Hartman Company's Lucas plant manufactures thermostatic controls. Plant management has experienced fluctuating monthly overhead costs and wants to estimate overhead costs accurately to plan its operations and its financial needs. Interviews with plant personnel and studies reported in trade publications suggest that overhead in this industry tends to vary with labor-hours. A member of the controller's staff proposed that the behavior pattern of these overhead costs be determined to improve cost estimation. Another staff member suggested that a good starting place for determining cost behavior patterns is to analyze historical data. Following this suggestion, monthly data were gathered on labor-hours and overhead costs for the past two years. No major changes in operations occurred over this period of time. The data are shown in the following table. Month 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 B 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Labor-hours 251,563 238,438 192,500 271,250 323,750 290,938 271,250 251,563 231,875 343, 438 165,938 231,875 382,813 376,250 290,938 395,938 356,563 323,750 389,375 317,188 343,438 336,875 382,813 376,250 Overhead Costs $2,741, 204 2,166,231 1,902,236 2,590,765 3,071,812 2,618,161 2,480,231 2,745,558 2,211,799 3,437,704 2,314,436 2,550,630 3,603,709 3,404,786 3,016,493 3,638,331 3,553,886 3,191,617 3,481,714 3,219,519 3,495,424 3,207,258 3,600,622 3,736,658 Required: a. Use the high-low estimation method to estimate the overhead cost behavior (fixed and variable portions components of cost for the Lucas plant c. Using Excel, compute regression coefficients to describe the overhead cost equation. d. Use the results of your regression analysis to develop an estimate of overhead costs assuming 350,000 labor-hours will be worked next month. ces Complete this question by entering your answers in the tabs below. Required A Required C Required D Use the high-low estimation method to estimate the overhead cost behavior (fixed and variable portions components of cost) for the Lucas plant. (Round variable cost per unit to s decimal places. Round fixed cost to whole dollar amount.) Overhead Cost par LH * Labor hours Required A Required > Required: Lucas plant. a. Use the high-low estimation method to estimate the overhead cost behavior (fixed and variable portions components of cost) for the c. Using Excel, compute regression coefficients to describe the overhead cost equation. d. Use the results of your regression analysis to develop an estimate of overhead costs assuming 350,000 labor-hours will be worked next month. Complete this question by entering your answers in the tabs below. Required A Required Required Use the results of your regression analysis to develop an estimate of overhead costs assuming 350,000 labor-hours will be worked next month.(Round cost per labor hour to 2 decimal places.) Overhead Cost
