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	$ 55,000
Accounts receivable	212,000
Inventory	60,000
Buildings and equipment (net)	365,000
Accounts payable		$ 89,625
Common stock		500,000
Retained earnings		102,375
	$ 692,000	$ 692,000

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

December(actual)	$ 265,000
January	$ 400,000
February	$ 597,000
March	$ 312,000
April	$ 208,000

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, $30,000 per month: advertising, $66,000 per month; shipping, 5% of sales; other expenses, 3% of sales. Depreciation, including depreciation on new assets acquired during the quarter, will be $44,500 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 $2,500 cash. During March, other equipment will be purchased for cash at a cost of $77,500.

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.

1. Schedule of expected cash collections:

Schedule of Expected Cash Collections
	January	February	March	Quarter
Cash sales	$80,000
Credit sales	212,000
Total collections	$292,000

2-a. Merchandise purchases budget:

Merchandise Purchases Budget
	January	February	March	Quarter
Budgeted cost of goods sold	$240,000*	$358,200
Add desired ending inventory	89,550
Total needs	329,550
Less beginning inventory	60,000
Required purchases
*$400,000 sales 60% cost ratio = $240,000.
$358,200 25% = $89,550.

2-b. Schedule of expected cash disbursements for merchandise purchases:

3. Cash budget:

(Cash deficiency, repayments and interest should be indicated by a minus sign.)

4. Prepare an absorption costing income statement for the quarter ending March 31.

5. Prepare a balance sheet as of March 31.