Reference no: EM13379614

Nova Manufacturing applies factory overhead to products on the basis of direct labor hours. At the beginning of the current year, the company's accountant made the following estimates for the forthcoming period:

• Estimated variable overhead: $500,000
• Estimated fixed overhead: $400,000
• Estimated direct labor hours: 40,000

It is now 12 months later. Actual total overhead incurred in the manufacture of 7,900 units amounted to $895,100. Actual labor hours totaled 39,800. Assuming a direct labor standard of five hours per finished unit, calculate the following:

a. Variable overhead efficiency variance

b. Fixed overhead volume variance

c. Overhead spending variance

Centron, Inc., has the following budgeted production costs:

Direct materials	$0.40 per unit
Direct labor	1.80 per unit
Variable factory overhead	2.20 per unit
Fixed factory overhead
Supervision	$24,000
Maintenance	18,000
Other	12,000

 

The company normally manufactures between 20,000 and 25,000 units each quarter. Should output exceed 25,000 units, maintenance and other fixed costs are expected to increase by $6,000 and $4,500, respectively.

During the recent quarter ended March 31, Centron produced 25,500 units and incurred the following costs:

 

Direct Materials		$10,710
Direct Labor		47,175
Variable factory overhead		51,940
Fixed factory overhead
Supervision		24,500
Maintenance		23,700
Other		16,800
Total production costs		$174,825

Instructions:

a. Prepare a flexible budget for 20,000, 22,500, and 25,000 units of activity.

b. Was Centron's experience in the quarter cited better or worse than anticipated? Prepare an appropriate performance report and explain your answer.

c. Explain the benefit of using flexible budgets (as opposed to static budgets) in the measurement of performance.