Understanding Manufacturing Profit/Loss (Production Profit/Loss)
Manufacturing Profit/Loss, also known as Production Profit/Loss, refers to the difference between the value assigned to goods when transferred from the manufacturing account to the trading account and the actual cost of producing these goods. This metric provides insight into the economic efficiency and effectiveness of a company’s production processes.
Organizations often calculate this difference to subject the production department to market-like conditions by assigning market prices or pricing formulas. By crediting the production process according to a predetermined formula, such as a specified price per unit, the company can evaluate the performance of its production activities in a more market-oriented manner.
Key Components and Calculations
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Manufacturing Account
Represents the record of all production-related costs, including raw materials, labor, and overheads. -
Trading Account
Contains records of the sale of finished goods, income from the sales, and cost of goods sold. -
Cost of Goods Manufactured (COGM)
Total production costs for goods completed during a specific period, incorporating raw materials, direct labor, and factory overheads. -
Transfer Price
The price at which goods are moved from the production phase to the sales phase, which may differ from the COGM.
Calculation Formula:
\[ \text{Manufacturing Profit/Loss} = \text{Transfer Value} - \text{Cost of Goods Manufactured (COGM)} \]
Examples
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Example 1:
Suppose a company transfers $100,000 worth of goods from its manufacturing account to its trading account at a transfer price of $150,000. If the COGM is $120,000, the manufacturing profit/loss would be: \[ \text{Manufacturing Profit} = 150,000 - 120,000 = $30,000 \] -
Example 2:
If another batch of goods is transferred at a price of $80,000 while the COGM is $90,000, the manufacturing profit/loss would be: \[ \text{Manufacturing Loss} = 80,000 - 90,000 = -$10,000 \]
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: Why distinguish between manufacturing profit and trading profit?
Distinguishing between manufacturing and trading profits helps companies analyze the efficiency of their production processes separately from their sales and marketing activities.
Q2: Can the transfer price be higher than the market price?
Yes, companies may use different strategies for transfer pricing, sometimes setting them higher than the market price for internal management purposes.
Q3: How does the difference between the transfer price and COGM impact financial reporting?
This difference highlights production efficiency and can affect reported profits in financial statements, giving insights into production performance compared to market expectations.
Related Terms
- Cost of Goods Manufactured (COGM): Total costs incurred in producing goods that are complete and ready for sale.
- Transfer Price: The price at which goods are transferred from one department to another within a company.
- Manufacturing Account: Financial records pertaining to the costs associated with manufacturing.
- Trading Account: Financial statement recording the income from sales and the COGS.
References and Further Reading
- AccountingCoach.com (https://www.accountingcoach.com/)
- Coursera: Introduction to Financial Accounting (https://www.coursera.org/learn/wharton-accounting)
- Harvard Business Review: “Top 10 Must Reads on Strategy Including Featured Article ‘What Is Strategy?’ by Michael E. Porter”
Suggested Books
- “Managerial Accounting” by Ray H. Garrison, Eric Noreen, and Peter Brewer
- “Advanced Accounting” by Floyd A. Beams, Joseph H. Anthony, Bruce Bettinghaus, and Kenneth Smith
- “Cost Accounting: A Managerial Emphasis” by Charles T. Horngren, Srikant M. Datar, and Madhav V. Rajan
Accounting Basics: Manufacturing Profit/Loss Fundamentals Quiz
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