Reference no: EM132515420

Billings Company is a decentralized wholesaler with five autonomous divisions. The divisions are evaluated on the basis of ROI, with year-end bonuses given to the divisional managers who have the highest ROIs.

Operating results for the company's Office Products Division for this year are given below:

Sales                                $22,045,000

Variable expenses                 13,882,000

Contribution margin                    8,163,000

Fixed expenses                    6,070,000

Net operating income                  $2,093,000

Divisional average operating assets  $5,500,000

The company had an overall return on investment (ROI) of 16.00% this year (considering all divisions). Next year the Office Products Division has an opportunity to add a new product line that would require an additional investment that would increase average operating assets by $2,501,500.

The cost and revenue characteristics of the new product line per year would be:

Sales                 $9,500,000

Variable expenses      65% of sales

Fixed expenses          $2,574,100

Required:

Question 1. Compute the Office Products Division's ROI for this year.

Question 2. Compute the Office Products Division's ROI for the new product line by itself.

Question 3. Compute the Office Products Division's ROI for next year assuming that it performs the same as this year and adds the new product line.

Question 4. If you were in Dell Havasi's position, would you accept or reject the new product line?

Question 5. Why do you suppose headquarters is anxious for the Office Products Division to add the new product line?

Question 6. Suppose that the company's minimum required rate of return on operating assets is 13% and that performance is evaluated using residual income.

a. Compute the Office Products Division's residual income for this year.

b. Compute the Office Products Division's residual income for the new product line by itself.

c. Compute the Office Products Division's residual income for next year assuming that it performs the same as this year and adds the new product line.

d. Using the residual income approach, if you were in Dell Havasi's position, would you accept or reject the new product line?