The controller of Tri Con Global Systems Inc. has developed a new costing system that traces the cost of activities to products. The new system is able to measure post-manufacturing activities, such as selling, promotional, and distribution activities, and allocate these activities to products in a manner that provides a more complete view of the companys product costs. This system produces better strategic information about the relative profitability of product lines.

In the course of implementing the new costing system, the controller realized that the companys current-period GAAP net income would increase significantly if the new product cost information were used for inventory valuation on the financial statements. The controller has been under intense pressure to improve the companys net income, and this would be an easy and effective way for her to help meet the companys short-term net income goals. As a result, she has decided to use the new costing system to determine GAAP net income.

REQUIREMENT 1: Compute the ratio of gross profit to sales and the ratio of operating income to sales for each product.

REQUIREMENT 2: Write a brief (one-page) memo using the product profitability report and the calculations in (a) to make recommendations to management with respect to strategies for the three products.