Question

2. An electronics manufacturing firm is currently manufacturing resistors that have a variable cost of $0.50 per unit and a selling price of $1.00 per unit. Fixed costs are $100,000. Current volume is 300,000 units. The firm can substantially improve the product quality by adding a new piece of equipment at an additional fixed cost of $60,000. Variable cost would increase to $0.60, but volume should jump to 500,000 units due to the higher-quality product. a. Should the firm buy the new equipment? b. What is the minimum price the company would have to charge in order for the new equipment to be worth purchasing (assuming the higher or lower price doesn’t affect the 500,000 unit volume)?

Answer 1

Answer:

a. Should the firm buy the new equipment?

• no, because operating profit will decrease

b. What is the minimum price the company would have to charge in order for the new equipment to be worth purchasing (assuming the higher or lower price doesn’t affect the 500,000 unit volume)?

• $1.02 per unit

Explanation:

contribution margin per unit = $0.50

total units sold = 300,000

fixed costs = $100,000

operating income = (300,000 x $0.50) - $100,000 = $50,000

if the firm improves the quality of their products:

contribution margin per unit = $0.40

total units sold = 500,000

fixed costs = $160,000

operating income = (500,000 x $0.40) - $160,000 = $40,000

if you want to keep operating income at $50,000 then minimum sales price should be:

500,000 = $210,000 / contribution margin

contribution margin = $210,000 / 500,000 = $0.42

sales price = contribution margin + variable costs = $0.42 + $0.60 = $1.02 per unit