In: Accounting
Outback Corporation manufactures tactical LED flashlights in
Brisbane, Australia. The firm uses an absorption costing system for
internal reporting purposes; however, the company is considering
using variable costing. Data regarding Outback’s planned and actual
operations for 20x1 follow:
Budgeted Costs | |||||||||||
Per Unit | Total | Actual Costs | |||||||||
Direct material | $ | 13.10 | $ | 1,807,800 | $ | 1,650,600 | |||||
Direct labor | 9.50 | 1,311,000 | 1,197,000 | ||||||||
Variable manufacturing overhead | 4.90 | 676,200 | 617,400 | ||||||||
Fixed manufacturing overhead | 4.80 | 662,400 | 674,400 | ||||||||
Variable selling expenses | 7.50 | 1,035,000 | 907,500 | ||||||||
Fixed selling expenses | 7.10 | 979,800 | 979,800 | ||||||||
Variable administrative expenses | 2.40 | 331,200 | 290,400 | ||||||||
Fixed administrative expenses | 2.90 | 400,200 | 408,200 | ||||||||
Total | $ | 52.20 | $ | 7,203,600 | $ | 6,725,300 | |||||
Planned Activity | Actual Activity | ||||||
Beginning finished-goods inventory in units | 37,000 | 37,000 | |||||
Sales in units | 138,000 | 121,000 | |||||
Production in units | 138,000 | 126,000 | |||||
The budgeted per-unit cost figures were based on Outback producing
and selling 138,000 units in 20x1. Outback uses a predetermined
overhead rate for applying manufacturing overhead to its product. A
total manufacturing overhead rate of $9.70 per unit was employed
for absorption costing purposes in 20x1. Any overapplied or
underapplied manufacturing overhead is closed to the Cost of Goods
Sold account at the end of the year. The 20x1 beginning
finished-goods inventory for absorption costing purposes was valued
at the 20x0 budgeted unit manufacturing cost, which was the same as
the 20x1 budgeted unit manufacturing cost. There are no
work-in-process inventories at either the beginning or the end of
the year. The planned and actual unit selling price for 20x1 was
$71.20 per unit.
Required:
Was Outback’s 20x1 operating income higher under absorption costing
or variable costing?
Also, compute the following:
1. The value of Outback Corporation’s 20x1 ending
finished-goods inventory under absorption costing.
2. The value of Outback Corporation’s 20x1 ending
finished-goods inventory under variable costing.
3. The difference between Outback Corporation’s
20x1 reported operating income calculated under absorption costing
and calculated under variable costing.