Bel’s Bakery (BB) is a family owned business. In 2010 it recorded a $3 million operating loss. Apparently, 50% of the losses stemmed from a failed acquisition. With short term interest rates at 5%, the manager (John) convinced the owners to expand its operations. It used $15 million of its retained earnings to acquire another privately owned bakery, Joe’s Bakery (JB). In the first year after the acquisition, revenues from Joe’s was $5 million, but thereafter sales were halted when one of the owners of JB filed suit challenging the rights of the management of JB to sell the company. BB lost the case and paid damages of $1.5 million. John, the manager of BB was fired. In explaining to his wife, John said he was the scapegoat because the attorneys who handled the acquisition failed in their due diligence. He said, “I promised sales of $5 million a year for 3 years and my sales forecast was right on the money.”

Why was John fired?

If sales were $6 million annually, would John still have been fired?