I know headquarters wants us to add on that new product line, said Dell Havasi, manager of Billings Companys office products division. But I want to see the numbers before I make any move. Our division has led the company for three years, and I dont want any letdown.

Billings Company is a decentralized organization with five autonomous divisions. The divisions are evaluated on the basis of the return that they are able to generate on invested assets, with year-end bonuses given to the divisional managers who have the highest ROI figures. Operating results for the companys office products division for the most recent year are as follows:

Sales	$	10,000,000
Less: Variable expenses		6,000,000
Contribution margin		4,000,000
Less: Fixed expenses		3,200,000
Net operating income	$	800,000
Divisional operating assets	$	4,000,000

The company had an overall ROI of 15% last year (considering all divisions). The office products division has an opportunity to add a new product line that would require an additional investment in operating assets of $1,000,000. The cost and revenue characteristics of the new product line per year would be as follows:

Sales	$	2,000,000
Variable expenses		60	% of sales
Fixed expenses	$	640,000

Required:

1. Compute the office products divisions ROI for the most recent year; also compute the ROI if the new product line were added. (Do not round intermediate calculations. Round "Percentage" answers to 1 decimal place, (i.e., 0.123 should be considered as 12.3%).)

2. If you were in Dell Havasis position, would you be inclined to accept or reject the new product line?

multiple choice 1

• Accept

• Reject

3. This part of the question is not part of your Connect assignment.

4. Suppose that the company views a return of 12% on invested assets as being the minimum that any division should earn and that performance is evaluated by the RI approach.

a. Compute the office products divisions RI for the most recent year; also compute the RI as it would appear if the new product line were added.

b. Under these circumstances, if you were in Dell Havasis position, would you accept or reject the new product line?

multiple choice 2

• Accept

• Reject