Question

The following selected data were taken from the accounting records of Metcalf Manufacturing. The company uses direct-labor hours as its cost driver for overhead costs.

Month	Direct-Labor Hours	Manufacturing Overhead
January	34,000	$	698,000
February	36,000		737,000
March	46,000		896,000
April	37,000		753,500
May	41,000		801,000
June	39,000		798,000

March’s costs consisted of machine supplies ($248,400), depreciation ($31,000), and plant maintenance ($616,600). These costs exhibit the following respective behavior: variable, fixed, and semivariable.

The manufacturing overhead figures presented in the preceding table do not include Metcalf’s supervisory labor cost, which is step-fixed in nature. For volume levels of less than 15,000 hours, supervisory labor amounts to $76,000. The cost is $152,000 from 15,000–29,999 hours and $228,000 when activity reaches 30,000 hours or more.

Required:

1. Determine the machine supplies cost and depreciation for January.

2. Using the high-low method, analyze Metcalf’s plant maintenance cost and calculate the monthly fixed portion and the variable cost per direct-labor hour.

3. Assume that present cost behavior patterns continue into the latter half of the year. Estimate the total amount of manufacturing overhead the company can expect in November if 29,600 direct-labor hours are worked.

Answer 1