Purple Cow operates a chain of drive-ins selling primarily ice cream products. The following information is taken from the records of a typical drive-in now operated by the company Average selling price of ice cream per gallon………………………………………………………                  $14.80 Number of gallons sold per month …………………………………………………………………….                  $3000               Variable costs per gallon:               Ice cream………………………………………………………………………………………………. $4.60               Supplies (cups, cones, toppings, etc.)……………………………………………………. $2.20 Total variable expenses per gallon …………………………………………………………………….                  $6.80               Fixed costs per month:               Rent on building …………………………………………………………………………………...                  $2200               Utilities and upkeep ………………………………………………………………………………                  $760               Wages, including payroll taxes ………………………………………………………………                  $4840               Manager’s salary, including payroll taxes but excluding any bonus ……….                  $2500               Other fixed expenses …………………………………………………………………………….                  $1700 Total fixed costs per month ……………………………………………………………………………….                  $12000 Based on these data, the monthly break-even sales volume is determined as follows                                                                  $12000 (fixed costs)                     = 1500 gallons or ($22200)                                                    $8.00 (contribution margin per unit) Questions a. Currently, all store managers have contracts calling for a bonus of 20 cents per gallon for each gallon sold beyond the break-even point. Compute the number of gallons of ice cream that must be sold per month in order to earn a monthly operating income of $10000 (round to the nearest gallon) b. To increase operating income, the company is considering the following two alternatives:           1. Reduce the selling price by an average of $2.00 per gallon. This action is expected to increase the number of gallons sold by 20 percent. (Under this plan, the manager would be paid a salary of $2500 per month without bonus.)            2. Spend $3000 per month on advertising without any change in selling price. This action is expected to increase the number of gallons sold by 10 percent. (Under this plan, the manager would be paid salary of $2500 per month without bonus.) Which of these two alternatives would result in the higher monthly operating income? How many gallons must be sold per month under each alternative for a typical outlet to break even? Provide schedules in support of your answer. c. Draft a memo to management indicating your recommendations with respect to these alternative marketing strategies

Financial Accounting
14th Edition
ISBN:9781305088436
Author:Carl Warren, Jim Reeve, Jonathan Duchac
Publisher:Carl Warren, Jim Reeve, Jonathan Duchac
Chapter9: Receivables
Section: Chapter Questions
Problem 27E
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Purple Cow operates a chain of drive-ins selling primarily ice cream products. The following information is taken from the records of a typical drive-in now operated by the company

Average selling price of ice cream per gallon………………………………………………………                  $14.80

Number of gallons sold per month …………………………………………………………………….                  $3000

              Variable costs per gallon:

              Ice cream………………………………………………………………………………………………. $4.60

              Supplies (cups, cones, toppings, etc.)……………………………………………………. $2.20

Total variable expenses per gallon …………………………………………………………………….                  $6.80

              Fixed costs per month:

              Rent on building …………………………………………………………………………………...                  $2200

              Utilities and upkeep ………………………………………………………………………………                  $760

              Wages, including payroll taxes ………………………………………………………………                  $4840

              Manager’s salary, including payroll taxes but excluding any bonus ……….                  $2500

              Other fixed expenses …………………………………………………………………………….                  $1700

Total fixed costs per month ……………………………………………………………………………….                  $12000

Based on these data, the monthly break-even sales volume is determined as follows

 

                                                               $12000 (fixed costs)                     = 1500 gallons or ($22200)

                                                   $8.00 (contribution margin per unit)

Questions

a. Currently, all store managers have contracts calling for a bonus of 20 cents per gallon for each gallon sold beyond the break-even point. Compute the number of gallons of ice cream that must be sold per month in order to earn a monthly operating income of $10000 (round to the nearest gallon)

b. To increase operating income, the company is considering the following two alternatives:

          1. Reduce the selling price by an average of $2.00 per gallon. This action is expected to increase the number of gallons sold by 20 percent. (Under this plan, the manager would be paid a salary of $2500 per month without bonus.)

           2. Spend $3000 per month on advertising without any change in selling price. This action is expected to increase the number of gallons sold by 10 percent. (Under this plan, the manager would be paid salary of $2500 per month without bonus.)

Which of these two alternatives would result in the higher monthly operating income? How many gallons must be sold per month under each alternative for a typical outlet to break even? Provide schedules in support of your answer.

c. Draft a memo to management indicating your recommendations with respect to these alternative marketing strategies

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