6:11 purdue.brightspace.com Table of Contents Item 6. Selected Financial Data. The following selected financial data are derived from the Consolidated Financial Statements of the Company. We have also included certain non-financial data to enhance your understanding of our business. In fiscal 2007, we closed our Forth & Towne stores, and accordingly, loss per share from the operations of Forth & Towne has been presented as a discontinued operation in the table below. The data set forth below should be read in conjunction with 'Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" in Item 7 and the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements and related notes in Item 8. Fiscal Year (number of weeks) 2011 (52) 2010 (52) 2009 (52) 2008 (52) 2007 (52) Operating Results ($ in millions) Net sales $ 14,549 $ 14,664 $ 14,197 $ 14,526 $ 15,763 Gross margin 36.2% 40.2% 40.3% 37.5% 36.1% Operating margin 9.9% 13.4% 12.8% 10.7% 8.3% Income from continuing operations, net of income taxes 833 $ 1,204 $ 1,102 $ 967 S 867 Net income GA GA to 833 $ 1,204 $ 1,102 967 S 833 Cash dividends paid 236 252 234 243 252 Per Share Data (number of shares in millions) Basic earnings (loss) per share: Income from continuing operations 1.57 $ 1.89 S 1.59 $ 1.35 S 1.10 Loss from discontinued operation S (0.05) Earnings per share $ 1.57 S 1.89 S 1.59 1.35 S 1.05 Diluted earnings (loss) per share: Income from continuing operations $ 1.56 $ 1.88 S 1.58 $ 1.34 1.09 Loss from discontinued operation S (0.04) Earnings per share 1.56 1.88 1.58 1.34 S 1.05 Weighted-average number of shares-basic 529 536 694 716 791 Weighted-average number of shares-diluted 533 641 699 719 794 Cash dividends declared and paid per share $ 0.45 0.40 S 0.34 0.34 $ 0.32 Balance Sheet Information ($ in millions) Merchandise inventory $ 1,615 $ 1,620 $ 1,477 $ 1,506 $ 1,575 Total assets $ 7,422 $ 7,065 S 7,985 $ 7,564 $ 7,838 Working capital $ 2,181 1,83 2,533 1,847 $ 1,653 Total long-term debt, less current maturities $ 1.606 S 50 Stockholders' equity $ 2,755 4,080 S 4,891 $ 4,387 S 4,274 Other Data ($ and square footage in millions) Purchases of property and equipment $ 548 $ 557 $ 334 $ 431 682 Acquisition of business, net of cash acquired (1) 142 S Number of Company-operated store locations open at year-end 3.036 3.068 3.095 3.149 3.167 Number of franchise store locations open at year-end 227 178 136 114 64 Number of store locations open at year-end (2) 3,263 3.246 3.231 3,26 3.231 Percentage increase (decrease) in comparable sales (3) (4)% 2% (3)% (12)% (4)% Square footage of Company-operated store space at year-end 37.2 38.2 38.8 39.5 39.6 Percentage increase (decrease) in square footage of Company-operated store space at year- end (2.6)% (1.5)% (1.8)% (0.3)% 2.3% Number of employees at year-end 132,000 134,000 135,000 134,000 141,000 Table of Contents In September 2008, we acquired all of the outstanding capital stock of Athleta, Inc., a women's sports and active apparel company, for an aggregate purchase price of $148 million. Includes Company-operated and franchise store locations. Beginning in fiscal 201 1, we report comparable sales including the associated comparable online sales. Comparable sales for fiscal 2010 have been recalculated to include the associated comparable online sales. Comparable sales for fiscal 20