Zeigler Company began operations in 20xx. At the beginning of the year, the company purchased plant assets of $900,000, with an estimated useful life of ten years and no residual value. During the year, the company had net sales of $1,300,000, salaries expense of $200,000, and other expenses of $80,000, excluding depreciation. In addition, Zeigler Company purchased inventory as follows:

At the end of the year, a physical inventory disclosed 500 units still on hand. The managers of Zeigler Company know they have a choice of accounting methods, but they are unsure how those methods will affect net income. They have heard of the FIFO and LIFO inventory methods and the straight-line and double-declining-balance depreciation methods.
Required
1. Prepare two income statements for Zeigler Company, one using the FIFO and straight-line methods and the other using the LIFO and double-declining-balance methods. Ignore income taxes.
2. Prepare a schedule accounting for the difference in the two net income figures obtained in requirement 1.
3. What effect does the choice of accounting method have on Zeigler's inventory turnover? What conclusions can you draw? Use the year-end balance to compute the ratio.
4. How does the choice of accounting methods affect Zeigler's return on assets? Assume the company's only assets are cash of $80,000, inventory, and plant assets. Use year-end balances to compute the ratios. Is your evaluation of Zeigler's profitability affected by the choice of accounting methods?

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400 units at $400$160,000 200 units at $408 Jan. 15 Mar. 20 June 15 800 units at $416 Sept. 18 60nits at $412 Dec. 9 81,600 332,800 247,200 300 units at $420126,000 Total 2300 units $947,600