Refer to the data for Durall Company in Case 4-20. Assume that the company uses the FIFO method in its process costing system. In Case 4-20, Durall Company manufactures a plastic gasket that is used in automobile engines. The gaskets go through three processing departments: Mixing, Forming, and Stamping. The company's accountant (who is very inexperienced) has prepared a summary of production and costs for the FormingDepartment for October as follows:
Forming Department costs:
Work in process inventory, October 1, 8,000 units:
materials 100% complete; conversion 78 complete . . . . . . . .$ 22,420
Costs transferred in from the Mixing Department . . . . . . . . . $ 81,480
Material added during October (added when processing is 50% complete in the Forming Department) . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 7,600
Conversion costs added during October . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$ 96,900
Total departmental costs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$ 228,400
Forming Department costs assigned to:
Units completed and transferred to the Stamping
Department, 100,000 units at $2.284 each . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .$228,400
Work in process inventory, October 31, 5,000 units:
conversion 25 complete . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .____
Total departmental costs assigned . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $228,400
Consists of cost transferred in, $8,820; materials cost, $3,400; and conversion costs, $10,200.
After mulling over the data above, Durall's president commented, I can't understand what's happening here. Despite a concentrated effort at cost reduction, our unit cost actually went up in the Forming Department last month. With that kind of performance, year-end bonuses are out of the question for the people in that department.
Required:
1. Prepare a report for the Forming Department for October showing how much cost should have been assigned to the units completed and transferred to the Stamping Department and to the ending work in process inventory.
2. Assume that in order to remain competitive, the company undertook a major cost-cutting program during October. Would the effects of this cost-cutting program tend to show up more under the weighted-average method or under the FIFO method? Explain your answer.