| Anderson Metals manufactures and sells #3 steel rebar that is
used in the construction of slabs and driveways. The steel bar not only strengthens the
finished concrete product, but it also has unique properties such that its
temperature related expansion and contraction matches that of concrete. The product is manufactured and sold in 20′
long “sticks.” The product
is generally produced and sold to match customer demand, and there is not a
significant amount of finished goods inventory at any point in time. Summary information for 20X6 is as follows: | | |
| Sales were $20,000,000,
consisting of 5,000,000 sticks. | | |
| Total variable costs were
$11,000,000. | | |
| Total fixed costs were
$8,000,000. | | |
| Net income was $1,000,000. | | |
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| The
general economic conditions appear to be deteriorating heading into 20X7, and
there is some concern about a reduction in sales volume. The following questions should each be
answered independent of one another. | | |
| | | |
| (a) | What is the company’s break-even
point in “sticks?” Can the
company sustain a 30% reduction in total volume, and remain profitable? | | |
| (b) | The company’s sole shareholder,
Doug Anderson, generally lives off of dividends paid by the business. The business typically declares and pays a
dividend equal to 25% of net income.
If Doug needs to receive $100,000 in dividends for normal living
expenses, what total revenues must Anderson Metals produce in 20X7? | | |
| (c) | If total volume is expected to
decrease by 20%, and the company wishes to continue to produce a $1,000,000
net income by raising the per unit selling price, what revised per stick
price must be imposed? Will this strategy
necessarily work? | | |
| (d) | If the company expects a drop in
raw material prices to reduce total variable costs to $2 per stick, but all
other revenue and cost factors to be unaffected, what will be the revised
break-even point in sales and units? | | |
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