Below is a performance report that compares budgeted and actual profit in the sporting goods department of Maxwell's Department Store for the month of December.
- Maxwell's Department Store
- Sporting Goods
- Performance Report
- December 2008
- Budget Actual Difference
- Sales $600,000 $675,000 $75,000
Less:
- Cost of merchandise $300,000 $375,000 $75,000
- Salaries of sales staff $60,000 $68,000 $8,000
Controllable profit $240,000 $232,000 ($8,000)
a. Evaluate the department in terms of its increases in sales and expenses. Do you believe it would be useful to investigate either or both of the increases in expenses?
b. Consider storewide electricity costs. Would this cost be a controllable or noncontrollable cost for the manager of sporting goods? Would it be useful to include a share of storewide electricity cost on the performance report for sporting goods?