Draw two break-even graphs—one for a conservative firm using labor-intensive production and another for a capital-intensive firm. Assuming these companies compete within the same industry and have identical sales, explain the impact of changes in sales volume on both firms’ profits.

Short Answer

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Break-even Graph for the conservative firm using the labor-intensive product

Break-even Graph for the conservative firm using the capital intensive product

Step by step solution

01

Break-even analysis

Companies widely use break-even analysis to know the production volume at which the contribution margin equals the fixed cost. It is a situation in which there is no profit or no loss.

02

Break-even for the conservative firm using the labour-intensive product.

The company manufacturing labour-intensive products incurs less fixed costs and high variable. It is so because the labor-intensive product company requires more labor to produce the goods than machines. Until the break-even point is achieved, the company is incurring losses due to the fixed cost, and after that company starts earning profits. The company achieves the break-even point of labour-intensive products earlier than capital-intensive products.

03

Break-even for the conservative firm using the labor-intensive product. 

The company engaged in manufacturing the capital-intensive products incur high fixed costs due to which they incur high loss until the break-even point is achieved. After achieving the break-even point, when the sale has increased, the company's profit also increases at a high rate. It is so because the capital-intensive products incur less variable cost.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

The Lancaster Corporation’s income statement is given below.

b. What would be the fixed-charge-coverage ratio?

Lancaster corporation

Sales

\(246,000

Cost of goods sold

122,000

Gross profit

\)124,000

Fixed charges (other than interest)

27,500

Income before interest and taxes

\(96,500

Interest

21,800

Income before taxes

\)74,700

Taxes (35%)

26,145

Income after taxes

$48,555

The Lancaster Corporation’s income statement is given below.

a. What is the times-interest-earned ratio?

Lancaster corporation

Sales

\(246,000

Cost of goods sold

122,000

Gross profit

\)124,000

Fixed charges (other than interest)

27,500

Income before interest and taxes

\(96,500

Interest

21,800

Income before taxes

\)74,700

Taxes (35%)

26,145

Income after taxes

$48,555

Prepare an income statement for Virginia Slim Wear. Take your calculations all the way to computing earnings per share.

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Interest expenses

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86,000

Taxes

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Identify whether each of the following items increases or decreases cash flow:

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Decrease in prepaid expenses

Increase in notes payable

Increase in inventory

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Increase in investment

Increase in accrued expenses

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In January 2007, the Status Quo Company was formed. Total assets were \(544,000, of which \)306,000 consisted of depreciable fixed assets. Status

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