Contribution Margin

QUESTIONS:

1. Determine the cost of manufacturing one custom kitchen assuming the units given.  Assume the MOH costs are allocated based on the direct labor hours per unit.  Please show all calculations and round to the nearest dollar.   I would recommend that you calculate the MOH per kitchen first.  Discuss other options (at least 2 options) for the activity base and the importance of the MOH allocation.   Do multiple product lines impact the MOH allocation?  What happens if MOH is not allocated correctly?
2. What are the variable costs for this product line?  What are the fixed costs?  I would recommend that you show a schedule for each area on a yearly basis.  For the variable costs, also, show them on a per unit (800 units)   How does a company identify each type of cost?  Can a cost classification be changed over time? If yes, explain how and give an least two examples.  If no, explain why?
3. Prepare a Job Order Cost sheet for the following custom kitchen:  Materials $3,500 and 30 hours of labor.  What is the customer price?

What other factors would impact the sales price for this type of company?  Can a company rely on setting price based on just a % on cost?

1. What is the Contribution Margin (CM) in total dollars, CM% and per unit for the sale of 800 kitchen cabinets?  Explain the importance of CM and how it can be used by companies to predict future income.  Create some examples in excel with numbers to show how it can be used.
2. Prepare a traditional Income Statement assuming a volume of 800 units.  For the cost of goods sold, please use the per unit cost you calculated in #1.  You do not have to prepare any additional schedules.  I would use a similar format to exhibit 16-8 on page 737 or from your lecture notes.  I recommend that you list out all operating expenses given above.  Do not use just Selling and General/Administrative Expenses for your categories.  Points will be lost by not listing out all period costs.  You can ignore interest and income tax expense.
3. Prepare three CVP Income Statements using the following yearly volumes:  400, 800 and 1,200.  Link this schedule to question #2 for VC and FC calculated.   Keep in mind how variable and fixed costs behave.  The traditional income statement from #5 should be about the same net income as the 800 units for the CVP format.(use exhibit 20-12 page 893 as your example – please note that it is missing a title and your numbers are for a year.)

Discuss the importance of these calculations to a company.  Compare and contrast the traditional vs CVP format. Fully discuss the differences (at least 3) between the traditional vs CVP format.  Give examples supported by numbers in excel of how you would use these calculations as the CFO of the company.

1. If the following changes were to be made, calculate a new CVP Income Statement:  Direct Material costs decrease by 10%; fixed costs increase by 15% and sales price would increase by 5%.  Assume you are selling the 800 units.  Should the company consider these changes? Why or why not?  This question is not just based on the new net income.  Please review the full income statement for changes.  What if the sales volume changes?  Does this change your answer?  I would recommend using volumes higher and lower to see how the changes impact your answer.  Include CVP income statements in excel that are needed to support your answer.

Discuss real examples of cost increases for fixed costs (at least 2) and decreases for direct materials (at least 2) that could be implemented for this business. Can the company increase price?  What other areas might be impacted due to the price increase?  You are the CFO of this business what is important to consider?  Give 2 industry specific details that can impact this discussion. Do some research for this industry.  It is always important to understand the industry that you are in as some industries have different factors that impact sales and profitability.

Additional information for another product line

Assume another product line is also being considered – bathroom cabinets.  Only use this information for the questions listed directly below.

• Higher skilled workers would be required which will result in paying them $18 per hour.
• Additional MOH costs for the year will be $170,000.    These costs will be in addition to the costs already being incurred.  These costs are due to the additional product line and also related to the current product lines for additional production abilities.  The two lines will share all MOH costs.

1. Should the company consider using ABC?  Advantages and disadvantages? Discuss why or why not?  Areas to include in the discussion but not limited to the following:  impact on product cost, implications of not using the right allocation and its impact on price if any, what type of companies use ABC etc….
2. How specifically would ABC help allocate MOH costs?

•The structure of the paper should include an opening paragraph about the company in a word document.  3pts will be deducted for not including an opening paragraph.

•The discussion questions should be answered in the order listed (questions are in italics).  However, do not number the questions.  Instead, the discussion should flow from one topic to the next and include as a minimum the questions identified.

• Please use a memo format for the paper and address it to the Board of Directors.

• The calculations should be included as schedules in excel which are numbered and referenced to each discussion.  A discussion without referring to the numbers will not be considered complete.  Do not discuss/explain your calculations in the paper but instead answer the questions related to your calculations.  All schedules should be included in excel and use formulas with professional formatting.  A person who is reading the excel schedules should not have any questions on what is being calculated as all numbers are labeded.  Not using formulas will result in a minimum 1 grade reduction.  I recommend linking the schedules.

•You should be thinking about all of the concepts that you have learned from this course and their importance to a business owner or investor.  I should finish reading your paper and see the concepts and some industry knowledge demonstrated through the discussion and the analysis.

•Finally, the closing paragraph(s) should summarize the paper. 3pts will be deducted for not including a closing paragraph.

•Plan to devote time to writing and reviewing the paper.  Groups can have significant grade reductions for papers that are not well written (spelling, grammar etc..)  I would recommend that the paper be no more than 6 double spaced pages with reasonable margins.