Problem 11-9 Comprehensive Variance Analysis [LO11-1, LO11-2, LO11-3]

Portland Company's Ironton Plant produces precast ingots for industrial use. Carlos Santiago, who was recently appointed general manager of the Ironton Plant, has just been handed the plants contribution format income statement for October. The statement is shown below:

	Budgeted		Actual
Sales (5,000 ingots)	$	250,000	$	250,000
Variable expenses:
Variable cost of goods sold*		80,000		96,390
Variable selling expenses		20,000		20,000
Total variable expenses		100,000		116,390
Contribution margin		150,000		133,610
Fixed expenses:
Manufacturing overhead		60,000		60,000
Selling and administrative		75,000		75,000
Total fixed expenses		135,000		135,000
Net operating income (loss)	$	15,000	$	(1,390)

*Contains direct materials, direct labor, and variable manufacturing overhead.

Mr. Santiago was shocked to see the loss for the month, particularly because sales were exactly as budgeted. He stated, "I sure hope the plant has a standard cost system in operation. If it doesn't, I won't have the slightest idea of where to start looking for the problem."

The plant does use a standard cost system, with the following standard variable cost per ingot:

	Standard Quantity or Hours	Standard Price or Rate		Standard Cost
Direct materials	4.0 pounds	$	2.50 per pound	$	10.00
Direct labor	0.6 hours	$	9.00 per hour		5.40
Variable manufacturing overhead	0.3 hours*	$	2.00 per hour		0.60
Total standard variable cost				$	16.00

*Based on machine-hours.

During October the plant produced 5,000 ingots and incurred the following costs:

a.	Purchased 25,000 pounds of materials at a cost of $2.95 per pound. There were no raw materials in inventory at the beginning of the month.
b.	Used 19,800 pounds of materials in production. (Finished goods and work in process inventories are insignificant and can be ignored.)
c.	Worked 3,600 direct labor-hours at a cost of $8.70 per hour.
d.	Incurred a total variable manufacturing overhead cost of $4,320 for the month. A total of 1,800 machine-hours was recorded.

It is the companys policy to close all variances to cost of goods sold on a monthly basis.

Required:

1.	Compute the following variances for October:

a.	Direct materials price and quantity variances. (Indicate the effect of each variance by selecting "F" for favorable, "U" for unfavorable, and "None" for no effect (i.e., zero variance).)

b.	Direct labor rate and efficiency variances. (Indicate the effect of each variance by selecting "F" for favorable, "U" for unfavorable, and "None" for no effect (i.e., zero variance).)

c.	Variable overhead rate and efficiency variances. (Do not round your intermediate calculations. Indicate the effect of each variance by selecting "F" for favorable, "U" for unfavorable, and "None" for no effect (i.e., zero variance).)

2a.	Summarize the variances that you computed in (1) above by showing the net overall favorable or unfavorable variance for October. (Input all values as positive amounts. Indicate the effect of each variance by selecting "F" for favorable, "U" for unfavorable, and "None" for no effect (i.e., zero variance).)