$8).$ Problem $12-23$ Close or Retain a Store $[$LO$2]45$ marks

The Tilots Corporation$$s segmented absorption costing income statement for the last quarter for its three metropolitan stores is given below:

Management is very concerned about the Downtown Store$$s inability to show a profit, and consideration is being given to closing the store. The company has asked you recommend a course of action. Additional information available on the store is provided below:

The manager of the store has been with the company for many years; he would be retained and transferred to another position in the company if the Downtown Store were closed. His salary is $$6,000$ per month, or $$18,000$ per quarter. If the store were not closed, a new employee would be hired to fill the other position at a salary of $$5,000$ per month.

The lease on the building housing the Downtown Store can be broken with no penalty.

The fixtures being used in the Downtown Store would be transferred to the other two stores if the Downtown Store were closed.

Employee benefits are $12\%$ of salaries.

A single delivery crew serves all three stores. One delivery person could be discharged if the Downtown Store were closed; this person$$s salary amounts to $$7,000$ per quarter. The delivery equipment would be distributed to the other stores. The equipment does not wear out through use, but it does eventually become obsolete.

One$-$third of the Downtown Store$$s insurance relates to its fixtures.

The general office salaries and other expenses relate to the general management of the Tilots Corporation. The employee in the general office who is responsible for the Downtown Store would be discharged if the store were closed. This employee$$s compensation amounts to $$8,000$ per quarter.

Required:

$1.$ Prepare a schedule showing the change in revenues and expenses and the impact on the overall company operating income that would result if the Downtown Store were closed. $($Do not round intermediate calculations. Negative amounts should be indicated by a minus sign.$)15$ marks

$2.$ Based on your computations in $(1)$ above, what would you recommend to the management of the Tilots Corporation? $5$ marks

$3.$ Assume that if the Downtown Store were closed, sales in the Uptown Store would increase by $$200,000$ per quarter due to loyal customers shifting their buying to the Uptown Store. The Uptown Store has ample capacity to handle the increased sales, and its gross margin is $43\%$ of sales. $15$ marks

a$.$ Calculate the Net advantage of closing the Downtown Store. $5$ marks

b$.$ What recommendation would you make to the management of the Tilots Corporation$$s$?5$ marks