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Chapter 8: Q6CA. (page 437)

Jane Yoakam, president of Estefan Co., recently read an article that claimed that at least 100 of the country’s largest 500 companies were either adopting or considering adopting the last-in, first-out (LIFO) method for valuing inventories. The article stated that the firms were switching to LIFO to

(1) neutralize the effect of inflation in their financial statements,

(2) eliminate inventory profits, and (3) reduce income taxes. Ms. Yoakam wonders if the switch would benefit her company.

Estefan currently uses the first-in, first-out (FIFO) method of inventory valuation in its periodic inventory system. The company has a high inventory turnover rate, and inventories represent a significant proportion of the assets.

Ms. Yoakam has been told that the LIFO system is more costly to operate and will provide little benefit to companies with high turnover. She intends to use the inventory method that is best for the company in the long run rather than selecting a method just because it is the current fad.

Instructions

(a) Explain to Ms. Yoakam what “inventory profits” are and how the LIFO method of inventory valuation could reduce them.

(b) Explain to Ms. Yoakam the conditions that must exist for Estefan Co. to receive tax benefits from a switch to the LIFO method.

Short Answer

Expert verified

Inventory profits are the result of valuing costs at historical prices. The LIFO method must be adopted when there is less chance of manipulating the net income.

Step by step solution

01

Inventory profits and LIFO

Inventory profit is the change in net profit due to the change in the inventory valuation method. Under FIFO, the cost of goods sold is valued on the oldest cost for the oldest inventory. In the LIFO method, the COGS are valued on the recent cost for the current inventories. So the COGS under FIFO is always lower than the COGS under LIFO.

In the case of inflationary prices, the gap between the COGS based on FIFO and COGS based on LIFO would be wide. This gap is the inventory profits.

LIFO would reduce the inventory profits due to the inflationary pressure.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Presented below are transactions related to Tom Brokaw, Inc.

May 10 Purchased goods billed at \(15,000 subject to cash discount terms of 2/10, n/60.

11 Purchased goods billed at \)13,200 subject to terms of 1/15, n/30.

19 Paid invoice of May 10.

24 Purchased goods billed at $11,500 subject to cash discount terms of 2/10, n/30.

Instructions

(a) Prepare general journal entries for the transactions above under the assumption that purchases are to be recorded at net amounts after cash discounts and that discounts lost are to be treated as financial expense.

(b) Assuming no purchase or payment transactions other than those given above, prepare the adjusting entry required on May 31 if financial statements are to be prepared as of that date.

At December 31, 2016, Stacy McGill Corporation reported current assets of \(370,000 and current liabilities of \)200,000. The following items may have been recorded incorrectly.

1. Goods purchased costing \(22,000 were shipped f.o.b. shipping point by a supplier on December 28. McGill received andrecorded the invoice on December 29, 2016, but the goods were not included in McGill’s physical count of inventorybecause they were not received until January 4, 2017.

2. Goods purchased costing \)15,000 were shipped f.o.b. destination by a supplier on December 26. McGill received andrecorded the invoice on December 31, but the goods were not included in McGill’s 2016 physical count of inventorybecause they were not received until January 2, 2017.

3. Goods held on consignment from Claudia Kishi Company were included in McGill’s December 31, 2016, physical countof inventory at \(13,000.

4. Freight-in of \)3,000 was debited to advertising expense on December 28, 2016.

Instructions

(a) Compute the current ratio based on McGill’s balance sheet.

(b) Recompute the current ratio after corrections are made.

(c) By what amount will income (before taxes) be adjusted up or down as a result of the corrections?

Explain the following terms.

(a) LIFO layer.

(b) LIFO reserve.

(c) LIFO effect.

Question:Presented below is a list of items that may or may not be reported as inventory in a company’s December 31 balance sheet.

1. Goods out on consignment at another company’s store.

2. Goods sold on an installment basis (bad debts can be reasonably estimated).

3. Goods purchased f.o.b. shipping point that are in transit at December 31.

4. Goods purchased f.o.b. destination that are in transit at December 31.

5. Goods sold to another company, for which our company has signed an agreement to repurchase at a set price that coversall costs related to the inventory.

6. Goods sold where large returns are predictable.

7. Goods sold f.o.b. shipping point that are in transit at December 31.

8. Freight charges on goods purchased.

9. Interest costs incurred for inventories that are routinely manufactured.

10. Costs incurred to advertise goods held for resale.

11. Materials on hand not yet placed into production by a manufacturing firm.

12. Office supplies.

13. Raw materials on which a manufacturing firm has started production but which are not completely processed.

14. Factory supplies.

15. Goods held on consignment from another company.

16. Costs identified with units completed by a manufacturing firm but not yet sold.

17. Goods sold f.o.b. destination that are in transit at December 31.

18. Short-term investments in stocks and bonds that will be resold in the near future.

Instructions

Indicate which of these items would typically be reported as inventory in the financial statements. If an item should not bereported as inventory, indicate how it should be reported in the financial statements.

Question: Fong Sai-Yuk Company sells one product. Presented below is information for January for Fong Sai-Yuk Company.

Jan. 1 Inventory 100 units at \(5 each

4 Sale 80 units at \)8 each

11 Purchase 150 units at \(6 each

13 Sale 120 units at \)8.75 each

20 Purchase 160 units at \(7 each

27 Sale 100 units at \)9 each

Fong Sai-Yuk uses the FIFO cost flow assumption. All purchases and sales are on account.

Instructions

(a) Assume Fong Sai-Yuk uses a periodic system. Prepare all necessary journal entries, including the end-of-month closing entry to record cost of goods sold. A physical count indicates that the ending inventory for January is 110 units.

(b) Compute gross profit using the periodic system.

(c) Assume Fong Sai-Yuk uses a perpetual system. Prepare all necessary journal entries.

(d) Compute gross profit using the perpetual system.
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