The directors of the company by which you are employed as an accountant have received the forecast
Question:
The directors of the company by which you are employed as an accountant have received the forecast profit and loss account for 20X9 which disclosed a net profit for the year of £36,000. This is considered to be an unacceptably low figure and a working party has been set up to investigate ways and means of improving the forecast profit.
The following suggestions have been put forward by various members of the working party:
(a) ‘Every six months we deduct income tax of £10,000 from the debenture interest and pay it over to the Inland Revenue. If we withhold these payments, the company’s profit will be increased considerably.’
(b) ‘I see that in the three months August to October 20X9 we have forecast a total amount of £40,000 for repainting the exterior of the company’s premises. If, instead, we charge this amount as capital expenditure, the company’s profit will be increased by £40,000.’
(c) ‘In November 20X9, the replacement of a machine is forecast. The proceeds from the sale of the old machinery should be credited to profit and loss account.’
(d) ‘There is a credit balance of £86,000 on general reserve account. We can transfer some of this to profit and loss account to increase the 20X9 profit.’
(e) ‘The company’s £1 ordinary shares, which were originally issued at £1 per share, currently have a market value of £1.60 per share and this price is likely to be maintained. We can credit the surplus £0.60 per share to the 20X9 profit and loss account.’
(f) ‘The company’s premises were bought many years ago for £68,000, but following the rise in property values, they are now worth at least £300,000. This enhancement in value can be utilised to increase the 20X9 profit.’
You are required, as the accounting member of the working party, to comment on the feasibility of each of the above suggestions for increasing the 20X9 forecast profit.
Step by Step Answer:
Frank Woods Business Accounting Volume 1
ISBN: 9780273681496
10th Edition
Authors: Frank Wood, Alan Sangster