Question

The Rehe Comany sells its razors at $3 per unit. The company uses a first-in, first-out actual costing system. A fixed manufacturing cost rate is computed at the end of each year by dividing the actual fixed manufacturing costs by the actual production units. The following data are related to its first two years of operation:

2011 2012
Sales 1000 units
1200 units
Costs:
Variable manufacturing
Fixed manufacturing
Variable operating (marketing)
Fixed operating (marketing)
$ 700
700
1000
400
$ 500
700
1200
400
1. Prepare income statements based on variable costing for each of the two years.
2. Prepare income statements based on absorption costing for each of the two years.
3. Prepare a numerical reconciliation and explanation of the difference between operating income for each year under absorption costing and variable costing.
4. Critics have claimed that a widely used accounting system has led to undesirable buildups of inventory levels. (a) Is variable costing or absorption costing more likely to lead to such buildups? Why? (b) What can be done to counteract undesirable inventory buildups?

Answer 1

2011 2012

Sales 1000 units 1200 units

Production 1400 1000

Costs:

Variable manufacturing $700 $500

per unit $0.50

Fixed manufacturing $700 $700

Variable operating (marketing) $1000 $1200

Fixed operating (marketing) $400 $400

cogs under absorption costing 2011 = ($1,400 / 1,400) x 1,000 = $1,000

cogs under absorption costing 2012 = $400 + ($1,200 / 1,000) x 800 = $1,360

1. INCOME STATEMENTS

VARIABLE COSTING

2011 2012

Total sales revenue: $3,000 $3,600

Opening inventory: ($0) ($200)

Variable manufacturing: ($700) ($500)

Ending inventory: $200 $100

Gross contribution margin: $2,500 $3,000

Variable operating: ($1,000) ($1,200)

Contribution margin: $1,500 $1,800

Fixed manufacturing: ($700) ($700)

Fixed operating: ($400) ($400)

Net operating income: $400 $700

2. INCOME STATEMENTS

ABSORPTION COSTING

2011 2012

Total sales revenue: $3,000 $3,600

COGS: ($1,000) ($1,360)

Gross margin: $2,000 $2,240

Operating costs: ($1,400) ($1,600)

Net operating income: $600 $640

3. Under variable costing, closing inventory = 400 units x $0.50 (variable production costs per unit) = $200.

Under absorption costing, closing inventory = 400 units x $1 (production cost per unit) = $400

Since closing inventory is $200 higher under absorption costing, then net operating income during 2011 increases by $200.

4. a) Variable costing is more likely to result in inventory buildups. Since variable costing determines the value of closing inventory only using variable manufacturing costs, their value is much lower. E.g. in this case the value of closing inventory 2011 under variable costing is $200, while under absorption costing it is $400. This means that less costs are transferred from one year to another.

b) Cost of goods sold must include all production costs (both variable and fixed). This way COGS costs cannot be over estimated during one year and under estimated the next.