Hillyard Company, an office supplies specialty store, prepares its master budget on a quarterly basis. The following data have been assembled to assist in preparing the master budget for the first quarter:

As of December 31 (the end of the prior quarter), the companys general ledger showed the following account balances:

	Debits	Credits
Cash	$ 57,000
Accounts receivable	213,600
Inventory	60,300
Buildings and equipment (net)	367,000
Accounts payable		$ 90,225
Common stock		500,000
Retained earnings		107,675
	$ 697,900	$ 697,900

Actual sales for December and budgeted sales for the next four months are as follows:

December(actual)	$ 267,000
January	$ 402,000
February	$ 599,000
March	$ 314,000
April	$ 210,000

Sales are 20% for cash and 80% on credit. All payments on credit sales are collected in the month following sale. The accounts receivable at December 31 are a result of December credit sales.

The companys gross margin is 40% of sales. (In other words, cost of goods sold is 60% of sales.)

Monthly expenses are budgeted as follows: salaries and wages, $32,000 per month: advertising, $64,000 per month; shipping, 5% of sales; other expenses, 3% of sales. Depreciation, including depreciation on new assets acquired during the quarter, will be $44,820 for the quarter.

Each months ending inventory should equal 25% of the following months cost of goods sold.

One-half of a months inventory purchases is paid for in the month of purchase; the other half is paid in the following month.

During February, the company will purchase a new copy machine for $2,700 cash. During March, other equipment will be purchased for cash at a cost of $78,500.

During January, the company will declare and pay $45,000 in cash dividends.

Management wants to maintain a minimum cash balance of $30,000. The company has an agreement with a local bank that allows the company to borrow in increments of $1,000 at the beginning of each month. The interest rate on these loans is 1% per month and for simplicity we will assume that interest is not compounded. The company would, as far as it is able, repay the loan plus accumulated interest at the end of the quarter.

Complete the merchandise purchases budget:

Merchandise Purchases Budget
	January	February	March	Quarter
Budgeted cost of goods sold	$241,200*	$359,400
Add desired ending inventory	89,850
Total needs	331,050
Less beginning inventory	60,300
Required purchases
*$402,000 sales 60% cost ratio = $241,200.
$359,400 25% = $89,850.