PROBLEM $5-2$IA Basic CVP Analysis $[$LOI$,$ LO$3,$ LO$4,$ LO$6,$ LO$8]$

Stratford Company distributes a lightweight lawn chair that sells for $$15$ per unit. Variable expenses are $$6$ per unit, and fixed expenses total $$180,000$ annually.

CHECK FIGURE

Required:

$(2)$ Break even $$300,00$

Answer the following independent questions:

What is the product's CM ratio?

Use the CM ratio to determine the break$-$even point in sales dollars.

The company estimates that sales will increase by $$45,000$ during the coming year due to increased demand. By how much should net operating income increase?

Assume that the operating results for last year were as follows:

$\backslash$table$[[$Sales$,$$$360,000],[$Sales $.........................................,144,000],[$Variable expenses,$216,000],[$Contribution margin.......................,$180,000],[$Fixed expenses...........................,$$36,000],[$Net operating income..................,$]]$

a$.$ Compute the degree of operating leverage at the current level of sales.

b$.$ The president expects sales to increase by $15\%$ next year. By how much should net operating income increase?

$5.$ Refer to the original data. Assume that the company sold $28,000$ units last year. The sales manager is convinced that a $10\%$ reduction in the selling price, combined with a $$70,000$ increase in advertising expenditures, would increase annual unit sales by $50\%.$ Prepare two contribution format income statements, one showing the results of last year's operations and one showing what the results of operations would be if these changes were made. Would you recommend that the company do as the sales manager suggests?

$6.$ Refer to the original data. Assume again that the company sold $28,000$ units last year. The president feels that it would be unwise to change the selling price. Instead, he wants to increase the sales commission by $$2$ per unit. He thinks that this move, combined with some increase in advertising, would double annual unit sales. By how much could advertising be increased with profits remaining unchanged? Do not prepare an income statement; use the incremental analysis approach.