Crab House Joe operates a chain of fine seafood restaurants. The company makes very detailed long-term planning. On October 1, 2011, the company determined it would need to purchase 800,000 pounds of New England lobster on January 1, 2013. Because of the fluctuations in the price of Maine lobster, on October 1 the company negotiated a special forward contract with Sam Investment Bank for Crab House Joe to purchase 800,000 pounds of Maine lobster on January 1, 2013, at a price of $9,600,000. The price of Maine lobster was $12 per pound on October 1. Sam Investment Bank has a staff of financial analysts who specialize in forecasting lobster prices. These analysts are predicting a drop in worldwide lobster prices between October 1, 2011, and January 1, 2013.
On December 31, 2011, the price of a pound of Maine lobster is $15. On December 31, 2012, the price of a pound of Maine lobster is $9. The appropriate discount rate throughout this period is 10%.
Instructions: Make all journal entries necessary on Crab House Joe's books in 2011, 2012, and 2013 to record the forward contract and the purchase of the lobster. For purposes of estimating future settlement payments under the forward contract, assume that the current price of lobster is the best forecast of the future price.