(Preparation of a cash budget) Lewis Printing has projected its sales for the first 8 months of 2016 as follows: SEE IMAGE.

Lewis collects 30 percent of its sales in the month of the sale, 50 percent in the month following the sale, and the remaining 20 percent 2 months following the sale. During November and December of 2015, Lewis's sales were $240,000 and $165,000, respectively.

Lewis purchases raw materials 2 months in advance of its sales. These purchases are equal to 70 percent of its final sales. The supplier is paid 1 month after delivery. Thus, purchases for April sales are made in February and payment is made in March.

In addition, Lewis pays $12,000 per month for rent and $25,000 each month for other expenditures. Tax prepayments of $22,500 are made each quarter beginning in March. The company's cash balance as of December 31, 2015, was $30,000; a minimum balance of $20,000 must be maintained at all times to satisfy the firm's bank line of credit agreement. Lewis has arranged with its bank for short-term credit at an interest rate of 15 percent per annum (1.25 percent per month) to be paid monthly. Borrowing to meet estimated monthly cash needs takes place at the end of the month, and interest is not paid until the end of the following month. Consequently, if the firm needed to borrow $50,000 during April, then it would pay $625 (equals=0.01250.0125 times $50,000) in interest during May. Finally, Lewis follows a policy of repaying its outstanding short-term debt in any month in which its cash balance exceeds the minimum desired balance of $20,000.

a. Lewis needs to know what its cash requirements will be for the next 6 months so that it can renegotiate the terms of its short-term credit agreement with its bank, if necessary. To evaluate this problem, the firm plans to evaluate the impact of a 20 percent variation in its monthly sales efforts. Prepare a 6-month cash budget for Lewis and use it to evaluate the firm's cash needs.

b. Lewis has a $20,000 note due in June. Will the firm have sufficient cash to repay the loan?

Data Table January February March Click on the icon located on the top-right comer of the data table above in order to copy its contents into a spreadsheet) $120,000 140,000 130,000 April May June $300,000 295,000 220,000 July August $200,000 200,000