Cyclopedia of Commerce, Accountancy, Business Administration, v. 05 (of 10)American School of Correspondence
General
Cyclopedia of Commerce, Accountancy, Business Administration, v. 05 (of 10)
American School of Correspondence
Accounting; Business; Commerce
The manufacturing, trading, and profit and loss accounts are now ready
for analysis, which is made on a percentage basis. In the analysis of
the manufacturing account, the total operating cost is used as a basis
and the different items of manufacturing cost are figured on this basis.
We find that the expense items are 23.3% and the material 76.7% of the
total which furnishes a tangible basis for a comparison of the same
items in other months. Having the percentage of each item, we can note
the fluctuations from month to month, and know where to retrench if any
item appears to be increasing too rapidly.
The basis of the analysis of the trading and profit and loss accounts is
the turnover. Figuring on this basis, we find the total expenses,
exclusive of manufacturing costs, to be 41% of the turnover, and the net
profit, 20%. The gross profit is 60% of the turnover. Ordinarily the
total expense and net profit would equal the gross profit, but in this
case there is a capital profit of $97.50 from interest earned.
Sometimes these comparative percentages are figured on the gross sales,
but the turnover is considered the proper basis, for it is less subject
to marked fluctuations. The sales in one month may show abnormal
profits, while in the next these profits may return to normal. If based
on sales, the cost percentages would fluctuate accordingly, when in
reality they may have remained stationary.
PROOF WITHOUT A TRIAL BALANCE
=17.= A comparison of the accounts in the last trial balance with the
working balance sheet shows them to be arranged in the order in which
they would appear in the balance sheet and profit and loss statements.
[Illustration:
WORKING BALANCE SHEET
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 16a. Working Balance Sheet for a Manufacturing Business
]
It should be remembered that manufacturing and trading accounts are
subdivisions of the profit and loss account, and that the profit and
loss account is a statement of income and disbursements including
differences in inventories.
If it is desired to show the actual condition of the business at the end
of each month, the inventory must be added. There may be objections to
actually closing the books each month, but the complete statement can be
made by adding the current inventories as shown in the working balance
sheet illustrated. The amounts of these inventories and the gross and
net current profits are, in such cases, memoranda only. The inventories
may be arbitrary estimates, and while the results shown may not be exact
they will be found of value for purposes of comparison; and care in
estimating inventories will greatly increase their value.
Reference to our working balance sheet shows that the profit and loss
statements—with current inventories added—agrees with the balance sheet
in one respect. The current profit exactly agrees with the difference
between assets and liabilities as shown by the balance sheet.
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