The net realizable value of Lake Corporation’s inventory has declined below its cost. Allyn Conan, the controller, wants to use the loss method to write down inventory because it more clearly discloses the decline in the net realizable value and does not distort the cost of goods sold. His supervisor, financial vice president Bill Ortiz, prefers the costof-goods-sold method to write down inventory because it does not call attention to the decline in net realizable value. Instructions Answer the following questions. (a) What, if any, is the ethical issue involved? (b) Is any stakeholder harmed if Bill Ortiz’s preference is used? (c) What should Allyn Conan do?

Short Answer

Expert verified
  1. The ethical issue includes reporting the decline by using the cost of goods sold method, in which loss is included in the cost of goods sold which is against the accounting principle.
  2. Yes, it may harm stakeholders.
  3. Allyn Conan should report the inventories using the loss method.

Step by step solution

01

Ethical issue

a. Per the suggestion of Bill Ortiz, the decline in the value of inventory is to be recorded following the cost of goods sold method. Under the method, the decline in the inventory value is included in the cost of goods sold. In this method, the loss is added to the cost of goods sold, which is incorrect as it should be reported separately in the income statement.

02

Effect on stakeholders

b. Under the cost of goods sold method, the decline is included in COGS, so the stakeholders have no information about the decline in inventory value, which is incorrect. Stakeholders should be aware of a decline in the value of inventory. Hence it should be reported separately in the income statement.

03

Desired action of Allyn Conan

c. Allyn Conan should discuss the advantages of reporting the loss by loss method with the vice president. He should report the decline in inventory by using the loss method as it improves stakeholder satisfaction.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Fuque Inc. uses the retail inventory method to estimate ending inventory for its monthly financial statements. The following data pertain to a single department for the month of October 2018. Inventory, October 1, 2018 At cost \( 52,000 At retail 78,000 Purchases (exclusive of freight and returns) At cost 272,000 At retail 423,000 Freight-in 16,600 Purchase returns At cost 5,600 At retail 8,000 Markups 9,000 Markup cancellations 2,000 Markdowns (net) 3,600 Normal spoilage and breakage 10,000 Sales revenue 390,000 Instructions (a) Using the conventional retail method, prepare a schedule computing estimated lower-of-cost-or-market inventory for October 31, 2018. (b) A department store using the conventional retail inventory method estimates the cost of its ending inventory as \)60,000. An accurate physical count reveals only $47,000 of inventory at lower-of-cost-or-market. List the factors that may have caused the difference between the computed inventory and the physical count.

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