In: Accounting
(1)Joe is a contractor who operates a train station for the City of Austin. The City of Austin pays Joe a commission of 20 % based on total ticket sales revenue. The City of Austin charges the customer $1,800 per ticket. The commission is the only revenue source that Joe received from the City of Austin. Joe's fixed costs are $14,000 per month and his variable costs are $20 per train ticket.
Analysis 1:
(a) How many train tickets must Joe sell to break-even?
(b) If Joe wants to make a profit of $ 7,000, how many tickets must Joe sell?
Analysis 2:
(2) The City of Austin has decided that it will now pay Joe a 20% commission per train ticket up to a maximum of $50 regardless of the price of the ticket. Any train ticket costing more than $1000 will generate only a $50 commission. Joe is wondering how this new arrangement Will affects his breakeven point and his profit.
(a) How will analysis 2 affect your answers in analysis 1 above?
Answer to Question 1.
Part a.
Sales Commission per Ticket = $1,800 * 20%
Sales Commission per Ticket = $360
Total Variable Cost per ticket = $20 + $360
Total Variable Cost per ticket = $380
Unit Contribution Margin = Unit Selling price – Unit Variable
Cost
Contribution Margin per Ticket = $1,800 - $380
Contribution Margin per Ticket = $1,420
Break Even Point (Units) = Fixed Cost / Unit Contribution
Margin
Break Even Point (Tickets) = $14,000 / $1,420
Break Even Point (Tickets) = 9.86 or 10
tickets
Part b.
Desired Number of Units = (Fixed Cost + Target Profit) / Unit
Contribution Margin
Desired Number of Units (Tickets) = ($14,000 + $7,000) /
$1,420
Desired Number of Units (Tickets) = $21,000 / $1,420
Desired Number of Units (Tickets) = 14.79 or 15
Tickets
Answer to Question 2.
Part a.
Sales Commission per Ticket = $1,800 * 20% or $50 whichever is
maximum
Sales Commission per Ticket = $50
Total Variable Cost per ticket = $20 + $50
Total Variable Cost per ticket = $70
Unit Contribution Margin = Unit Selling price – Unit Variable
Cost
Contribution Margin per Ticket = $1,800 - $70
Contribution Margin per Ticket = $1,730
Break Even Point (Units) = Fixed Cost / Unit Contribution
Margin
Break Even Point (Tickets) = $14,000 / $1,730
Break Even Point (Tickets) = 8.09 or 8 tickets
This arrangement will help in achieving Break Even Point at earlier level and will result into higher profit as compared to the previous arrangement.