Question - Polaski Company manufactures and sells a single product called a Ret. Operating at capacity, the company can produce and sell 19,100 Rets per year. Costs associated with this level of production and sales are given below:
| |
Unit
|
Total
|
|
Direct materials
|
$15
|
$243,100
|
|
Direct labor
|
6
|
99,100
|
|
Variable manufacturing overhead
|
2
|
35,100
|
|
Fixed manufacturing overhead
|
9
|
147,100
|
|
Variable selling expense
|
2
|
35,100
|
|
Fixed selling expense
|
4
|
67,100
|
|
Total cost
|
$38
|
$719,600
|
The Rets normally sell for $70 each. Fixed manufacturing overhead is constant at $147,100 per year within the range of 16,000 through 19,100 Rets per year.
Requirement 1: Assume that due to a recession, Polaski Company expects to sell only 16,000 Rets through regular channels next year. A large retail chain has offered to purchase 3,100 Rets if Polaski is willing to accept a 11% discount off the regular price. There would be no sales commissions on this order; thus, variable selling expenses would be slashed by 57%. However, Polaski Company would have to purchase a special machine to engrave the retail chain's name on the 3,100 units. This machine would cost $6,200. Polaski Company has no assurance that the retail chain will purchase additional units in the future. Calculate the net increase/decrease in profits next year if this special order is accepted.
Requirement 2: Assume again that Polaski Company expects to sell only 16,000 Rets through regular channels next year. The U.S. Army would like to make a one-time-only purchase of 3,100 Rets. The Army would pay a fixed fee of $1.78 per Ret, and it would reimburse Polaski Company for all costs of production (variable and fixed) associated with the units. Because the army would pick up the Rets with its own trucks, there would be no variable selling expenses associated with this order. If Polaski Company accepts the order, by how much will profits increase or decrease for the year?