Suppose Daimler Chrysler is considering which of two emission testing devices to buy

B10. (Replacement cycles) Suppose Daimler Chrysler is considering which of two emission testing devices to buy. Machine A costs $100,000, has a five-year useful life, and has operating expenses of $40,000 per year. Machine B costs $36,000, has a six-year useful life, and has operating expenses of $62,000 per year. Both machines will have zero salvage value, revenues of $85,000 per year, and straight-line depreciation to a zero book value, and both will be replaced at the end of their lives. Daimler Chrysler’s tax rate is 35%.

a. Assume a 12% cost of capital for each machine. Which one should Daimler Chrysler buy?
b. Suppose instead that machine A requires a higher cost of capital, 15%, because it’s a riskier process. Machine B’s cost of capital is still 12%. Which machine should Daimler Chrysler buy?

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AirQual Test Corporation provides on-site air quality testing services

EXERCISE 10–16 Flexible Budget Performance Report

AirQual Test Corporation provides on-site air quality testing services. The company has provided the following data concerning its operations:

Fixed component Variable component Actual Per month per job total for February

Revenue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $360 $18950
Technician wages . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 4600 $6 450
Mobile lab operating expenses . . . $ 2900 $35 $4530
Office expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $2600 $2 $3 050
Advertising expenses . . . . . . . . . . $ 970 $995
Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1680 $1680
Miscellaneous expenses . . . . . . . $ 500 $3 $465

The company uses the number of jobs as its measure of activity. For example, mobile lab operating expenses should be $2,900 plus $35 per job, and the actual mobile lab operating expenses for February was $4,530. The company expected to work 50 jobs in February, but actually worked 52 jobs.

Required:
Prepare a flexible budget performance report showing Air Qual Test Corporation’s activity variances and revenue and spending variances for February.

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Farm Labs, Inc. provides mad cow disease testing for both state and federal governmental agricultural agencies

P11-5A Farm Labs, Inc. provides mad cow disease testing for both state and federal governmental agricultural agencies. Because the company's customers are governmental agencies, prices are strictly regulated. Therefore, Farm Labs must constantly monitor and control its testing costs. Shown below are the standard costs for a typical test.

Direct materials (2 test tubes @ $1.50 per tube) $3
Direct labor (1 hour @ $25 per hour) 25
Variable overhead (1 hour @ $5 per hour) 5
Fixed overhead (1 hour @ $10 per hour) 10
Total standard cost per test $43

The lab does not maintain an inventory of test tubes. Therefore, the tubes purchased each month are used that month. Actual activity for the month of November 2008, when 1,500 tests were conducted, resulted in the following:

Direct materials (3,050 test tubes) $ 4,270
Direct labor (1,600 hours) 36,800
Variable overhead 7,400
Fixed overhead 14,000

Monthly budgeted fixed overhead is $14,000. Revenues for the month were $75,000, and selling and administrative expenses were $4,000.

Instructions:
a) Compute the price and quantity variances for direct materials and direct labor.
b) Compute the total overhead variance.
c) Prepare an income statement for management.
d) Provide possible explanations for each unfavorable variance.

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