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Swanton Company currently sells 3 products and details of revenues and costs are

ID: 2503688 • Letter: S

Question

Swanton Company currently sells 3 products and details of revenues and costs are given below. The company is thinking of discontinuing the production of paper clip holders. However, because many customers buy the products as a set, Swanton estimates that the sales of the other two products will decrease by 20%.[1]

Desk

Calendars            Pen sets               Paper-clip

                                                                                Holders

                Sales                                                                      $280,000              $240,000              $33,000

                Variable costs                                                    160,000               160,000               38,000

                Direct fixed costs                                                 40,000                   20,000               10,000

                Indirect fixed costs                                              30,000                   40,000               16,000

1. Should the paper clip holders division be discontinued?

2.What is the net benefit or net loss of dropping the production and sale of paper clip holders?  

[1] IBID

Explanation / Answer

Profit when all 3 products are produced = (280000 - 160000 - 40000 - 30000) + (240000 - 160000 - 20000 - 40000) + (33000 - 38000 - 10000-16000)


Profit = 50000 + 20000 - 31000 = $39000


If paper clip board division is discounted,

Sales of other two product will decrese by 20%


For calendars,

Sales = 0.8* 280000 = 224000

Variable cost = 0.8* 160000 = 128000

Direct FC = 40000 ( since, FC is independent of quantity)

Indirect FC = 30000


For pent sets

Sales = 0.8* 240000 = 192000

Variable cost = 0.8* 160000 = 128000

Direct FC = 20000 ( since, FC is independent of quantity)

Indirect FC = 40000


Net profit = (224000 - 128000 - 40000 - 30000) + (192000 - 128000 - 20000 - 40000) = 26000 + 4000 = $ 30,000


Paper clip holder division should not be discontinued, it must be continued


2. Net loss of dropping the production and sale of paper clip holders is 39000 - 30000 = $9000