Smart Stream Inc. uses the total cost method of applying the cost-plus approach to product pricing. The costs of producing and selling 10,000 units of cell phones are as follows: Variable costs per unit: Fixed costs: Direct materials $150 Factory overhead $350,000 Direct labor 25 Selling and administrative expenses 140,000 Factory overhead 40 Selling and administrative expenses 25 Total variable cost per unit $240 Smart Stream desires a profit equal to a 30% return on invested assets of $1,200,000. a. Determine the total costs and the total cost amount per unit for the production and sale of 10,000 cellular phones.

Question

Jayson

Business

15 October, 15:30

Smart Stream Inc. uses the total cost method of applying the cost-plus approach to product pricing. The costs of producing and selling 10,000 units of cell phones are as follows: Variable costs per unit: Fixed costs: Direct materials $150 Factory overhead $350,000 Direct labor 25 Selling and administrative expenses 140,000 Factory overhead 40 Selling and administrative expenses 25 Total variable cost per unit $240 Smart Stream desires a profit equal to a 30% return on invested assets of $1,200,000. a. Determine the total costs and the total cost amount per unit for the production and sale of 10,000 cellular phones.

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Salvador Hoffman · Answer 1

Smart Stream Inc.

a) Total costs:

Variable costs:

Direct materials = $1,500,000 ($150 x 10,000)

Direct labor = $250,000 ($25 x 10,000)

Factory overhead = $400,000 ($40 x 10,000)

Selling and Administrative = $250,000 ($25 x 10,000)

Total variable costs = $2,400,000 ($240 x 10,000)

Fixed Costs:

Factory overhead = $350,000

Selling and admin = $140,000

Total fixed costs = $490,000

I) Total costs = variable plus fixed costs = $2,890,000 ($2,400,000 + 490,000)

II) Total cost per unit = $289 ($2,890,000/10,000)

Explanation:

The total cost method includes all the costs in arriving at the unit cost before adding the desired profit to arrive at the selling price of a product.

Total costs include the cost of goods sold and the expenses incurred in running the business for the period.

It is unlike the product cost-plus and variable cost-plus approaches to product pricing. For the product cost-plus approach, only the costs of production is taken into consideration for arriving at the selling price. In that case, the costs of direct materials and labor, and factory overheads would be considered, while variable and fixed selling and administrative costs are excluded. The unit cost would have been $250.

The variable cost-plus approach considers only the variable elements of costs to arrive at the selling price. These include the direct materials and labor costs, and variable element of the factory overhead and selling and administrative expenses. The unit cost would have been $240 as stated in the question.

These different cost-plus pricing approaches are more suitable for some industries than others. No matter the choice made, it must be noted that they result in different selling prices and can affect the competitiveness of a company.