FIFO and Average-Cost Are the Two Most Common Cost Flow

question 194

Essay

FIFO and average-cost are the two most common cost flow assumptions made in costing inventories. The amounts assigned to the same inventory items on hand may be different under each cost flow assumption. If a company has no beginning inventory, explain the difference in ending inventory values under the FIFO and average-cost cost bases when the price of inventory items purchased during the period have been (1) increasing, (2) decreasing, and (3) remained constant.

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Definitions:

Cost-Plus Methods

Methods of price setting determined by the cost amount per unit plus a markup based on the desired profit per unit.

Selling Price

The amount of money for which a product or service is sold to customers.

Markup

The amount added to the cost price of goods to cover overhead and profit, determining the selling price.

Total Cost Method

A cost-plus method of price setting in which all the costs of manufacturing the product plus the selling and administrative expenses are included in the cost amount to which the markup is added.