Question

R. J. Graziano Wholesale Corp. uses the LIFO method of inventory costing. In the current year, profit at R. J. Graziano is running unusually high. The corporate tax rate is also high this year, but it is scheduled to decline significantly next year. In an effort to lower the current year's net income and to take advantage of the changing income tax rate, the president of R. J. Graziano Wholesale instructs the plant accountant to recommend to the purchasing department a large purchase of inventory for delivery 3 days before the end of the year. The price of the inventory to be purchased has doubled during the year, and the purchase will represent a major portion of the ending inventory value.
Required:
a. What is the effect of this transaction on this year's and next year's income statement and income tax expense? Why?
b. If R. J. Graziano Wholesale had been using the FIFO method of inventory costing, would the president give the same directive?
c. Should the plant accountant order the inventory purchase to lower income? What are the ethical implications of this order?

Answer 1

Answer:

a. What is the effect of this transaction on this year's and next year's income statement and income tax expense? Why?

The inventory account is a permanent asset account in the balance sheet, so it doesn't matter if the company purchases all that it can during the last days of December, it will not affect the income statement, nor their tax liability for the current year. A company only recognizes cost of goods sold when the goods are actually sold, not when they are purchased.

Since the company uses the LIFO (last in, first out) inventory method, all it will do is increase the value of ending inventory which changes into beginning inventory next year. You can reduce next year's income more by purchasing the goods next year.

b. If R. J. Graziano Wholesale had been using the FIFO method of inventory costing, would the president give the same directive?

If the company used the FIFO method, the result will be the same. Inventory is not COGS, whether you use FIFO, LIFO weighted average, specific identification, or any other acronym that you might come up with. At beginning of the year, inventory must be average to determine beginning inventory. it might help to increase COGS a little, therefore, decreasing net income, but the effects shouldn't be significant.

c. Should the plant accountant order the inventory purchase to lower income? What are the ethical implications of this order?

It is useless, and he should know it. The only implication is that this will help him realize his low IQ.