Which date is used to record a credit card transaction? When a business uses its credit card, the transaction date is the date the credit card is used, not the date that the credit card statement is paid. For example, if...
Which date is used to record a credit card transaction? When a business uses its credit card, the transaction date is the date the credit card is used, not the date that the credit card statement is paid. For example, if...
What is the payout ratio? The payout ratio indicates the percentage of a corporation’s earnings which are distributed as cash dividends to its stockholders. Typically, the payout ratio is computed by using the per...
What is callable stock? Callable stock is an ownership interest (shares) in a corporation that can be “called in” by the corporation at a specified price. For example, a corporation might issue 9% $100 Preferred...
What is a bookkeeper? Definition of Bookkeeper A bookkeeper is usually employed by a small to mid-size company (or other organization) to process and record the large volume of transactions involving sales, purchases,...
What are bonds payable? Definition of Bonds Payable Bonds payable are a form of long term debt usually issued by corporations, hospitals, and governments. The issuer of bonds makes a formal promise/agreement to pay...
What is an outlier? In cost accounting, an outlier could be a cost or its related level of activity that is out of line with other observations. An outlier can be detected by plotting each observation’s cost and...
What is boilerplate? In business, boilerplate is a term to describe the standard wording that is contained in warranties and other documents. Generally, the information that is boilerplate is not subject to change....
What is prime cost? Definition of Prime Cost In cost accounting, the prime cost of a manufactured product is the combination of the following: Direct materials cost Direct labor cost The indirect manufacturing costs...
What is practical capacity? Definition of Practical Capacity Practical capacity is a manufacturer’s level of output (often expressed in machine hours, barrels, pounds, etc.). Practical capacity is less than its...
What is yield to maturity? Definition of Yield to Maturity Yield to maturity is the total return that will be earned by someone who purchases a bond and holds it until its maturity date. The yield to maturity might also...
What is variance analysis? Definition of Variance Analysis In accounting, a variance is the difference between an actual amount and a budgeted, planned or past amount. Variance analysis is one step in the process of...
What is the dividend yield? The dividend yield is the annual cash dividend per share of common stock divided by the market price of a share of the common stock. Usually, fast growing corporations have a low dividend...
What are direct costs? Definition of Direct Costs Direct costs are directly traceable to a cost object such as a product or a department. In other words, direct costs do not have to be allocated to a product, department,...
What is the high-low method? Definition of High-Low Method The high-low method is a simple technique for determining the variable cost rate and the amount of fixed costs that are part of what’s referred to as a mixed...
What is direct labor? Definition of Direct Labor Direct labor refers to the employees and temporary staff who work directly on a manufacturer’s products. (People working in the production area, but not directly on the...
What is a learning curve? Definition of Learning Curve A common learning curve shows that the cumulative average time to complete a manual task (in which learning is involved) will decrease 20% whenever the cumulative...
Isn't all overhead fixed? Not all overhead is fixed. Some manufacturing overhead costs, which are also referred to as indirect factory costs, are variable. A common example of a variable overhead cost is the electricity...
What is a plant-wide overhead rate? Definition of Plant-wide Overhead Rate A plant-wide overhead rate is often a single rate per hour or a percentage of some cost that is used to allocate or assign a company’s...
What is meant by overabsorbed? Overabsorbed is usually used in the context of a manufacturer’s production overhead costs. Since manufacturing overhead costs are not directly traceable to products, they need to be...
What is DCF? In accounting, DCF refers to discounted cash flows or to the discounted cash flow techniques such as net present value or internal rate of return. DCF is a preferred method for evaluating capital...
What is the 13-point average for inventory? The 13-point average for inventory for the calendar year 2023 would be the sum of the following: (the inventory amount at December 31, 2022 plus the 12 end-of-the-month amounts...
What does an unfavorable volume variance indicate? An unfavorable volume variance indicates that the amount of fixed manufacturing overhead costs applied (or assigned) to the manufacturer’s output was less than the...
in the company’s general ledger account Materials Purchase Price Variance. The company’s general ledger accounts for inventories (raw materials, work-in-process inventory, finished goods) and the cost of goods sold...
What is a predetermined overhead rate? Definition of Predetermined Overhead Rate A predetermined overhead rate is often an annual rate used to assign or allocate indirect manufacturing costs to the goods it produces....
What is the break-even formula? Break-even Point in Units of Product The formula for determining the break-even point in units of product sold is: total fixed expenses divided by the contribution margin per unit. For...
What is benchmarking? Benchmarking is a process for improving some activity within an organization. We will illustrate benchmarking with the following example. Company Q has identified one of its activities that needs...
What is the price earnings ratio? The price earnings ratio, or P/E ratio, is the market price per share of common stock divided by the earnings per share of common stock. A corporation with a high price earnings ratio is...
What is setup cost? Definition of Setup Cost In manufacturing, setup cost is the cost incurred to get equipment ready to process a different batch of goods. Hence, setup cost is regarded as a batch-level cost in activity...
What does per annum mean? Definition of Per Annum Per annum means yearly or annually. It is a common phrase used to describe an interest rate. Often “per annum” is omitted, as in “I have a 4% mortgage loan.” or...
What is the interest coverage ratio? Definition of Interest Coverage Ratio The interest coverage ratio is a financial ratio used as an indicator of a company’s ability to pay the interest on its debt. (The required...
What is synergy? In business the term synergy is often associated with the merger or acquisition of companies. Synergy implies that the outcomes resulting from the merger of two companies will be greater than the sum...
What is marginal cost? Definition of Marginal Cost Marginal cost is a manufacturer’s cost to produce one more unit of product. In other words, marginal cost is the change in total costs when one additional unit is...
What is hurdle rate? Definition of Hurdle Rate In capital budgeting, the term hurdle rate is the minimum rate that a company wants to earn when investing in a project. Therefore, the hurdle rate is also referred to as...
What are indirect manufacturing costs? Definition of Indirect Manufacturing Costs Indirect manufacturing costs are a manufacturer’s production costs other than direct materials and direct labor. Indirect manufacturing...
What are pro forma financial statements? Definition of Pro Forma Financial Statement A pro forma financial statement is one based on certain assumptions and projections (as opposed to the typical financial statement...
What is the difference between prime costs and conversion costs? Cost Categories of a Manufactured Product Prime costs and conversion costs pertain to the three cost categories of a manufactured product: Direct materials...
How do we deal with a negative contribution margin ratio when calculating our break-even point? Definition of Negative Contribution Margin A negative contribution margin ratio indicates that a company’s variable costs...
What are departmental overhead rates? Definition of Departmental Overhead Rates Departmental overhead rates are used by many manufacturers to allocate (assign, apply) manufacturing overhead to the goods it produces...
Is rent expense a period cost or a product cost? Definition of Rent Expense Rent expense is often a monthly amount paid by a company for use of a building. Typically, the rent is due on the first day of every month that...
What is the contribution margin ratio? Definition of Contribution Margin Ratio The contribution margin ratio is the percentage of sales revenues, service revenues, or selling price remaining after subtracting all of the...
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