Northwood Company manufactures basketballs. The company has a ball that sells for $25. At present, the ball is manufactured in a small plant that relies heavily on direct labor workers. Thus, variable expenses are high, totaling $15.00 per ball, of which 60% is direct labor cost.

Last year, the company sold 34,000 of these balls, with the following results:

Sales (34,000 balls)	$ 850,000
Variable expenses	510,000
Contribution margin	340,000
Fixed expenses	232,400
Net operating income	$ 107,600

Required:

1. Compute (a) last year's CM ratio and the break-even point in balls, and (b) the degree of operating leverage at last years sales level.

2. Due to an increase in labor rates, the company estimates that next year's variable expenses will increase by $3.00 per ball. If this change takes place and the selling price per ball remains constant at $25.00, what will be next year's CM ratio and the break-even point in balls?