1. Selected operating data for two divisions of Outback Brewing, Ltd., of Australia are given below:

Division

Queensland/New South Wales

Sales $1,711,000/ $2,832,000

Average operating assets $590,000/ $590,000

Net operating income $102,660/ $113,280

Property, plant, and equipment (net) $259,000/ $209,000

Compute the rate of return for each division using the return on investment (ROl) formula stated in terms of margin and turnover.

2. Imperial Jewelers manufactures and sells a gold bracelet for $409.00. The company's accounting system says that the unit product cost for this bracelet is $262.00 as shown below:

Direct materials $143

Direct labor 88

Manufacturing overhead 31

Unit product cost $262

The members of a wedding party have approached Imperial Jewelers about buying 11 of these gold bracelets for the discounted price of $369.00 each. The members of the wedding party would like special filigree applied to the bracelets that would increase the direct materials cost per bracelet by $8. Imperial Jewelers would also have to buy a special tool for $462 to apply the filigree to the bracelets. The special tool would have no other use once the special order is completed.

To analyze this special order opportunity, Imperial Jewelers has determined that most of its manufacturing overhead is fixed and unaffected by variations in how much jewelry is produced in any given period. However, $9.00 of the overhead is variable with respect to the number of bracelets produced. The company also believes that accepting this order would have no effect on its ability to produce and sell jewelry to other customers. Furthermore, the company could fulfill the wedding party's order using its existing manufacturing capacity.

To analyze this special order opportunity, Imperial Jewelers has determined that most of its manufacturing overhead is fixed and unaffected by variations in how much jewelry is produced in any given period. However, $9.00 of the overhead is variable with respect to the number of bracelets produced. The company also believes that accepting this order would have no effect on its ability to produce and sell jewelry to other customers. Furthermore, the company could fulfill the wedding party's order using its existing manufacturing capacity.

What is the financial advantage (disadvantage) of accepting the special order from the wedding party?