Question

Singh Co. reports a contribution margin of $960,000 and fixed costs of $720,000. (1) Compute the company’s degree of operating leverage. (2) If sales increase by 15%, what amount of income will Singh Co. expect?

Answer 1

Answer: 1. Degree of Operating Leverage = 4

2. $384,000

Explanation:

1. Degree of Operating Leverage is calculated by dividing the Contribution margin by the Net Operating income.

Now, the Contribution margin is the difference between Price and Variable Cost. This means that if you remove fixed costs from it as well you get your profit.

Therefore 1. can be calculated thus,

Degree of Operating Leverage = Contribution Margin / Net Operating income

Degree of Operating Leverage = 960,000 / 960,000 - 720,000

Degree of Operating Leverage = 4

2. When Sales increases by a certain percentage we multiply that percentage by the Degree of Operating Leverage to find out how much Income will increase by.

Because sales went up by 15%, Singh Co. can expect that income would rise by,

= 15% * 4

= 60%.

Now income is Contribution margin - fixed costs so we have,

Income = 960,000 - 720,000

Income = $240,000

An increase of 60% would be

= 240,000( 1+ 60%)

=$384,000

$384,000 is the amount of income that Singh Co. can expect.