Pricing Strategies for Managers
Pricing Strategies for Managers
PRICING DECISIONS
Problem 1(Example 1 Page 6.9). SR Ltd. produces and sells a product. Due to severe competition, the company
proposes to reduce the selling price. Following is the details of its current year’s operations:
Sales (30,000 units × 100) Rs. 30,00,000
Variable costs Rs. 18,00,000
Fixed costs Rs. 7,00,000
Total cost Rs. 25,00,000
Profit Rs. 5,00,000
(i) Find out the increase in number of units to be sold if selling price is reduced by (a) 5% and (b) 10% while
maintaining the existing level of profit.
(ii) If company decides to sell 48,000 units in the next year to out-place the competitors, find out theprice it should
charge to continue to earn the existing level of profit.
Solution:
Assumption: It is assumed that fixed cost will remain same during the next year also.
Statement of Contribution and Profit
Per unit (Rs.) Total (Rs.) Per unit (Rs.) Per unit (Rs.)
Contribution 40 1200000 35 30
Less: Fixed cost 700000
Profit 500000
85
60
25
48000
1200000
700000
500000
Problem2 : (Example 2 Page 6.10) A toy manufacturer earns an average net profit of 30 per unit in a selling price of 150
by producing and selling 60,000 units at 60% of its capacity. The composition of his cost of sales is as follows:
Rs.
Direct material 40
Direct wages 10
Works overheads 50 (50% Fixed)
Sales overheads 20 (25% Variable)
During the current year, he intends to produce the same number but anticipates that :
(i) The fixed charges will go up by 10%.
(ii) Rates of labour will increase by 20%.
(iii) Rates of direct materials will increase by 5%.
(iv) Selling price cannot be increased.
Under these circumstances he obtains an order for a further 20% of his capacity. What minimum price will you
recommend for accepting the order so as to ensure the manufacturer earn an overall profit of Rs. 17,40,000
Month Ist 2 months Next 6 months Last 4 months For Whole Year
Capacity 60% 75% 80% 74.17%
Production/Sales (units) 12000 45000 32000 89000
Material 96000 360000 256000 712000
Labour 112000 360000 256000 728000
Variable Overheads 36000 135000 96000 267000
Total Variable Cost 244000 855000 608000 1707000
Semi-Variable Cost 60000
Fixed Cost 168750
Total Cost 1935750
Add: Profit (1/3 of cost) 645250
Sales 2581000
Selling Price 29
Problem 4. (Illustration 6. Page 6.39) Modern Sports Ltd. has for the past several years produced boxing
gloves which are sold at Rs.28 per pair. Higher costs in recent years have made management to consider
about the adequacy of this selling price.
The labour rate was increased from Rs.1.75 per hour to Rs. 2.25 per hour and the cost of leather has gone
up from Rs.1.10 to Rs.2.15 per square foot during the last five years. Fixed expenses have increased 25%
from the level of Rs.18,000 five years ago. Over the same period variable overhead has increased 30%, or
Rs.3 per pair of gloves. Each glove requires 1.5 sq. ft. of leather and one hour of direct labour.
Calculate the selling price that the company has to charge under the new cost structure to break-even at the
same number of units as five years ago.
Export order Should be accepted as it increases overall contribution by Rs.50000 and Decision Yes
Profit by Rs. 40000.
Domestic Sale Export Order
Per Unit Total Per Unit Total
15000 2000
200 3000000 120
40 600000 40
30 450000 30
20 300000 20
5 75000 5
95 1425000 95
105 1575000 25 50000
750000
75000
0 10000
825000 10000
750000 40000
Alternate Solution based on SOLVER when
P6. (Illustration 17 Modified. Page 6.49) (Key Factor) JAL Ltd. can produce three different products from
the same raw material using the same production facilities. The relevant details are as follows: MAXIMUM DEMAND
Particulars X Y Z
Maximum market demand (units) 6,000 4,000 3,000 Selling price (SP)
Selling price per unit (Rs. ) 250 200 400 Raw Material %
Raw material as % of sales value 80% 60% 75% Raw Material per unit (Rs.)
Labour cost per unit ( Rs.) 24 40 32 Raw Material per unit (kg) @ Rs20
Overhead Rate is Rs.10 per hour of which 60% is fixed. Raw material available is @ Rs.20 per kg and
labour hours @ Rs.16 per hour. Labour per unit (Rs.)
Required: Find out the Optimum Product Mix and determine the Profit at the selected product Mix if a) Labour Hours per unit@ Rs 16
Raw material is limted to 100000 kg, b) If Labour hours are limited to 18,400 hours. Variable Overheads @ Rs 4 (10X0.4
Total Variable Cost
Contribution per unit
Units
Total Contribution
Solution: Statement of Contribution Fixed Ovrheads Cost
Product X Y Z Profit
Expected Demand (units) 6000 4000 3000
Raw material cost as % of Sales
80% 60% 75%
Value
Rs. Rs. Rs. When Raw materal is Key Factor
Selling price (SP) 250 200 400
Variable cost per unit:
Direct material @Rs.20 p. kg. 200 120 300
Direct labour @ Rs 16 per hour 24 40 32
Variable overheads 6 10 8
Total variable cost per unit 230 170 340
Contribution per unit 20 30 60
Material required p.u. (Kg.) 10 6 15
Contribution per Kg. of material 2 5 4
Ranking (Contribution per Kg. of
material ) III I II
Labour hours required per unit
(Labour cost / Rs.16) 1.5 2.5 2
Contribution per labour hour 13.33333333333 12 30
Ranking (based on contribution per II III I
labour hour)
Fixed Cost 36000 24000 18000 78000
(i) When raw material is key factor : Total raw material Available = 1,00,000
kg. Optimum Product Mix will be
Y 4000 6 24000
Z 3000 15 45000
X 3100 10 31000
Total 100000
10X+6Y+15Z<=100000
X Y Z LHV RHV
1 0 0 3100 <= 6000
0 1 0 4000 <= 4000
0 0 1 3000 <= 3000
10 6 15 100000 <= 100000
Alternate Solution based on SOLVER when Labour hour is Key Factor
X Y Z
MAXIMUM DEMAND 6000 4000 3000
Selling price (SP) 250 200 400
Raw Material % 0.8 0.6 0.75
Raw Material per unit (Rs.) 200 120 300
Raw Material per unit (kg) @ Rs20 10 6 15
Labour per unit (Rs.) 24 40 32
Labour Hours per unit@ Rs 16 1.5 2.5 2
Variable Overheads @ Rs 4 (10X0.4) 6 10 8
Total Variable Cost 230 170 340
Contribution per unit 20 30 60
Units 6000 1360 3000 340800
Total Contribution 120000 40800 180000
Fixed Ovrheads Cost 36000 24000 18000
Profit 262800
Existing Proposed
Domestic Export Total
Sales (units) 10000 10000 20000 30000
Rs. Rs. Rs. Rs.
Selling Price 4.25 3.72 3.55
Sales 42500 37200 71000 108200
Variable Cost:
Material Cost 15000 15000 30000 45000
Labour Cost 11000 11000 22000 33000
Variable Overheads 6000 6000 12000 18000
Total Variable Cost 32000 32000 64000 96000
Contribution 10500 5200 7000 12200
Less: Fixed Cost 8000 8000 800 8800
Profir 2500 -2800 6200 3400
Recommendation: Yes, it is worthwhile to try to enter the foreign market as it will give a net
profit of Rs.6,200. Next year, this will help the firm to cover a loss of Rs. 2,800 from domestic
market and earn an overall net profit of Rs.3,400 (Rs. 6,200 – Rs. 2,800).
Recommendation: Yes, it is worthwhile to try to enter the foreign market as it will give a net
profit of Rs.6,200. Next year, this will help the firm to cover a loss of Rs. 2,800 from domestic
market and earn an overall net profit of Rs.3,400 (Rs. 6,200 – Rs. 2,800).
P9 .(Illustration 38. Page (Export Order Pricing using Differential Costing Approach) A company is at present working at 90
percent of its capacity and producing 13,500 units per annum. It operates a flexible budgetary control system. The following
figures are obtained from its budget:
90%(Rs.) 100% (Rs.)
Sales 15,00,000 16,00,000
Fixed expenses 3,00,500 3,00,6,00
Semi-fixed expenses 97,500 1,00,500
Variable expenses 1,45,000 1,49,500
Units made 13,500 15,000
Labour and material cost per unit are constant under present conditions. Profit margin is 10 percent.
(a) You are required to determine the differential cost of producing 1,500 units by increasing capacity to100 percent.
(b) What would you recommend for an export price for these 1,500 units taking into account the overseasprices are much
lower than indigenous prices?
Solution: Working: Computation of Material and Labour Cost using information at 90% Capacity
Rs.
Sales 1500000
Less Profit 150000
Total Cost 1350000
Less: All cost other than material & Labour
Fixed Expenses 300500
Semi-fixed expenses 97500
Variable expenses 145000 543000
Material & Labour 807000
Solution: Statement of Incremental Revenue (IR), Differential Cost (DC) and Incremental Profit (IP)
Capacity(%) Output(units) SP(Rs.) Sales(Rs.) IR (Rs.) VC(Rs.) FC(Rs.) TC(Rs.) DC(Rs.) IP(Rs.) profit
50% 25000 2 50000 25000 20000 45000 5000
60% 30000 1.9 57000 7000 30000 20000 50000 5000 2000 7000
70% 35000 1.85 64750 7750 35000 20000 55000 5000 2750 9750
80% 40000 1.8 72000 7250 40000 20000 60000 5000 2250 12000
90% 45000 1.7 76500 4500 45000 20000 65000 5000 -500 11500
100% 50000 1.6 80000 3500 50000 20000 70000 5000 -1500 10000
Total Capacity 50000
Capacity 100%
Units 50000
Selling Price 1.6
Less: VC 1
Contribution 0.6
Total Contribution 30000
Less: FC 20000
Profit 10000
P/V Ratio #REF!
BEP in Units #REF!
BE Sales #REF!
M/S #REF!
Scenario Summary
Current Values: 50 percent 60 percent 70 percent 80 percent 90 percent 100 percent
Changing Cells:
Capacity 100% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Selling_Price 1.6 2 1.9 1.85 1.8 1.7 1.6
Result Cells:
Total_Capacity 50000 50000 50000 50000 50000 50000 50000
Capacity 100% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Units 50000 25000 30000 35000 40000 45000 50000
Selling_Price 1.6 2 1.9 1.85 1.8 1.7 1.6
Less_VC 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Contribution 0.6 1 0.9 0.85 0.8 0.7 0.6
Total_Contribution 30000 25000 27000 29750 32000 31500 30000
Less_FC 20000 20000 20000 20000 20000 20000 20000
Profit 10000 5000 7000 9750 12000 11500 10000
PV_Ratio 0.375 0.5 0.4736842105 0.4594594595 0.4444444444 0.4117647059 0.375
BEP 33333.333333 20000 22222.222222 23529.411765 25000 28571.428571 33333.333333
BE_Sales 53333.333333 40000 42222.222222 43529.411765 45000 48571.428571 53333.333333
Margin_of_Safety 26666.666667 10000 14777.777778 21220.588235 27000 27928.571429 26666.666667
Notes: Current Values column represents values of changing cells at
time Scenario Summary Report was created. Changing cells for each
scenario are highlighted in grey.
Simple Differential
Contribution 13.2
Less: FC 150000
Profit 47973.6