Jesse Robertson, the new plant manager of Antarus Manufacturing Plant Number 15, has just reviewed a draft of his year-end financial statements. Hand receives a year-end bonus of 8% of the plants operating income before tax. The year-end income statement provided by the plants controller was disappointing to say the least. After reviewing the numbers, Robertson demanded that his controller go back and work the numbers again. Robertson insisted that if he didnt see a better operating income number the next time around, he would be forced to look for a new controller.

Antarus Manufacturing classifies all costs directly related to the manufacturing of its product as product costs. These costs are inventoried and later expensed as costs of goods sold when the product is sold. All other expenses, including finished goods warehousing costs of $3,570,000, are classified as period expenses. Robertson had suggested that warehousing costs be included as product costs because they are definitely related to our product. The company produced 210,000 units during the period and sold 190,000 units.

As the controller reworked the numbers, he discovered that if he included warehousing costs as product costs, he could improve operating income by $340,000. He was also sure these new numbers would make Ahamed happy.

Instructions:

1. Show numerically how operating income would improve by $340,000 just by classifying the preceding costs as product costs instead of period expenses.
2. Is Robertson correct in his justification that these costs are definitely related to our product?
3. By how much will he profit personally if the controller makes the adjustments in requirement 1?
4. What should the plant controller do?