Question

Spindler, Inc. (a U.S.-based company), imports surfboards from a supplier in Brazil and sells them in the United States. Purchases are denominated in terms of the Brazilian real (BRL). During 2020, Spindler acquires 400 surfboards at a price of BRL 1,600 per surfboard, for a total of BRL 640,000.00. Spindler will pay for the surfboards when it sells them. Relevant exchange rates are as follows:
Date U.S. Dollar per Brazilian Real (BRL)
1-Sep-20 $0.24
1-Dec-20 0.23
31-Dec-20 0.25
1-Mar-21 0.235

Required:
a. Assume that Spindler acquired the surfboards on September 1, 2020, and made payment on December 1, 2020. What is the effect of the exchange rate fluctuations on reported income in 2020?
b. Assume that Spindler acquired the surfboards on December 1, 2020, and made payment on March 1, 2021. What is the effect of the exchange rate fluctuations on reported income in 2020 and 2021?
c. Assume that Spindler acquired the surfboards on September 1, 2020, and made payment on March 1, 2021. What is the effect of the exchange rate fluctuations on reported income in 2020 and in 2021?

Answer 1

Answer:

a. The effect on reported income in 2020 is a foreign exchange gain of $6,400.

b-1. The effecton reported income in 2020 is a foreign exchange loss of -$12,800.

b-1. The effect on reported income in 2021 is a foreign exchange gain of $9,600.

c-1. The effect on reported income in 2020 is a foreign exchange loss of -$6,400.

c-1. The effect on reported income in 2021 is a foreign exchange gain of $9,600.

Explanation:

a. Assume that Spindler acquired the surfboards on September 1, 2020, and made payment on December 1, 2020. What is the effect of the exchange rate fluctuations on reported income in 2020?

Since the U.S. Dollar per Brazilian Real on 1-Sep-20 is higher than the U.S. Dollar per Brazilian Real on 31-Dec-20, the effect of the exchange rate fluctuations on reported income in 2020 is a foreign exchange gain calculated as follows:

Foreign exchange gain on 31-Dec-20 = Value of surfboards in Brazilian real *  (U.S. Dollar per Brazilian Real on 1-Sep-20 - U.S. Dollar per Brazilian Real on 31-Dec-20) = BRL640,000.00 * ($0.24 - $0.23) = $6,400

b. Assume that Spindler acquired the surfboards on December 1, 2020, and made payment on March 1, 2021. What is the effect of the exchange rate fluctuations on reported income in 2020 and 2021?

b-1. Since the U.S. Dollar per Brazilian Real on 1-Dec-20 is lower than the U.S. Dollar per Brazilian Real on 31-Dec-20, the effect of the exchange rate fluctuations on reported income in 2020 is a foreign exchange loss calculated as follows:

Foreign exchange loss on 31-Dec-20 = Value of surfboards in Brazilian real *  (U.S. Dollar per Brazilian Real on 1-De-20 - U.S. Dollar per Brazilian Real on 31-Dec-20) = BRL640,000.00 * ($0.23 - $0.25) = -$12,800

b-2. Since the U.S. Dollar per Brazilian Real on 31-Dec-20 is higher than the U.S. Dollar per Brazilian Real on 1-Mar-21, the effect of the exchange rate fluctuations on reported income in 2021 is a foreign exchange gain calculated as follows:

Foreign exchange gain on 31-Mar-21 = Value of surfboards in Brazilian real *  (U.S. Dollar per Brazilian Real on 1-Dec-20 - U.S. Dollar per Brazilian Real on 1-Mar-21) = BRL640,000.00 * ($0.25 - $0.235) = $9,600

c. Assume that Spindler acquired the surfboards on September 1, 2020, and made payment on March 1, 2021. What is the effect of the exchange rate fluctuations on reported income in 2020 and in 2021?

c-1. Since the U.S. Dollar per Brazilian Real on 1-Sep-20 is lower than the U.S. Dollar per Brazilian Real on 31-Dec-20, the effect of the exchange rate fluctuations on reported income in 2020 is a foreign exchange loss calculated as follows:

Foreign exchange loss on 31-Dec-20 = Value of surfboards in Brazilian real *  (U.S. Dollar per Brazilian Real on 1-Sep-20 - U.S. Dollar per Brazilian Real on 31-Dec-20) = BRL640,000.00 * ($0.24 - $0.25) = -$6,400

c-2. Since the U.S. Dollar per Brazilian Real on 31-Dec-20 is higher than the U.S. Dollar per Brazilian Real on 1-Mar-21, the effect of the exchange rate fluctuations on reported income in 2021 is a foreign exchange gain calculated as follows:

Foreign exchange gain on 31-Mar-21 = Value of surfboards in Brazilian real *  (U.S. Dollar per Brazilian Real on 1-Dec-20 - U.S. Dollar per Brazilian Real on 1-Mar-21) = BRL640,000.00 * ($0.25 - $0.235) = $9,600