Question

Bed & Bath, a retailing company, has two departments—Hardware and Linens. The company’s most recent monthly contribution format income statement follows:

				Department
	Total			Hardware			Linens
Sales	$	4,130,000		$	3,100,000		$	1,030,000
Variable expenses		1,358,000			942,000			416,000
Contribution margin		2,772,000			2,158,000			614,000
Fixed expenses		2,170,000			1,310,000			860,000
Net operating income (loss)	$	602,000		$	848,000		$	(246,000	)

A study indicates that $376,000 of the fixed expenses being charged to Linens are sunk costs or allocated costs that will continue even if the Linens Department is dropped. In addition, the elimination of the Linens Department will result in a 18% decrease in the sales of the Hardware Department.

Required:

What is the financial advantage (disadvantage) of discontinuing the Linens Department?

Answer 1

Financial advantage (Disadvantage)

= Avoidable fixed cost - Total Contribution margin lost

= (860,000-376,000) - [614,000 + (2,158,000*18%)]

= 484,000 - 1,002,440

Financial disadvantage = (518,440)