Superior Markets, Inc., operates three stores in a large metropolitan area. A se
ID: 2393750 • Letter: S
Question
Superior Markets, Inc., operates three stores in a large metropolitan area. A segmented absorption costing income statement for the company for the last quarter is given below:
The North Store has consistently shown losses over the past two years. For this reason, management is giving consideration to closing the store. The company has asked you to make a recommendation as to whether the store should be closed or kept open. The following additional
information is available for your use:
a. The breakdown of the selling and administrative expenses is as follows:
*Allocated on the basis of sales dollars.
*Allocated on the basis of sales dollars.
b. The lease on the building housing the North Store can be broken with no penalty.
c. The fixtures being used in the North Store would be transferred to the other two stores if the North Store were closed.
d. The general manager of the North Store would be retained and transferred to another position in the company if the North Store were closed. She would be filling a position that would otherwise be filled by hiring a new employee at a salary of $11,000 per quarter. The general manager of the North Store would be retained at her normal salary of $12,000 per quarter. All other employees in the store would be discharged.
e. The company has one delivery crew that serves all three stores. One delivery person could be discharged if the North Store were closed. This person’s salary is $4,700 per quarter. The delivery equipment would be distributed to the other stores. The equipment does not wear out through use, but does eventually become obsolete.
f. The company’s employment taxes are 15% of salaries.
g. One-third of the insurance in the North Store is on the store’s fixtures.
h. The “General office salaries” and “General office—other” relate to the overall management of Superior Markets, Inc. If the North Store were closed, one person in the general office could be discharged because of the decrease in overall workload. This person’s compensation is $6,000 per quarter.
Required:
1. Prepare a schedule showing the change in revenues and expenses and the impact on the company’s overall net operating income that would result if the North Store were closed. (Any losses/ reductions should be indicated by a minus sign.)
2. Based on your computations in (1) above, what recommendation would you make to the management of Superior Markets, Inc.?
3. Assume that if the North Store were closed, at least one-fourth of its sales would transfer to the East Store, due to strong customer loyalty to Superior Markets. The East Store has enough capacity to handle the increased sales. You may assume that the increased sales in the East Store would yield the same gross margin as a percentage of sales as present sales in that store.
a. Calculate the net advantage of closing the North Store. (Any losses should be indicated by a minus sign.)
b. What recommendation would you make to the management of Superior Markets, Inc.?
Superior Markets, Inc.Income Statement
For the Quarter Ended September 30 Total North
Store South
Store East
Store Sales $ 3,700,000 $ 800,000 $ 1,480,000 $ 1,420,000 Cost of goods sold 2,035,000 460,000 794,000 781,000 Gross margin 1,665,000 340,000 686,000 639,000 Selling and administrative expenses: Selling expenses: 831,000 238,400 318,500 274,100 Administrative expenses 418,000 113,000 161,400 143,600 Total expenses 1,249,000 351,400 479,900 417,700 Net operating income (loss) $ 416,000 $ (11,400 ) $ 206,100 $ 221,300
Explanation / Answer
1 The simplest approach to the solution is: Gross margin lost if the store is closed ($340,000) Costs that can be avoided: Sales salaries 59,700 Direct advertising 58,000 Store rent 92,000 Delivery salaries 4,700 Store management salaries ($24,500 – $12,000) 12,500 Salary of new manager 11,000 General office compensation 6,000 Insurance on inventories ($9,600 × 2/3) 6,400 Utilities 31,315 Employment taxes* $ 14,085 295,700 Decrease in company profits if the North Store is closed (44,300) *Salaries avoided by closing the store: Sales salaries 59,700 Delivery salaries 4,700 Store management salaries 12,500 Salary of new manager 11,000 General office compensation 6,000 Total avoided 93,900 Employment tax rate x 15% Employment taxes avoided $ 14,085 2 Based on the data in (1), the North Store should not be closed. If the store is closed, then the company’s overall net operating income will decrease by $44,300 per quarter. If the store space cannot be subleased or the lease broken without penalty, a decision to close the store would cause an even greater decline in the company’s overall net income. If the $92,000 rent cannot be avoided and the North Store is closed, the company’s overall net operating income would be reduced by $136,300 per quarter ($44,300 + $92,000). 3 Under these circumstances, the North Store should be closed. The computations are as follows: Gross margin lost if the North Store is closed (part 1) ($340,000) Gross margin gained from the East Store: $800,000 × 1/4 = $200,000; $200,000 × 42.5%* = $85,000 85,000 Net operating loss in gross margin ($255,000) Less costs that can be avoided if the North Store is closed (part 1) 295,700 a Net advantage of closing the North Store $40,700 *The East Store’s gross margin percentage is: $340,000 ÷ $800,000 = 42.5% b North store should be closed now
Related Questions
drjack9650@gmail.com
Navigate
Integrity-first tutoring: explanations and feedback only — we do not complete graded work. Learn more.