Question

Scenario: Mary Willis is the advertising manager for Bargain Shoe Store. She is currently working on a major promotional campaign. Her ideas include the installation of a new lighting system and increased display space that will add $24,000 in fixed costs to the $270,000 in fixed costs currently spent. In addition, Mary is proposing a 5% price decrease ($40 to $38) will produce a 20% increase in sales volume (20,000 to 24,000). Variable costs will remain at $24 per pair of shoes. Management is impressed with Mary's ideas but concerned about the effects these changes will have on the break-even point and the margin of safety. Compute the margin of safety ratio for current operations and after Mary's changes are introduced (Round to nearest full percent)

Answer 1

Answer:

Instructions are below.

Explanation:

Giving the following information:

Before:

Fixed costs= 270,000

Selling price= $40

Unitary variable cost= $24

Sales in units= 20,000

After:

Fixed costs= 294,000

Selling price= $38

Unitary variable cost= $24

Sales in units= 24,000

First, we need to calculate the break-even point in units:

Break-even point in units= fixed costs/ contribution margin per unit

Before:

Break-even point in units= 270,000/ (40 - 24)

Break-even point in units= 16,875 units

After:

Break-even point in units= 294,000/14

Break-even point in units= 21,000 units

Now, the margin of safety ratio:

Margin of safety ratio= (current sales level - break-even point)/current sales level

Before:

Margin of safety ratio= (20,000 - 16,875)/20,000

Margin of safety ratio= 0.156

After:

Margin of safety ratio= 3,000/24,000

Margin of safety ratio= 0.125