Bitmore Company manufactures two products: BIT, which sells for $120; and MORE, which sells for $180. Estimated cost and production data for the current year are as follows:

In addition, fixed manufacturing overhead is estimated to be $2,500,000 and variable overhead is estimated to equal $2.50 per direct labor hour. Bitmore desires a 12 percent return on sales for all of its products.
Instructions
a. Calculate the target cost for both BIT and MORE.
b. Estimate the total manufacturing cost per unit of each product if fixed overhead costs are assigned to products on the basis of estimated production in units. Which of the products is earning the desired return?
c. Recalculate the total manufacturing cost per unit if fixed overhead costs are assigned to products on the basis of direct labor hours. Which of the products is earning the desired return?
d. Given the confusing results of parts b and c, Bitmore's production manager decides to perform an activity analysis of fixed overhead. The results of the analysis are as follows:

Estimate the total manufacturing cost per unit of each product if activity-based costing is used for assigning fixed overhead costs. Under this method, which product is earning the desired return?
e. What proportion of fixed overhead is value-added? In attempting to reach the target cost for MORE, which activity would you look to improving first and why?
f. Bitmore's production manager believes that design changes would reduce the number of setups required for MORE to 75. Fixed overhead costs for set-up would remain unchanged. What will be the impact of the design changes on the manufacturing costs of both products? Which of the products will earn the desired return?
g. An alternative to the design change is to purchase a new machine that will reduce the number of set-ups for BIT to 50 and the number of set-ups for MORE to 140. The machine also will reduce fixed set-up costs to $275,500. Calculate the manufacturing costs for each product if the machine is purchased. Should MORE be redesigned or should the machine be purchased? Why?

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BIT MORE 30,000 10,000 Demands Costs Driver BIT MORE Machine set-ups . . . Purchase orders $ 00 300 00 100 500,000 # of machine-hours 3,000 4,000 40 20 350,000 650,000 # of set-ups # of orders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . nspection 300,000 # of batches