Bed & Bath, a retailing company, has two departments$-$Hardware and Linens. The company's most recent

monthly contribution format income statement follows:

A study indicates that $$372,000$ of the fixed expenses being charged to Linens are sunk costs or allocated

costs that will continue even if the Linens Department is dropped. In addition, the elimination of the Linens

Department will result in a $12\%$ decrease in the sales of the Hardware Department.

Requlred:

What is the financial advantage $($disadvantage$)$ of discontinuing the Linens Department?