Question

Kankakee Cosmetics Company is planning a one-month campaign for December to promote sales of one of its two cosmetics products. A total of $150,000 has been budgeted for advertising, contests, redeemable coupons, and other promotional activities. The following data have been assembled for their possible usefulness in deciding which of the products to select for the campaign:
Moisturizer Perfume
Unit selling price $35.00 $55.00
Unit production costs:

Direct materials $12.00 $20.00
Direct labor 8.00 10.00
Variable factory overhead 3.00 6.00
Fixed factory overhead 2.00 6.00
Total unit production costs $25.00 $42.00
Unit variable selling expenses 2.00 3.00
Unit fixed selling expenses 2.00 8.00
Total unit costs $29.00 $53.00
Operating income per unit $6.00 $2.00
No increase in facilities would be necessary to produce and sell the increased output. It is anticipated that 40,000 additional units of moisturizer or 30,000 additional units of perfume could be sold from the campaign without changing the unit selling price of either product.

Required:
Prepare a differential analysis as of November 2 to determine whether to promote moisturizer (Alternative 1) or perfume (Alternative 2).

Answer 1

Answer:

Kankakee Cosmetics Company

Differential Analysis for Moisturizer:

Relevant Costs:

Direct Materials $12.00

Direct labor $8.00

Var. Factory O/H $3.00

Var. selling expenses $2.00

Total Variable costs = $25.00

Unit Selling price = $35.00

Contribution = $10.00

Total contribution = $400,000

Advertising, etc. = $150,000

Differential Profit = $250,000

Differential Analysis for Perfume:

Relevant Costs:

Direct Materials $20.000

Direct labor $10.00

Var. Factory O/H $6.00

Var. selling expenses $3.00

Total Variable costs = $39.00

Unit Selling price = $55.00

Contribution = $16.00

Total contribution = $480,000

Advertising, etc. = $150,000

Differential Profit = $330,000

Explanation:

A differential analysis is a managerial accounting technique that considers factors that are unique to each decision and uses those factors to arrive at a decision.

It is also called incremental analysis.  In the analysis, differential revenue of each alternative and their differential costs are compared to find the alternative that yields the greater profits.

Fixed costs or sunk costs are not taken into account with this type of analysis.  Only the variable costs are considered, because they make the differences.