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Cost-Volume-Profit Analysis
Cost-volume profit (CVP) analysis examines the behavior of total revenues, total cost and
operating income as changes occur in the output level, selling price, variable costs per unit or
fixed costs.
Managers often classify costs as fixed or variable when making decisions that affect the volume
of output. The managers want to know how such decision will affect costs and revenues. They
realize that many factors in addition to the volume of output will affect cost. Yet, a useful
starting point in their decision process is to specify the relationship between the volume of out
puts and costs and revenues.
The mangers of profit-seeking organizations usually study the effects of output volume on
revenue (sales), expenses (costs) and net income (net profit). This study is commonly called cost-
volume-profit (CVP) analysis. The mangers of nonprofit organizations also benefit from the
study of CVP relationships. Why? No organization has unlimited resources, and knowledge of
how cost fluctuate as volume changes helps managers to understand how to control costs. For
example, administrators of nonprofit hospitals are constantly concerned about the behavior of
costs as the volume of patients fluctuates.
To apply CVP analysis, mangers usually resort to some simplifying assumptions. The major
simplification is to classify costs as either variable or fixed with respect to a measure of the
volume of output activity. That is, all costs must be classified as either fixed or variable with
respect to production or sales volume before CVP analysis can be used.
CVP analysis can be used to develop predictions of what can happen under alternative strategies
concerning sales volume, selling price, variable costs or fixed costs. Applications include “what
if” analysis. For example, how will revenues and cost be affected if we sell 1,000 more units? If
we raise or lower our selling prices?, If we expand business in to overseas markets? By
examining various possibilities and alternatives, CVP analysis illustrates various decision
outcomes and thus serves as an invaluable aid in the planning process.
CVP analysis looks primarily at the effects of differing levels of activity on the financial results
of a business. The reason for the particular focus on sales volume is because, in the short-run,
sales price, and the cost of materials and labor, are usually known with a degree of accuracy.
Sales volume, however, is not usually so predictable and therefore, in the short-run, profitability
often hinges upon it. For example, Company A may know that the sales price for product x in a
particular year is going to be in the region of $50 and its variable costs are approximately $30.
It can, therefore, say with some degree of certainty that the contribution per unit (sales price less
variable costs) is $20. Company A may also have fixed costs of $200,000 per annum, which
again, are fairly easy to predict. However, when we ask the question: ‘Will the company make a
profit in that year?’, the answer is ‘We don’t know’. We don’t know because we don’t know the
sales volume for the year. However, we can work out how many sales the business needs to
make in order to make a profit and this is where CVP analysis begins.
How much does a firm have to sell just to cover its total costs?
How much does a firm have to sell to reach its target profit?
How will a change in a firm’s fixed cost affect its net income?
How much will a firm’s sales need to increase so as to cover a planned increase in
advertising budget?
What price should a firm change to cover its cost and provide for its planned amount of
profit?
How much should a firm actual or budgeted sales decline before it suffers a loss?
Example 1:
ABC Company manufactures and sells pens. Currently, 5,000,000 units are sold per year at a
selling price of $ 0.50 per unit. Fixed costs are $ 900,000 per year. Variable costs are $ 0.30 per
unit. Determine the break even quantity.
A) Equation method
Revenues –Variable cost- Fixed cost = Operating income
(USP x Q) – (UVC x Q) – FC = 0
0.5 Q – 0.3 Q – 900,000 – 0
0.2Q 900 ,000
=
0.2 0.2
Q=4,500 ,000
If ABC sells fewer than 4,500,000 units, it will have a loss, if it sells 4,500,000 it will
break even; and if it sells more that 4,500,000 it will mark a profit. The break even can be
expressed in revenue (birr) as:
Break even quantity x selling price per unit
=4,500,000 X $0.5 selling price = $2,250,000
B) Contribution margin method
Operating income = ((USP – UVC) X Quantity of units sold)) - FC
0 (at breakeven point) = UCM x Q-FC
FC Fixed cost
Q= =
UCM Unit cot riibutionm arg in
* Breakeven point in Birr = BEP in Q X USP
FCXUSP
OR= UCM
FC
OR = CM % , Where CM% = UCM/USP
Profit
Total revenue line
3000, 000
Total cost line
2,000,000
1,000,000 Breakeven point = 4,500,000
900,000
Eg. Company A wants to achieve a target profit of $300,000. The selling price per unit is $ 50,
Variable costs are $ 30 per unit and Fixed costs are $ 200,000 per year. The sales volume
necessary in order to achieve this profit can be ascertained using any of the three methods
outlined above. If the equation method is used, the profit of $300,000 is put into the equation
rather than the profit of $0:
Finally, the answer can be read from the graph, although this method becomes clumsier than the
previous two. The profit will be $300,000 where the gap between the total revenue and total cost
line is $300,000, since the gap represents profit (after the break-even point) or loss (before the
break-even point.)
Target net income = (Target operating income) – (Target operating X tax rate
Income
TNI
FC +
1−TR
Q=
UCM
TNI
FC+
1−TR
Target revenue= CM %
CVP4. Margin of Safety (MOS)
The margin of safety is the difference between budgeted/actual sales volume and break-even
sales volume; it indicates the vulnerability of a business to a fall in demand. It is often expressed
as a percentage of budgeted sales
Budgeted sales – Break-even sales = Margin of safety
MOS ratio = MOS x 100 %
Budgeted/actual Sales
Example: Based on the following information, calculate margin of safety, margin of safety ratio
Budgeted Sales 700 units x $ 8 = $5,600
Variable cost 700 units x $ 6 = $4,200
Fixed cost = $1,000
CVP5. Sales Mix Analysis
Sales mix is the relative combination of quantities of various products (or services) that
constitutes total unit sales. If the proportions of the mix change, the cost volume profits
relationships also change.
Example 2
Suppose Ramos Company has two products, wallets (W) and Belt (B). The income budget is as
follows:
Wallets (W) Belt ( B) Total
Sales in units 300,000 75,000 375,000
Sales @ $ 8, and $ 5 2,400,000 375,000 2,775,000
Variable expenses @ $ 7 and $ 3 2,100,000 225,000 2,325,000
Contribution margin @ $ 1 and $ 2 300,000 150,000 450,000
Required: Calculate the breakeven point. Assume that there is no change in sales mix and ignore
income taxes.
Since the sales mix will not be changed there is a constant mix of 4 units of W, for every
unit of B i.e. 300,000: 75,000 or 4: 1 or 80%: 20%. Therefore W= 4B.
Solution
Method 1 = [(8W – 7W) + (5B – 3B)] – 180,000 = 0
= (32B – 28B) + (5B – 3B) - 180,000 = 0
B = 30,000 units
W = 4B = 4 (30,000 units) = 120,000 units
Method 2 = we have to calculate the weighted-average contribution margin per unit for the two
products together at the sales mix.
WACM per unit = Wallets (W) CM per unit X Q of W sold + Belt (B) CM per unit X Q of B
sold
Number of Q of W sold + number Q of B sold
= $1 per unit X 300,000 units + $2 per unit X 75,000 units = $1.2 per unit
300,000 + 75,000
We have then BEP = FC
CM per unit
= $180,000 = 150,000 units
$1.2
Because the ratio of Wallet sales to Belt sales is 300,000:75,000, or 4:1, the breakeven point is
120,000 units (0.8*150,000) of wallets and 30,000units (0.20*150,000) of Belt. At this mix, the
contribution margin of $180,000 i.e. 120,000 units wallet X $1 per units = $120,000 and 30,000
units of Belt X $2 per units = $60,000 equals with the fixed costs of $180,000.
We can also calculate the breakeven point revenues for the multiproduct situation using the
WACM percentage.
Solution
1.8. Limitations of CVP Analysis - The CVP analysis is generally made under certain limitations
and with certain assumed conditions, some of which may not occur in practice. Following are the
main limitations and assumptions in the cost-volume-profit analysis:
1. It is assumed that the production facilities anticipated for the purpose of cost-volume-profit
analysis do not undergo any change. Such analysis gives misleading results if expansion or reduction
of capacity takes place.
2. In case where a variety of products with varying margins of profit are manufactured, it is difficult
to forecast with reasonable accuracy the volume of sales mix which would optimize the profit.
3. The analysis will be correct only if input price and selling price remain fairly constant which in
reality is difficult to find. Thus, if a cost reduction program is undertaken or selling price is changed,
the relationship between cost and profit will not be accurately depicted.
2. The Express Banquet has two restaurants that are open 24-hours a day. Fixed costs for the
two restaurants together total $459,000 per year. Service varies from a cup of coffee to full
meals. The average sales check per customer is $8.50. The average cost of food and other
variable costs for each customer is $3.40. The income tax rate is 30%. Target net income is
$107,100.
Required
1. Compute the revenues needed to earn the target net income.
2. How many customers are needed to break even? To earn net income of $107,100?
3. Compute net income if the number of customers is 170,000.