Absorption and Variable Costing Income Statements

During the first month of operations ended July 31, YoSan Inc. manufactured 11,200 flat panel televisions, of which 10,400 were sold. Operating data for the month are summarized as follows:

Sales		$1,872,000
Manufacturing costs:
Direct materials	$952,000
Direct labor	280,000
Variable manufacturing cost	246,400
Fixed manufacturing cost	123,200	1,601,600
Selling and administrative expenses:
Variable	$145,600
Fixed	67,000	212,600

Required:

1. Prepare an income statement based on the absorption costing concept.

YoSan Inc.
Absorption Costing Income Statement
For the Month Ended July 31
Sales		$
Cost of goods sold:
Cost of goods manufactured	$
Inventory, July 31
Total cost of goods sold
Gross profit		$
Selling and administrative expenses
Operating income		$

2. Prepare an income statement based on the variable costing concept.

YoSan Inc.
Variable Costing Income Statement
For the Month Ended July 31
Sales		$
Variable cost of goods sold:
Variable cost of goods manufactured	$
Inventory, July 31
Total variable cost of goods sold
Manufacturing margin		$
Variable selling and administrative expenses
Contribution margin		$
Fixed costs:
Fixed manufacturing costs	$
Fixed selling and administrative expenses
Total fixed costs
Operating income		$

Manufacturing Decisions

Whenever the units manufactured differ from the units sold, finished goods inventory is affected. In analyzing operating income, such increases and decreases could be misinterpreted as operating efficiencies or inefficiencies. Each decision-making situation should be carefully analyzed in deciding whether absorption or variable costing reporting would be more useful.

All costs are controllable in the long run by someone within a business. For a given level of management, costs may be controllable costs or noncontrollable costs.

The production manager for Saxon, Inc. is worried because the company is not showing a high enough profit. Looking at the income statements on the Absorption Statement and the Variable Statement, he notices that the operating income is higher on the absorption cost income statement. He is considering manufacturing another 10,000 units, up to the companys capacity for manufacturing, in the coming year. He reasons that this will boost operating income and satisfy the companys owner that the company is sufficiently profitable. Although the total units manufactured changes, assume that total fixed costs, unit variable costs, unit sales price, and the sales levels are the same. Complete questions (1)-(4) that follow. If the answer is zero, enter "0".

1. Use the income statements on the Absorption Statement and Variable Statement to complete the following table for the original production level. Then prepare similar income statements at a production level 10,000 units higher and add that information to the table. Assume that total fixed costs, unit variable costs, unit sales price, and the sales levels are the same at both production levels.

Operating Income
Original Production Level-Absorption	Original Production Level-Variable	Additional 10,000 Units-Absorption	Additional 10,000 Units-Variable
$	$	$	$

2. What is the change in operating income from producing 10,000 additional units under absorption costing?

$

3. What is the change in operating income from producing 10,000 additional units under variable costing?

$

4. What would be your recommendation to the production manager?

a. Do not produce the extra 10,000 units. The increase in operating income under absorption costing is due to fixed manufacturing costs being held in inventory, and the additional inventory will lead to higher handling, storage, financing, and obsolescence costs.

b. Produce the extra 10,000 units. Operating income will be increased, and the production manager will receive praise for creating higher profits.

c. Do not produce the extra 10,000 units. Operating income does not change under absorption costing when the additional units are produced.

d. Produce the extra 10,000 units. It's always a good idea to have extra units on hand and keep the factory operating at capacity, even if all the units are not sold.