In: Accounting
Departmental Overhead Rates
Mariposa, Inc., produces machine tools and currently uses a plantwide overhead rate, based on machine hours. Harry Whipple, the plant manager, has heard that departmental overhead rates can offer significantly better cost assignments than can a plantwide rate.
Mariposa has the following data for its two departments for the coming year:
Department A | Department B | |
Overhead costs (expected) | $576,000 | $144,000 |
Normal activity (machine hours) | 120,000 | 60,000 |
Required:
1.
Compute a predetermined overhead rate for the plant as a whole
based on machine hours.
$ per machine hour
2. Compute predetermined overhead rates for each department using machine hours. Round your answers to one decimal place.
Department A | $ per machine hour |
Department B | $ per machine hour |
3. Suppose that a machine tool (Product X75) used 50 machine hours from Department A and 170 machine hours from Department B. A second machine tool (Product Y15) used 170 machine hours from Department A and 50 machine hours from Department B. Compute the overhead cost assigned to each product using the plantwide rate computed in Requirement 1.
Product X75 | Product Y15 | |
Plantwide: | $ | $ |
Repeat the computation using the departmental rates found in Requirement 2.
Product X75 | Product Y15 | |
Departmental: | $ | $ |
Which of the two approaches gives the fairest assignment?
4. Repeat Requirement 3 assuming the expected overhead cost for Department B is $288,000.
Product X75 | Product Y15 | |
Plantwide: | $ | $ |
Departmental: | $ | $ |
Would you recommend departmental rates over a plantwide rate?