Louie's Meals produces frozen meals, which it sells for $8 each. The company uses the FIFO inventory costing method, and it computes a new monthly fixed manufacturing overhead rate based on the actual number of meals produced that month. All costs and production levels are exactly as planned. The following data are from the company's first two months in business: (Click the icon to view the data. Read the requirements. Requirement 1. Compute the product cost per meal produced under absorption costing and under variable costing. Do this first for January and then for February January Absorption Variable costing costing February Absorption Varlable costing costing Total product cost Requirement 2a. Prepare separate monthly income statements for January and for February, using absorption costing. Louie's Meals Income Statement(Absorption Costing) Month Ended January 31 February 28 Less: Less: Requirement 2b. Prepare Louie's Meals' January and February income statements using variable costing. Louie's Meals Contribution Margin Income Statement (Variable Costing) Month Ended January 31 February 28 | Less: Less: Requirement 3. Is operating income higher under absorption costing or variable costing in January? In February? Explain the patter of differences in operating income based on absorption costing versus variable costing. In January, absorption costing operating income V variable costing income. This is because units produced were units sold. costs in the units of ending inventory. These costs will not be until those units are sold. Deferring these Absorption costing defers some of costs to the future January's absorption costing income. In February, absorption costing operating income variable costing operating income. This is because units produced were units sold for the month as was the case in this February, January's costs that absorption costing assigned to that inventory are expensed in This As inventory income. February's absorption costing Data table February 1,800 meals 1,600 meals January Sales. . 1,600 meals Production... .2,000 meals Variable manufacturing expense per meal. $3 Sales commission expense per meal $2 Total fixed manufacturing overhead $800 Total fixed marketing and administrative expenses .. $300 $3 $2 $800 $300 Print Done Requirements 1. Compute the product cost per meal produced under absorption costing and under variable costing. Do this first for January and then for February. 2. Prepare separate monthly income statements for January and for February, using the following: a. Absorption costing b. Variable costing. 3. Is operating income higher under absorption costing or variable costing in January? In February? Explain the pattern of differences in operating income based on absorption costing versus variable costing. Print Done