as of May 1, 2007, by and 
between Nordstrom fsb, and Nordstrom Credit, Inc.

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on May 8, 2007, Exhibit 99.2

Amended and Restated Transfer and Servicing Agreement, 
dated as of May 1, 2007, by and between Nordstrom Credit 
Card Receivables II LLC, as transferor, Nordstrom fsb, as 
servicer, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as indenture 
trustee, and Nordstrom Credit Card Master Note Trust II, as 
issuer

Second Amended and Restated Trust Agreement, dated as of 
May 1, 2007, by and between Nordstrom Credit Card 
Receivables II LLC, as transferor, and Wilmington Trust 
Company, as owner trustee

Amended and Restated Administration Agreement, dated as 
of May 1, 2007, by and between Nordstrom Credit Card 
Master Note Trust II, as issuer, and Nordstrom fsb, as 
administrator

Amended and Restated Receivables Purchase Agreement, 
dated as of May 1, 2007, by and between Nordstrom Credit, 
Inc., as seller and Nordstrom Credit Card Receivables II LLC, 
as purchaser

Participation Agreement, dated as of May 1, 2007, by and 
between Nordstrom fsb, as seller and Nordstrom Credit, Inc., 
as purchaser

Confirmation of transaction between The Royal Bank of 
Scotland plc and Nordstrom Inc., dated as of December 22, 
2009

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on May 8, 2007, Exhibit 99.4

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on May 8, 2007, Exhibit 99.5

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on May 8, 2007, Exhibit 99.6

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on May 8, 2007, Exhibit 99.3

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on May 8, 2007, Exhibit 99.1

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on December 23, 2009, Exhibit 10.1

Confirmation of transaction between Wachovia Bank N.A. and 
Nordstrom Inc., dated as of December 22, 2009

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on December 23, 2009, Exhibit 10.2

Press release dated February 27, 2013 announcing that its 
Board of Directors authorized an $800 million share 
repurchase program

Press release dated September 4, 2014 announcing that its 
Board of Directors authorized a $1,000 million share 
repurchase program

Press release dated October 1, 2015 announcing that its 
Board of Directors authorized a $1,000 million share 
repurchase program

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on February 28, 2013, Exhibit 99.1

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on September 4, 2014, Exhibit 99.1

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on October 2, 2015, Exhibit 99.1

Press release dated February 17, 2017 announcing that its 
Board of Directors authorized a $500 million share repurchase 
program and approved a quarterly dividend

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on February 21, 2017, Exhibit 99.2

10.67

10.68

10.69

10.70

10.71

10.72

10.73

10.74

10.75

10.76

10.77

10.78

72

10.79

10.80

10.81

10.82

10.83

10.84

10.85

Exhibit

Press release dated December 3, 2013 announcing the 
pricing of a private offering of 2044 Notes

Method of Filing
Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on December 4, 2013, Exhibit 99.1

Press release dated December 3, 2013 announcing the 
commencement of a private exchange offering

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on December 4, 2013, Exhibit 99.2

Press release dated December 12, 2013 announcing the 
closing of the private offering of 2044 Notes

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on December 12, 2013, Exhibit 99.1

Press release dated December 17, 2013 relating to the 
expiration of the early participation period

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on December 17, 2013, Exhibit 99.1

Press release dated January 2, 2014 relating to the closing of 
the private exchange offer

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on January 2, 2014, Exhibit 99.1

Purchase and Sale Agreement by and among Nordstrom, Inc., 
Nordstrom Credit, Inc., Nordstrom FSB and TD Bank USA, 
N.A. dated May 25, 2015

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended August 1, 2015,
Exhibit 10.1

Credit Card Program Agreement by and among Nordstrom, 
Inc., Nordstrom FSB and TD Bank USA, N.A. dated May 25, 
2015

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended October 31, 2015,
Exhibit 10.1

10.86

Letter agreement, dated June 7, 2017

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed
on June 8, 2017, Exhibit 99.2, and the Registrant’s SC 13D
filed on June 8, 2017, Exhibit 3

21.1

23.1

31.1

31.2

32.1

Significant subsidiaries of the Registrant

Filed herewith electronically

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

Filed as page 75 of this report

Certification of Co-President required by Section 302(a) of the 
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

Filed herewith electronically

Certification of Chief Financial Officer required by Section 
302(a) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

Filed herewith electronically

Certification of Co-President and Chief Financial Officer 
pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 
906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

Furnished herewith electronically

101.INS XBRL Instance Document

Filed herewith electronically

101.SCH XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document

Filed herewith electronically

101.CAL XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document

Filed herewith electronically

101.LAB XBRL Taxonomy Extension Labels Linkbase Document

Filed herewith electronically

101.PRE XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document

Filed herewith electronically

101.DEF XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document

Filed herewith electronically

Nordstrom, Inc. and subsidiaries  73

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be 
signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

SIGNATURES

NORDSTROM, INC.
(Registrant)

/s/

Anne L. Bramman
Anne L. Bramman
Chief Financial Officer
(Principal Financial Officer)

Date: March 19, 2018 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of 
the registrant and in the capacities and on the date indicated.

Principal Executive Officer:

/s/

/s/

/s/

/s/

/s/

/s/

/s/

Blake W. Nordstrom
Blake W. Nordstrom
Co-President

Stacy Brown-Philpot
Stacy Brown-Philpot
Director

Blake W. Nordstrom
Blake W. Nordstrom
Director

Peter E. Nordstrom
Peter E. Nordstrom
Director

Brad D. Smith
Brad D. Smith
Director

Bradley D. Tilden
Bradley D. Tilden
Director

Robert D. Walter
Robert D. Walter
Director

Principal Financial Officer:

/s/

Anne L. Bramman
Anne L. Bramman
Chief Financial Officer

Principal Accounting Officer:

/s/

Kelley K. Hall
Kelley K. Hall
Senior Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer and Treasurer

Directors:

Shellye L. Archambeau
Shellye L. Archambeau
Director

Tanya L. Domier
Tanya L. Domier
Director

Erik B. Nordstrom
Erik B. Nordstrom
Director

Philip G. Satre
Philip G. Satre
Chairman of the Board of Directors

Gordon A. Smith
Gordon A. Smith
Director

B. Kevin Turner
B. Kevin Turner
Director

/s/

/s/

/s/

/s/

/s/

/s/

Date: March 19, 2018

74

 
 
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

We consent to the incorporation by reference in Registration Statement Nos. 333-211825, 333-207396, 333-198413, 333-189301, 
333-174336, 333-173020, 333-166961, 333-161803, 333-146049, 333-118756, 333-101110, 333-40066, 333-40064, 333-79791, 333-63403 
on Form S-8 of our reports dated March 19, 2018, relating to the financial statements of Nordstrom Inc. and subsidiaries, and the 
effectiveness of Nordstrom, Inc. and subsidiaries’ internal control over financial reporting, appearing in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of 
Nordstrom, Inc. for the year ended February 3, 2018.

/s/ Deloitte & Touche LLP
Seattle, Washington
March 19, 2018

Nordstrom, Inc. and subsidiaries  75

[This page intentionally left blank.]

S H A R E H O L D E R

I N F O R M A T I O N

Executive Officers

Anne L. Bramman, 50
Chief Financial Officer

Blake W. Nordstrom, 57
Co-President

Christine F. Deputy, 52
Chief Human Resources Officer

Erik B. Nordstrom, 54
Co-President

Kelley K. Hall, 45
Senior Vice President,
Chief Accounting Officer and Treasurer

James F. Nordstrom, Jr., 45
President, Stores

Robert B. Sari, 62
Senior Vice President,
General Counsel and Corporate
Secretary

Geevy S.K. Thomas, 53
President, Nordstrom Rack and
Chief Innovation Officer

Scott A. Meden, 55
Chief Marketing Officer

Peter E. Nordstrom, 56
Co-President

Kenneth J. Worzel, 53
President, Nordstrom.com

78

Board of Directors and Committees

Shellye L. Archambeau, 55
Former Chief Executive Officer
MetricStream, Inc.
Palo Alto, California

Brad D. Smith, 54
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Intuit Inc.
Mountain View, California

Gordon A. Smith, 59
Co-President and
Chief Operating Officer
JPMorgan Chase & Co.
New York, New York

Bradley D. Tilden, 57
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Alaska Air Group
Seattle, Washington

B. Kevin Turner, 53
Vice Chairman and
Senior Advisor to CEO
Albertson’s Companies
Bellevue, Washington

Robert D. Walter, 72
Private Investor
Founder and Retired Chairman and
Chief Executive Officer
Cardinal Health, Inc.
Columbus, Ohio

Stacy Brown-Philpot, 42
Chief Executive Officer
TaskRabbit, Inc.
San Francisco, California

Tanya L. Domier, 52
Chief Executive Officer
Advantage Solutions
Irvine, California

Blake W. Nordstrom, 57
Co-President
Nordstrom, Inc.
Seattle, Washington

Erik B. Nordstrom, 54
Co-President
Nordstrom, Inc.
Seattle, Washington

Peter E. Nordstrom, 56
Co-President
Nordstrom, Inc.
Seattle, Washington

Philip G. Satre, 68
Nordstrom Inc. Chairman of the Board
Private Investor
Retired Chairman and
Chief Executive Officer
Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc.
Reno, Nevada

Audit Committee
Brad D. Smith, Chair
Shellye L. Archambeau
Tanya L. Domier
Bradley D. Tilden

Compensation Committee
Tanya L. Domier, Chair
Philip G. Satre
Gordon A. Smith
Robert D. Walter

Corporate Governance and
Nominating Committee
Robert D. Walter, Chair
Philip G. Satre
Gordon A. Smith

Finance Committee
Bradley D. Tilden, Chair
Stacy Brown-Philpot
B. Kevin Turner

Technology Committee
B. Kevin Turner, Chair
Shellye L. Archambeau
Stacy Brown-Philpot
Brad D. Smith

Nordstrom, Inc. and subsidiaries  79

Form 10-K
The Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K
for the year ended February 3, 2018 will be
provided to shareholders upon request to:

Nordstrom Investor Relations
1617 Sixth Avenue, Suite 500
Seattle, Washington 98101
(206) 303-3200
invrelations@nordstrom.com

Shareholder Information
Additional shareholder information, including
Nordstrom’s Corporate Governance Guidelines
and Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, is
available online at investor.nordstrom.com
(Investor Relations, Corporate Governance).
The Company intends to provide disclosure
of any amendments or waivers to its Code of
Business Conduct and Ethics online within
four business days following the date of
amendment or waiver. In addition, the
Company is always willing to discuss matters
of concern to shareholders. Shareholders may
contact the Company at:
(206) 303-3200
invrelations@nordstrom.com

Certifications
We have filed the required certifications under
Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
regarding the quality of our public disclosures
as Exhibits 31.1 and 31.2 to our annual report on
Form 10-K for the year ended February 3, 2018.
After our 2018 Annual Meeting of Shareholders,
we intend to file with the New York Stock
Exchange the CEO certification regarding
our compliance with the NYSE’s corporate
governance listing standards as required
by NYSE Rule 303A.12(a).

© 2018  Nordstrom, Inc.

Shareholder Information

Independent Registered Public
Accounting Firm
Deloitte & Touche LLP
Seattle, Washington

Counsel
Lane Powell PC
Seattle, Washington

Transfer Agent and Registrar
Computershare
PO Box 505000
Louisville, KY 40233
Telephone (800) 318-7045
TDD for Hearing Impaired (800) 952-9245
Foreign Shareholders (201) 680-6578
TDD Foreign Shareholders (781) 575-4592
www-us.computershare.com/investor

General Offices
1617 Sixth Avenue
Seattle, Washington 98101
Telephone (206) 628-2111

Annual Meeting
May 29, 2018 at 9:00 a.m.
Pacific Daylight Time
Nordstrom Downtown Seattle Store
John W. Nordstrom Room, fifth floor
1617 Sixth Avenue
Seattle, Washington 98101

80

RECYCLING IS ALWAYS IN STYLE.  
Learn more about our sustainability efforts at nordstromcares.com.   
©2018 Nordstrom, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA. 424525288

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