22PGA

Question

Wolf Paints is a national paint manufacturer and retailer. The company is segmented into five divisions: Paint Stores (branded retail locations), Consumer (paint sold through home improvement stores), Automotive (sales to auto manufacturers), International, and Administration. The following is selected divisional information for its two largest divisions: Paint Stores and Consumer.

 

                                      Net Sales         Operating             Average

                                       Revenue           Income             Total Assets

 

Paint Stores                \( 3,980,000         \) 476,000          $ 1,380,000

Consumer                      1,315,000             195,000            1,600,000

 

Management has specified a 21% target rate of return.

 

Requirements

1. Calculate each division’s ROI. Round all of your answers to four decimal places.

2. Calculate each division’s profit margin ratio. Interpret your results.

3. Calculate each division’s asset turnover ratio. Interpret your results.

4. Use the expanded ROI formula to confirm your results from Requirement 1. Interpret your results.

5. Calculate each division’s RI. Interpret your results, and offer a recommendation for any division with negative RI.

6. Describe some of the factors that management considers when setting its minimum target rate of return.

Step-by-Step Solution

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Answer

1. 34.49% for the paint store division and 12.19% for the consumer division

2. 11.96% for the paint store division and 14.89% for the consumer division

3.   2.9 times for the paint store division and 0.8 for the consumer division

4. Paint store division is much more efficient in terms of profit generation and asset turnover

5. $186,200 for the paint store division and -$141,000 for the consumer division

6.Asset to be considered, asset measurement and time period. 

1Computation of ROI

ROI for Paint Stores=Operating IncomeAverageTotal Assets=$476,000$1,380,000=0.3449or34.49%

ROI for Consumer Division=Operating IncomeAverageTotal Assets=$195,000$1,600,000=0.1219or12.19%

2Computation of profit margin ratio


Profit Margin Ratio for paint stores=Operating IncomeNet Sales Revenue=$476,000$3,980,000=0.1196or11.96%

Profit Margin Ratio for consumer division=Operating IncomeNet Sales Revenue=$195,000$1,315,000=0.1489or14.89%

Interpretation:-

The profit margin ratio shows the operating income earned against every amount of sales. 

In the given case, the paint store division is able to generate $0.1196 of operating income from $1 of sales. On the other hand, the consumer division is able to generate $0.1489 of operating income from $1 of sales.

Although each division has an almost equal profit margin, the consumer division is much more profitable than the paint store division.

3Computation of asset turnover ratio

Asset Turnover Ratio for paint store=Net Sales revenueAverageTotal Assets=$3,980,000$1,380,000=2.8841times

Asset Turnover Ratio for consumer division=Net Sales RevenueAverageTotal Assets=$1,315,000$1,600,000=0.8219times

Interpretation:-

The asset turnover ratio shows every amount of net sales earned against every amount of average assets. 

In the given case, the paint store division is able to generate almost 3 times of sales revenue from $1 of average assets. On the other hand, the consumer division is able to generate almost 1 time of sales revenue $1 of average assets.

So, it is clearly evident that the paint store is much more efficient in generating sales from average assets.

4Expanded ROI and its interpretation

The expanded ROI formula takes into consideration the profit margin ratio and asset turnover ratio to compute the ROI. 

 

In the given case,

  ROI for Paint store=Profit Margin Ratio×Asset Turnover Ratio=0.1196×2.8841=0.3449or34.49%

ROI for Consumer Division=Profit Margin Ratio×Asset Turnover Ratio=0.1429×0.8219=0.1174or11.74%

Interpretation:-

In the given case, it can be seen that the paint store division is able to generate comparatively less profit margin but has been able to generate almost 3 times of asset turnover. This helped the paint store division to generate 35% of ROI.

On the other hand, the consumer division is able to generate a comparatively higher profit margin but fails to generate a higher asset turnover. Thus in turn it has earned only 12% of ROI.

So, it is clearly evident that the paint store is much more efficient in the overall generation of income computed in terms of ROI.

5Computation of residual income

Residual Income for paint store=Operating income-(Target rate of retrun×Average total assets)=$476,000-(21%×$1,380,000)=$476,000-$289,800=$186,200

Residual Income for consumer division=Operating income-(Target rate ofretrun×Average total assets)=$195,000-(21%×$1,600,000)=$195,000-$336,000=-$141,000

Interpretation:-

The residual income is the measure of profitability that showing the income-earning efficiently against the minimum acceptable operating income.

In the given case, the residual income is positive in the case of the paint store and amounts to $186,200 in figures. On the other hand, the residual income is negative for consumer division and amounts to -$141,000 in figures.

 

Thus it is clearly evident that the paint store is able t achieve the firm’s target operating income and the consumer division has failed to do so.

 

Recommendation:- 

It is recommended to the consumer division to increase the efficiency of the assets to generate more sales and to have a higher asset turnover ratio.

















6Factors to consider while setting a minimum target rate of return

Following are the factors that must be given consideration while setting MTRR – 

 

1. Assets to be considered: - The minimum target rate of return is used to determine the minimum income based on total or average assets. Sometimes, the firm is not able to utilize all of its assets. In such a case if the appropriate minimum rate is not determined then the minimum required income would be considerably low and the firm’s decisions would be affected. 

 

2. Asset measurement: - Another factor that should be given due consideration is the measurement of assets on net book value or gross value. Generally, companies use net book value to determine residual income but if the company’s depreciation expense is increasing continuously in the long run the residual income would show an excessive amount due to the increased depreciation expense.  

 

3. Time period: - generally residual income is calculated annually. But this annual figure may not be helpful in achieving the target. Thus the company should also focus on considering short-term residual income so that an immediate increase can be achieved in the residual income.