Final answer:
Sal Minella's residual income can be calculated by subtracting the product of the minimum acceptable return rate and the invested capital from the operating earnings. In this case, the residual income is $281,000.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate Sal Minella's residual income, we use the formula:
Residual Income = Operating Earnings - (Minimum Acceptable Return × Invested Capital)
The operating earnings are given as $425,000. The minimum acceptable return is 12%, which will be applied to the invested capital of $1,200,000.
Minimum Acceptable Return = 0.12 × $1,200,000 = $144,000
Now we can find the residual income:
Residual Income = $425,000 - $144,000 = $281,000
Therefore, the correct answer is C. $281,000.