Question

Lionel Corporation manufactures pharmaceutical products sold through a network of sales agents in the United States and Canada. The agents are currently paid an 18% commission on sales; that percentage was used when Lionel prepared the following budgeted income statement for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2019:

Lionel Corporation
Budgeted Income Statement
For the Year Ending June 30, 2019
($000 omitted)
Sales				$	30,200
Cost of goods sold
Variable	$	13,590
Fixed		3,624			17,214
Gross profit				$	12,986
Selling and administrative costs
Commissions	$	5,436
Fixed advertising cost		906
Fixed administrative cost		2,416			8,758
Operating income				$	4,228
Fixed interest cost					755
Income before income taxes				$	3,473
Income taxes (30%)					1,042
Net income				$	2,431

Since the completion of the income statement, Lionel has learned that its sales agents are requiring a 5% increase in their commission rate (to 23%) for the upcoming year. As a result, Lionel’s president has decided to investigate the possibility of hiring its own sales staff in place of the network of sales agents and has asked Alan Chen, Lionel’s controller, to gather information on the costs associated with this change.

Alan estimates that Lionel must hire eight salespeople to cover the current market area, at an average annual payroll cost for each employee of $80,000, including fringe benefits expense. Travel and entertainment expenses is expected to total $770,000 for the year, and the annual cost of hiring a sales manager and sales secretary will be $235,000. In addition to their salaries, the eight salespeople will each earn commissions at the rate of 10% of sales. The president believes that Lionel also should increase its advertising budget by $670,000 if the eight salespeople are hired.

Required

1. Determine Lionel’s breakeven point (operating profit = 0) in sales dollars for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2019, if the company hires its own sales force and increases its advertising costs. Prove this by constructing a contribution income statement.

2. If Lionel continues to sell through its network of sales agents and pays the higher commission rate, determine the estimated volume in sales dollars that would be required to generate the operating profit as projected in the budgeted income statement.

Breakeven point (in sales dollars): _____________

Contribution Income Statement

Sales ___________

- Variable costs:

Sales commissions _____________

Cost of goods sold ___________=

Contribution margin: ____________

Fixed costs:

Exisiting:____________

+Incremental: ___________=____________

Operating income; _______________________

Answer 1

Answer 1
Increase in fixed cost, if the company hires its own sales force and increases its advertising costs	Whole Amount	(Amount In$ '000)
Payroll cost of salespeople (8*80000)	640,000	640
Travel and entertainment expense	770,000	770
Annual cost of hiring a sales manager and sales secretary	235,000	235
Total fixed cost of own staff force	1645000	1645
Add: increase In advertising cost	670,000	670
Increase in fixed cost, if the company hires its own sales force and increases its advertising costs	2315000	2315
Lionel Corporation
Under Own staff
Budgeted Contribution Income Statement at Budgeted sales level
For the Year Ending June 30, 2019
($000 omitted)
Sales		30,200
Less: Variable cost
Variable Cost of goods sold	13590
Commissions (sales * 10%)	3020
Total variable cost		16610
Contribution margin		13590
Fixed cost
Fixed Manufacture cost	3624
Fixed advertising cost (906+670)	1576
Fixed cost of own staff force	1645
Fixed administrative cost	2416
Fixed operating cost		9261
Operating income		4329
Contribution margin		13590
Divided by : Sales		30200
Contribution margin ratio		0.45
Fixed operating cost		9261
Divided by: Contribution margin ratio		0.45
Breakeven point (operating profit = 0) in sales dollars for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2019, if the company hires its own sales force and increases its advertising costs		20580
Answer 2
Lionel Corporation
Budgeted Contribution Income Statement
For the Year Ending June 30, 2019
($000 omitted)
Sales		30200
Less: Variable cost
Variable Cost of goods sold	13590
Commissions (23% of sales)	6946
Total variable cost		20536
Contribution margin		9664
Fixed cost
Fixed Manufacture cost	3624
Fixed advertising cost	906
Fixed administrative cost	2416
Fixed operating cost		6946
Operating income		2718
Contribution Margin		9664
Divided by : Sales		30200
Contribution margin ratio		0.32
Projected Income Statement as per Budgeted Income statement (data available from question)		4228
Add: Fixed operating cost		6946
Total contribution required to achieve target		11174
Divided by: Contribution margin ratio		0.32
Sales dollars that would be required to generate the operating profit as projected in the budgeted income statement		34918.75