1.0.0.3 false CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS of CASH FLOWS (Unaudited) (USD $) In Millions false 1 $ false false USD Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 USDEPS Divide http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 false 2 $ false false USD Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 USDEPS Divide http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 5 Cash flows from operating activities: 3 us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivitiesAbstract us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 6 Net income 4 us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 true true 51000000 51 false false 2 true true 361000000 361 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 7 (Income) from discontinued operations 4 us-gaap_IncomeLossFromDiscontinuedOperationsNetOfTax us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 0 0 false false 2 false true -2000000 -2 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 8 Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities: 4 us-gaap_AdjustmentsToReconcileNetIncomeLossToCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivitiesAbstract us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 9 Asset impairments, PVOL and other unit closing costs 5 jcp_BusinessExitCostsAssetImpairmentChargesOtherNoncashExpense jcp false debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 19000000 19 false false 2 false true 9000000 9 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 10 Depreciation and amortization 5 us-gaap_DepreciationAndAmortization us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 364000000 364 false false 2 false true 343000000 343 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 11 Net (gains) on sale of assets 5 us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfPropertyPlantEquipment us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false true -10000000 -10 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 12 Benefit plans expense/(income) 5 us-gaap_PensionAndOtherPostretirementBenefitExpense us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 234000000 234 false false 2 false true -86000000 -86 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 13 Stock-based compensation 5 us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensation us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 29000000 29 false false 2 false true 36000000 36 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 14 Tax benefits from stock-based compensation 5 us-gaap_ExcessTaxBenefitFromShareBasedCompensationOperatingActivities us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 3000000 3 false false 2 false true 7000000 7 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 15 Deferred taxes 5 us-gaap_DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 118000000 118 false false 2 false true 108000000 108 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 16 Change in cash from: 4 us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInOperatingCapitalAbstract us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 17 Inventory 5 us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInRetailRelatedInventories us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -759000000 -759 false false 2 false true -830000000 -830 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 18 Prepaid expenses and other assets 5 us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInOtherOperatingAssets us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 8000000 8 false false 2 false true -20000000 -20 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 19 Merchandise accounts payable 5 us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInAccountsPayable us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 600000000 600 false false 2 false true 443000000 443 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 20 Current income taxes payable 5 us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInAccruedIncomeTaxesPayable us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -217000000 -217 false false 2 false true -95000000 -95 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 21 Accrued expenses and other 5 us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInAccruedLiabilities us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 23000000 23 false false 2 false true -110000000 -110 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 22 Net cash provided by operating activities of continuing operations 4 us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities us-gaap true na duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 473000000 473 false false 2 false true 154000000 154 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 23 Cash flows from investing activities: 3 us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInInvestingActivitiesAbstract us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 24 Capital expenditures 4 us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -424000000 -424 false false 2 false true -738000000 -738 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 25 Proceeds from sale of assets 4 us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfPropertyPlantAndEquipment us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 12000000 12 false false 2 false true 13000000 13 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 26 Net cash (used in) investing activities of continuing operations 4 us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInInvestingActivities us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -412000000 -412 false false 2 false true -725000000 -725 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 27 Cash flows from financing activities: 3 us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInFinancingActivitiesAbstract us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 28 Payments of long-term debt, including capital leases 4 us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLongTermDebt us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -113000000 -113 false false 2 false true -203000000 -203 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 29 Financing costs 4 us-gaap_PaymentsOfFinancingCosts us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -32000000 -32 false false 2 false true 0 0 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 30 Dividends paid, common 4 us-gaap_PaymentsOfDividendsCommonStock us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -136000000 -136 false false 2 false true -134000000 -134 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 31 Proceeds from stock options exercised 4 us-gaap_ProceedsFromStockOptionsExercised us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 3000000 3 false false 2 false true 4000000 4 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 32 Excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation 4 us-gaap_ExcessTaxBenefitFromShareBasedCompensationFinancingActivities us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 0 0 false false 2 false true 1000000 1 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 33 Tax withholding payments reimbursed by restricted stock 4 jcp_TaxWithholdingPaymentsReimbursedByRestrictedStockFinancingActivities jcp false debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -2000000 -2 false false 2 false true -4000000 -4 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 34 Net cash (used in) financing activities of continuing operations 4 us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInFinancingActivities us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -280000000 -280 false false 2 false true -336000000 -336 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 35 Cash flows from discontinued operations: 3 us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInDiscontinuedOperationsAbstract us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 36 Operating cash flows 4 us-gaap_CashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivitiesDiscontinuedOperations us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -4000000 -4 false false 2 false true 0 0 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 37 Investing cash flows 4 us-gaap_CashProvidedByUsedInInvestingActivitiesDiscontinuedOperations us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 0 0 false false 2 false true -1000000 -1 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 38 Financing cash flows 4 us-gaap_CashProvidedByUsedInFinancingActivitiesDiscontinuedOperations us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 0 0 false false 2 false true 0 0 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 39 Total cash (paid for) discontinued operations 4 us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInDiscontinuedOperations us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -4000000 -4 false false 2 false true -1000000 -1 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 40 Net (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents 3 us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsPeriodIncreaseDecrease us-gaap true na duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -223000000 -223 false false 2 false true -908000000 -908 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 41 Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year 3 us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false true false false 1 false true 2352000000 2352 false false 2 false true 2532000000 2532 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 42 Cash and cash equivalents at end of period 3 us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false true false 1 true true 2129000000 2129 false false 2 true true 1624000000 1624 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false false 2 38 false Millions UnKnown UnKnown false true