Blazer Chemical produces and sells an ice-melting granular used on roadways and sidewalks in winter. It annually produces and sells 24,375 tons of its granular. Because of this year’s mild winter, projected demand for its product is only 19,500 tons. Based on projected production and sales of 19,500 tons, the company estimates the following income using absorption costing.

Sales (19,500 tons at $140 per ton)	$ 2,730,000
Cost of goods sold (19,500 tons at $60 per ton)	1,170,000
Gross profit	1,560,000
Selling and administrative expenses	213,000
Income	$ 1,347,000

Its product cost per ton follows and consists mainly of fixed overhead because its automated production process uses expensive equipment.

Direct materials	$ 13	per ton
Direct labor	$ 4	per ton
Variable overhead	$ 3	per ton
Fixed overhead ($780,000/19,500 tons)	$ 40	per ton

Selling and administrative expenses consist of variable selling and administrative expenses of $6 per ton and fixed selling and administrative expenses of $213,000 per year. The company’s president will not earn a bonus unless a positive income is reported. The controller mentions that because the company has large storage capacity, it can report a positive income by setting production at the usual 24,375 ton level even though it expects to sell only 19,500 tons. The president is surprised that the company can report income by producing more without increasing sales.

Required:
1. Prepare an income statement using absorption costing based on production of 24,375 tons and sales of 19,500 tons. Can the company report a positive income by increasing production to 24,375 tons and storing the 4,875 tons of excess production in inventory?
2. By how much does income increase by when producing 24,375 tons and storing 4,875 tons in inventory compared to only producing 19,500 tons?