Case 02-9 GrassChopper GrassChopper is North Americas largest manufacturer of commercial and residential lawn mowing and turf equipment including mulchers, grass collectors, and edgers. GrassChopper also offers attachments for snow removal and stump cutting. Historically, GrassChopper has relied on two vendors, Bluegrass Motors and Zoysia Machines, to supply various components of the single and twin cylinder engines used in its mowers. GrassChopper views both vendors as qualified and has typically selected between the two based primarily on price and availability. During the past year, GrassChopper purchased approximately 80% of its engine components from Bluegrass and 20% from Zoysia.

On August 16, 1999, Zoysia acquired another engine components supply company, Dandy Engines, in a transaction intended by Zoysia to improve its economies of scale. On September 20, 1999, due to concern about possible enhanced price competition from the combined Zoysia and Dandy company, Bluegrass approached GrassChopper with the following offer:

In exchange for GrassChopper granting to Bluegrass an exclusive supply agreement for the next two years, Bluegrass will pay GrassChopper $1,000,000 in cash or other consideration. Pricing for engine components under the two-year exclusive supply agreement will be at best available, meaning no other customer of Bluegrass will receive a better price on the engine components during the term of the exclusive supply agreement. The cash or other consideration granted would be irrevocable. The offer will expire in 10 days on September 30, 1999.

On September 29, 1999, GrassChopper accepted the offer, and for tax reasons requested that Bluegrass issue a credit memo as consideration for the exclusivity agreement instead of cash. Bluegrass agreed to accommodate GrassChoppers request, and the following terms were included in the signed exclusivity agreement dated September 29, 1999: A credit memo for $1,000,000 will be granted to GrassChopper. GrassChopper may only apply the credit memo to future purchases. GrassChopper anticipates that purchases of engine components will result in full application of the credit memo within 30 days.

Since the exclusive supply agreement states that the credit memo when issued is irrevocable, GrassChopper concluded, after consultation with outside counsel, that there were no circumstances, even noncompliance with the terms of the exclusive supply agreement, where Bluegrass could refuse to honor the credit memo. In the event of noncompliance with the terms of the exclusive supply agreement by GrassChopper, however, Bluegrass could choose to discontinue the best pricing offer. GrassChoppers counsel determined that no other economic penalty against GrassChopper could be assessed. GrassChoppers year-end is September 30, 1999.

Questions:

1. Should the cash received by Grass Chopper be treated as income or an adjustment of inventory cost?

2. When should the income/inventory adjustment be recognized?