Problem 8-18B Comprehensive Variance Analysis [LO8-4, LO8-5, LO8-6]

Michiana Company's Benton Harbor Plant produces precast ingots for industrial use. Angelo Lorenzo, who was recently appointed general manager of the Benton Harbor Plant, has just been handed the plants contribution format income statement for October. The statement is shown below:

	Budgeted		Actual
Sales (3,000 ingots)	$	175,000	$	175,000
Variable expenses:
Variable cost of goods sold*		24,300		58,310
Variable selling expenses		10,000		10,000
Total variable expenses		34,300		68,310
Contribution margin		140,700		106,690
Fixed expenses:
Manufacturing overhead		50,000		50,000
Selling and administrative		65,000		65,000
Total fixed expenses		115,000		115,000
Net operating income (loss)	$	25,700	$	(8,310)

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

Mr. Lorenzo 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	3.0 pounds	$	2.00 per pound	$	6.00
Direct labor	0.3 hours	$	6.00 per hour		1.80
Variable manufacturing overhead	0.2 hours*	$	1.50 per hour		0.30
Total standard variable cost				$	8.10

*Based on machine-hours.

During October the plant produced 3,000 ingots and incurred the following costs:

a.	Purchased 23,000 pounds of materials at a cost of $3.20 per pound. There were no raw materials in inventory at the beginning of the month.
b.	Used 8,800 pounds of materials in production. (Finished goods and work in process inventories are insignificant and can be ignored.)
c.	Worked 2,000 direct labor-hours at a cost of $5.70 per hour.
d.	Incurred a total variable manufacturing overhead cost of $1,710 for the month. A total of 900 machine-hours was recorded.

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

Required:

1.	Assume that the company recognizes price variances when materials are purchased. Compute the following variances for October:

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

2.

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