Question

Andretti Company has a single product called a Dak. The company normally produces and sells 87,000 Daks each year at a selling price of $58 per unit. The company’s unit costs at this level of activity are given below:

Direct materials	$	9.50
Direct labor		11.00
Variable manufacturing overhead		3.20
Fixed manufacturing overhead		9.00	($783,000 total)
Variable selling expenses		3.70
Fixed selling expenses		3.00	($261,000 total)
Total cost per unit	$	39.40

A number of questions relating to the production and sale of Daks follow. Each question is independent.

Required:

4. Due to a strike in its supplier’s plant, Andretti Company is unable to purchase more material for the production of Daks. The strike is expected to last for two months. Andretti Company has enough material on hand to operate at 25% of normal levels for the two-month period. As an alternative, Andretti could close its plant down entirely for the two months. If the plant were closed, fixed manufacturing overhead costs would continue at 40% of their normal level during the two-month period and the fixed selling expenses would be reduced by 20% during the two-month period.

a. How much total contribution margin will Andretti forgo if it closes the plant for two months?

b. How much total fixed cost will the company avoid if it closes the plant for two months?

c. What is the financial advantage (disadvantage) of closing the plant for the two-month period?

5. An outside manufacturer has offered to produce 87,000 Daks and ship them directly to Andretti’s customers. If Andretti Company accepts this offer, the facilities that it uses to produce Daks would be idle; however, fixed manufacturing overhead costs would be reduced by 30%. Because the outside manufacturer would pay for all shipping costs, the variable selling expenses would be only two-thirds of their present amount. What is Andretti’s avoidable cost per unit that it should compare to the price quoted by the outside manufacturer?

Answer 1

4.

Contribution margin lost		$(110,925)
Fixed costs:
Fixed manufacturing overhead cost	$78,300
Fixed selling cost	$8,700	$87,000
Net disadvantage of closing the plant		$(23,925)

Explanation:

a .If the plant operates at 25% of normal levels, then only 3,625 units will be produced and sold during the two month period:

87,000 units per year * 2/12 = 14,500 units

14,500 units * 25% = 3,625 units produced and sold.

Contribution margin lost if the plant is closed (3,625 units * $36.60 per unit*) = $(110,925)

*$58 - (9.50 + 11 + 3.20 + 3.70) = $30.60 per unit

b. Fixed cost that can be avoided if the plant is closed:

Fixed manufacturing overhead cost ($783,000 * 2/12 = 130,500 * 60% = $78,300

Fixed selling cost ($261,000 * 2/12 = 43,500 * 20%) = $8,700

c. Net disadvantage of closing the plant = Contribution lost - Fixed cost

= $(110,925) + 87,000 = $(23,925)

5.

Variable manufacturing costs	$23.7
Fixed manufacturing overhead cost	$2.7
Variable selling expense	$1.23
Total costs avoided	$27.63

Explanation:

Fixed manufacturing overhead cost ( $783,000 * 30% = $234,900 / 87,000 units = $2.7

Variable selling expense ( $3.70 * 1/3) = $1.23