CVP Analysis

1.) ECG company sells lightweight tables. One table is sold for $45. Variable and fixed expenses data is
given below:

 Variable expenses per unit: $18

 Fixed expenses per year: $540,000

Required:

1. Compute contribution margin ratio (CM ratio).

2. Compute break-even point in dollars using CM ratio computed in part 1.
3. Using contribution margin ratio calculate increase in net operating income if sales are increased by
$135,000.
4. During the last year, ECG company sold 24,000 lightweight tables.
(a). Compute the degree of operating leverage at the last year’s level of sales.
(b). If ECG company manages to increase the sales by 15% next year, by how much should net
operating income increase? (Use degree of operating leverage for your answer).

Solution:
(1) Calculation of CM ratio:

Contribution margin = Selling price – Variable expenses

= $45 – $18

= $27

Contribution margin ratio (CM ratio) = Contribution margin/Sales

= $27/$45

= 0.60 or 60%

(2) Calculation of break-even point:

Break-even point in sales = Fixed cost/CM ratio

= $540,000/0.60

= $900,000

(3) Increase in net operating income:

$135,000 × 0.6

$81,000
(4) Degree of operating leverage:

(a). Degree of operating leverage = Contribution margin/Net operating income

= $648,000 / $108,000

=6

(b). The degree of operating leverage is 6. It means if sales are increased by 15%, there will be a 90%
increase in net operating income as computed below:

15% × 6 = 90%

2.) Zoltrixound company manufactures high quality speakers for desktop and laptop
computers. Last month Zoltrixound suffered a loss of $18,000. The income statement for the
last month is as follows:

Required:

1. Compute the break-even point and contribution margin ratio (CM ratio) of Zoltrixound company?
2. Sales department feels that if monthly advertising budget is increased by $16,000, the sales will be
increased by 3,500 units. Show the effect of these changes assuming the selling price remains
unchanged.
3. If sales price is reduced by 20% and monthly advertising expenses are increased by $70,000, the
unit sales are expected to increase by 100%. Show the effect of this change by preparing a new
income statement of Zoltrixound company.
4. The Zoltrixound wants to make the packing of its product more attractive. The new packing would
increase cost by $1.20 per unit. Assuming no other changes, compute the number of units to be
sold to earn a net operating income of $9,000.
 5. The company is planning to purchase a new machine. The installation of new machine will
increase fixed cost by $236,000 and decrease unit variable expenses by 50%.
(a). Compute the CM ratio and break-even point if the new machine is installed.
(b). Company expects a sale of 20,000 units for the next month. Prepare two income statement,
one assuming that the machine is not installed and one assuming that it is installed.
(c) Should the company install new machine. Give your recommendations.

Solution:
(1) Computation of CM ratio and break-even point:

a. Contribution margin ratio = Contribution margin/Net sales

= $162,000/$540,000

= 0.30 or 30%

b. Break-even point in units = Fixed expenses/Contribution margin per unit

= $180,000/$12*

= 15,000 units

*$162,000/13,500 units

Break-even point in dollars = Break-even point in units × Sale price

= 15,000 units × $40

= $600,000

(2) Effect of increase in advertising budget by $16,000 and sales by

$140,000:

If monthly advertising budget is increased by $16,000 and sales revenues is increased by $140,000, the
company will earn a profit of $8,000 ($26,000 – $18,000) rather than suffering a loss.

(3) Effect of reduction in sales price by 20%, increase in monthly

advertising budget by $70,000 and increase in unit sales by 100%:
(4) Computation of the number of units to be sold to earn $9,000:

Unit sale for target profit = (Fixed expenses + Target profit)/Contribution margin per unit

= ($180,000 + $9,000) / $10.80*

= 17,500 Units

*The new packing will increase variable expenses from $28 per unit to $29.20 per unit and reduce the
contribution margin from $12 per unit to $10.80 per unit.

[$40 – ($28 + $1.20)] = $10.80

(5). Installation of new machine:

a. Contribution margin ratio and break-even point if new machine is installed:

i. Contribution margin ratio = Contribution margin/Net sales

= $351,000/$540,000

= 0.65 or 65%

ii. Break-even point in units = Fixed expenses/Contribution margin per unit

= $416,000/$26*

= 16,000 units

*Variable expenses have decreased from $28 to $14 (50% reduction) therefore the contribution margin
would increase from $12 per unit to $26 per unit ($40 – $14).

Break-even point in dollars = Break-even point in units × Sale price

= 16,000 units × $40

= $640,000

(b). Income statement with and without installing new machine:

If new machine is not installed:

If new machine is installed:

c. Decision about installing new machine:

If only the monthly net operating income is considered, Zoltrixound should purchase and install the new
machine because it will generate more net operating income. At 20,000 units per month, variable
expenses will decrease by $280,000 (20,000 units × $14) and monthly fixed expenses will increase by
only $236,000. The saving in variable expenses is therefore greater than the increase in fixed expenses.

3.) Beta company sells blouses in Washington, USA. Blouses are imported from Pakistan and are sold to
customers in Washington at a profit. Salespersons are paid basic salary plus a decent commission of $14
on each sale made by them. Selling price and expense data is given below:
Required:

1. Compute the break-even point in units and in dollars using the information given above.
2. Prepare a CVP graph (break-even chart) and show the break-even point on the graph.
3. What would be net operating income or loss if company sells 18,500 blouses in a year?
4. If the manage is paid a commission of $6 blouse (in addition to the salesperson’s commission),
what will be the effect on company’s break-even point?
5. As an alternative to (3) above, company is thinking to pay $6 commission to manager on each
blouse sold in excess of break-even point. What will be the effect of these changes on the net
operating income or loss of the Beta company if 23,500 blouses are sold in a year?
6. Refer to the original data. What will be the break-even point of the company if commission is
entirely eliminated and salaries are increased by $214,000?

Solution:
(1) Calculation of break-even point:

a. Equation method:

SpQ = VeQ + Fe

$80Q = $50Q + $600,000

$80Q – $50Q = $600,000

$30Q = $600,000

Q = $600,000/$30

Q = 20,000 blouses

20,000 blouses × $80.00 per blouse = $1,600,000

b. Contribution margin method:

Break-even point = Fixed expenses/Contribution margin per unit

= $600,000/$30*

= 20,000 blouses

20,000 blouses × $80.00 per blouse = $1,600,000

*$80 – $50 = $30

Alternatively;

Break-even point = Fixed expenses/CM ratio

= $600,000/0.375*

= $1,600,000

*$30/$80 = 0.375

(2) CVP graph or break-even chart:

(3). Net operating income or loss if 18,500 blouses are sold in a year
An alternative and more simple approach is given below:

Net operating loss = Sales short of break-even × Contribution margin per unit

= 1,500 blouses × $30

= $45,000

(4) Break-even point if manager is also paid a commission of $6 per

blouse sold:

The payment of a commission of $6 to manager will increase variable expenses and decrease
contribution margin. Now the variable expenses will be $56 ($50 + $6) per unit and contribution margin will
be $24 ($80 – $56) per unit.

a. Equation method:

SpQ = VeQ + Fe

$80Q = $56Q + $600,000

$80Q – $56Q = $600,000

$24Q = $600,000

Q = $600,000/$24

Q = 25,000 blouses

25,000 blouses × $80.00 per blouse = $2,000,000

b. Contribution margin method:

 Break-even point in units = Fixed expenses/Contribution margin per unit

$600,000/$24*

25,000 blouses

25,000 blouses × $80.00 per blouse = $2,000,000

*$80 – $56 = $24

Alternatively;

Break-even point = Fixed expenses/CM ratio

= $600,000/0.30*

= $2,000,000

*$24/$80 = 0.30

(4) Effect on net operating income or loss if manager is paid a

commission of $6 on each blouse sold after break-even point:

Alternatively the net operating income of $84,000 may also be computed by using the following
simple approach:

3,500 shirts × $24 per shirt* = $84,000 profit

*[$80 – ($50 + $6)] = $24

(5) Break-even point after elimination of commission and increase in

salaries:
The new variable expenses are $36 (invoice cost, no commission) and new fixed expenses are $814,000
($600,000 + $214,000).

a. Equation method:

SpQ = VeQ + Fe

$80Q = $36Q + $814,000

$80Q – $36Q = $814,000

$44Q = $814,000

Q = $814,000/$44

Q = 18,500 blouses

18,500 blouses × $80.00 per blouse = $1,480,000

b. Contribution margin method:

= $814,000/$44*

= 18,500 blouses

18,500 blouses × $80 = $1,480,000

*$80 – $36 = $44

Alternatively;

Break-even point = Fixed expenses/CM ratio

= $814,000/0.55*

= $1,480,000

*$44/$80 = 0.55

4.) The Digital World company sells three products – Product A, Product B and Product C. The
budgeted contribution margin income statement of the company for the coming month is given below:
 Budgeted break-even point = Fixed expenses/CM ratio

= $447,200/0.52

= $860,000

The actual sales data for the month is given below:

 Product A: $320,000
 Product B: $400,000
 Product C: $280,000
 Total: $320,000 + $400,000 + $280,000 = $1,000,000

Required:

Compute the break-even point of Digital World company based on the actual sales. Explain the reason of
difference (if any) between the break-even point computed on the basis of budgeted sales and the break-
even point computed on the basis of actual sales data.

Solution:
Before computing break-even point based on the actual sales, we need to prepare an income statement
based on the actual sales.
 Actual break-even point = Fixed expenses/CM ratio

= $447,200/0.43

= $1,040,000

The reason of difference in break-even point in dollar sales:

The difference in break-even point is because of shift in sales mix.

A shift in sales mix from the products generating high contribution margin to the products generating low
contribution margin decreased the overall contribution margin ratio of the company from 52% to 43% and
increased the dollar sales required to break-even from $860,000 to $1,040,000.

5.) Metro International manufactures two products – product X and

product Y. Product X sells for $800 and product Y for $1200. Company
sells its products through its own stores and outlets owned by various
merchandising companies. Total fixed expenses of Metro International
are $132,000 per month. Variable expenses and monthly sales data are
given below:
Variable expenses per unit:

 Product X: $480
 Product Y: $240

Monthly sales in units:

 Product X: 200 Units

 Product Y: 80 Units

Required:
 1. Prepare a contribution margin income statement showing dollars and percent columns for the
product X and Y and for the company as a whole.
2. Compute the break-even point in dollars and margin of safety using above information.
3. Metro International is considering to manufacture another product – product Z. The addition of new
product will not affect the fixed cost of the company. The variable expenses to manufacture and
sell a unit of product Z will be $1,200. If the selling price of the new product is set at $1,600 per
unit, the company expect to sell 40 units per month.
(a). Prepare a new contribution margin income statement that includes product Z.
(b). Compute the new break-even point and margin of safety.
4. The president is unable to understand the increase in break-even sales because the new product
has increased the sales revenue and contribution margin without any increase in fixed costs.
Explain to the president the reason of increase in break-even sales.

Solution:
(1). Contribution margin format income statement:

(2) Break-even point and margin of safety:

Break even point in dollars = Fixed expenses/CM ratio

$132,000 / 0.55

$240,000

Margin of safety in dollars = Actual sales – Break-even sales

= $256,000 – $240,000

= $16,000

Margin of safety in percentage = Margin of safety/Actual sales

= $16,000/$256,000

= 6.25%
(3). Addition of product Z:

a. New contribution margin income statement:

b. New break-even point and margin of safety:

Break-even point in dollars = Fixed expenses/CM ratio

= $132,000/0.49

= $269,388

Margin of safety in dollars = Actual sales – Break-even sales

= $320,000 – $269,388

= $50,612

Margin of safety in percentage = Margin of safety/Actual sales

= $50,612/$320,000

= 15.82%

(4). Explanation to the president:

The break-even point has increased from $240,000 to $269,388 because the new product (product Z) has
decreased the overall or average contribution margin ratio of the company. Product Z has a contribution
margin ratio of only 25% which has caused a drop in overall or average contribution margin ratio from
55% to 49%.

Even though the break-even point is higher, the addition of new product has increased the margin of
safety from $16,000 to $50,612 or from 6.25% to 15.82% which tells that the company has shifted much
further from its break-even point.