Max Leonard, vice president of Marketing for Dysk Computer, Inc must decide whether to introduce a mid-priced version of the firm's DC 6900 personal computer product line - the DC 6900-X. The DC6900-X would sell for $3,900, with unit variable costs of $1,800. Projections made by an independent marketing research firm indicate that the DC6900-X would achieve a sales volume of 50,000 units next year, in its first year of commercialization.

One-half of the first year's volume would come from competitors' personal computers and market growth. However, a consumer research study indicates that 30 percent of the DC6900-X sales volume would come from the higher-priced DC6900-0mega personal computer, which sells for $4,800 (with unit variable costs of $2,200). Another 20 percent of the DC6900-X sales volume would come from the economy-priced DC6900-Alpha personal computer, priced at $2,400 (with unit variable costs of$ 1,200). The DC6900-0mega unit volume is expected to be 40,000 units next year, and the DC6900-Alpha is expected to achieve a 60,000 unit sales level.

The fixed costs of launching the DC6900-X have been forecast to be $2 million during the first year of commercialization. Should Mr. Leonard add the DC6900-X model to the line of personal computers? Why?

The annual planning process at Century Office Systems, Inc. had been arduous but produced a number of important marketing initiatives for the next year. Most notably, company executives had decided to restructure its product-marketing team into two separate groups: (1) Corporate Office Systems and (2) Home Office Systems. Angela Blake was assigned responsibility for the Home Office Systems group, which would market the company's word-processing hardware and software for home and office-at-home use by individuals. Her marketing plan, which included a sales forecast for next year of $25 million, was the result of a detailed market analysis and negotiations with individuals both inside and outside the company.

Discussions with the sales director indicated that 50 percent of the company sales force would be dedicated to selling products of the Home Office Systems group.

Sales representatives would receive a 10 percent commission on sales of home office systems. Under the new organizational structure, the Home Office Systems group would be charged with 40 percent of the budgeted sales force expenditure. The sales director's budget for salaries and fringe benefits of the sales force and noncommission selling costs for both the Corporate and Home Office Systems groups was $7 million.

The advertising and promotion budget contained three elements: trade magazine advertising, cooperative newspaper advertising with Century Office Systems, Inc. dealers, and sales promotion materials including product brochures, technical manuals, catalogs, and point-of-purchase displays. Trade magazine ads and sales promotion materials were to be developed by the company's advertising and public relations agency. Production and media placement costs were budgeted at $250,000. Cooperative advertising copy for both newspaper and radio use had budgeted production costs of $150,000. Century Office Systems, Inc. 's cooperative advertising allowance policy stated that the company would allocate 5 percent of company sales to dealers to promote its office systems. Dealers always used their complete cooperative advertising allowances. Meetings with manufacturing and operations personnel indicated that the direct costs of material and labor and direct factory overhead to produce the Home Office System product line represented 50 percent of sales. The accounting department would assign $400,000 in indirect manufacturing overhead (for example, depreciation, maintenance) to the product line and $250,000 for administrative overhead (clerical, telephone, office space, and so forth). Freight for the product line would average 15 percent of sales.

Blake's staff consisted of two product managers and a marketing assistant. Salaries and fringe benefits for Ms. Blake and her staff were $200,000 per year.

Prepare a pro forma income statement for the Home Office Systems group given the information provided.

2. Prepare a pro forma income statement for the Home Office Systems group given annual sales of only $20 million.

 At what level of dollar sales will the Home Office Systems group break even?