Feather Friends, Inc., distributes a high- quality wooden birdhouse that sells for $ 20 per unit. Variable expenses are $ 8 per unit, and fixed expenses total $ 180,000 per year. Required: Answer the following independent questions:

3. Due to an increase in demand, the company estimates that sales will increase by $ 75,000 during the next year. By how much should net operating income increase (or net loss decrease) assuming that fixed expenses do not change?

4. Assume that the operating results for last year were: Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 400,000 Variable expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160,000 Contribution margin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .240,000 Fixed expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180,000 Net operating income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. $ 60,000 a. Compute the degree of operating leverage at the current level of sales. b. The president expects sales to increase by 20% next year. By what percentage should net operating income increase?

5. Refer to the original data. Assume that the company sold 18,000 units last year. The sales manager is convinced that a 10% reduction in the selling price, combined with a $30,000 increase in advertising, would increase annual unit sales by one- third. Prepare two contri-bution format income statements, one showing the results of last years operations and one showing the results of operations if these changes are made. Would you recommend that the company do as the sales manager suggests?

6. Refer to the original data. Assume again that the company sold 18,000 units last year. The president does not want to change the selling price. Instead, he wants to increase the sales commission by $ 1 per unit. He thinks that this move, combined with some increase in advertising, would increase annual sales by 25%. By how much could advertising be increased with profits remaining unchanged? Do not prepare an income statement; use the incremental analysis approach.