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Specific identification is sometimes said to be the ideal method of assigning a cost to inventory and to the cost of goods sold. Briefly indicate the arguments for and againstthis method of inventory valuation.

Short Answer

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Special identification is a method of valuing inventory at a specific cost for each specific item. This is an ideal method with several difficulties.

Step by step solution

01

Arguments for the special identification method

The major argument for the special identification method is that it is the ideal method of valuing inventory. This is because it is the only method through which the actual cot can match with actual revenue. Thus under this method, the physical flow of goods matches the cost flow of goods.

02

Arguments against special identification method

One of the arguments against the special identification method is that the reported income can be manipulated by showing higher costs or lower costs. This may lead to tax evasion or other malpractices.

Another problem with this method is the arbitrary issue. This arbitrary issue is due to the difficulty of allocating indirect expenses to inventory.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Dimitri Company, a manufacturer of small tools, provided the following information from its accounting records for the year ended December 31, 2017.

Inventory at December 31, 2017 (based on physical count of goods in Dimitriโ€™s plant, at cost, on December 31, 2017) \(1,520,000

Accounts payable at December 31, 2017 1,200,000

Net sales (sales less sales returns) 8,150,000

Additional information is as follows.

1. Included in the physical count were tools billed to a customer f.o.b. shipping point on December 31, 2017. These tools had a cost of \)31,000 and were billed at \(40,000. The shipment was on Dimitriโ€™s loading dock waiting to be picked up by the common carrier.

2. Goods were in transit from a vendor to Dimitri on December 31, 2017. The invoice cost was \)76,000, and the goods were shipped f.o.b. shipping point on December 29, 2017.

3. Work in process inventory costing \(30,000 was sent to an outside processor for plating on December 30, 2017.

4. Tools returned by customers and held pending inspection in the returned goods area on December 31, 2017, were not included in the physical count. On January 8, 2018, the tools costing \)32,000 were inspected and returned to inventory. Credit memos totaling \(47,000 were issued to the customers on the same date.

5. Tools shipped to a customer f.o.b. destination on December 26, 2017, were in transit at December 31, 2017, and had a cost of \)26,000. Upon notification of receipt by the customer on January 2, 2018, Dimitri issued a sales invoice for \(42,000.

6. Goods, with an invoice cost of \)27,000, received from a vendor at 5:00 p.m. on December 31, 2017, were recorded on a receiving report dated January 2, 2018. The goods were not included in the physical count, but the invoice was included in accounts payable at December 31, 2017.

7. Goods received from a vendor on December 26, 2017, were included in the physical count. However, the related \(56,000 vendor invoice was not included in accounts payable at December 31, 2017, because the accounts payable copy of the receiving report was lost.

8. On January 3, 2018, a monthly freight bill in the amount of \)8,000 was received. The bill specifically related to merchandise purchased in December 2017, one-half of which was still in the inventory at December 31, 2017. The freight charges were not included in either the inventory or in accounts payable at December 31, 2017.

Instructions

Using the format shown below, prepare a schedule of adjustments as of December 31, 2017, to the initial amounts per Dimitriโ€™s accounting records. Show separately the effect, if any, of each of the eight transactions on the December 31, 2017, amounts. If the transactions would have no effect on the initial amount shown, enter NONE.

Accounts Net

Inventory Payable Sales

Initial amounts \(1,520,000 \)1,200,000 \(8,150,000

Adjustmentsโ€”increase

(decrease)

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Total adjustments

Adjusted amounts \) \( \)

Case 3: The Kroger Company

The Kroger Company reported the following data in its annual report (in millions).

January 31, February 1, February 2,

2015 2014 2013

Net sales \(108,465 \)98,375 $96,619

Cost of sales (using LIFO) 85,512 78,138 76,726

Year-end inventories using FIFO 6,933 6,801 6,244

Year-end inventories using LIFO 5,688 5,651 5,146

Instructions

(a) Compute Krogerโ€™s inventory turnovers for fiscal years ending January 31, 2015, and February 1, 2014, using:

(1) Cost of sales and LIFO inventory.

(2) Cost of sales and FIFO inventory.

(b) Some firms calculate inventory turnover using sales rather than cost of goods sold in the numerator. Calculate Krogerโ€™s fiscal years ending January 31, 2015, and February 1, 2014, turnover, using:

(1) Sales and LIFO inventory.

(2) Sales and FIFO inventory.

(c) State which method you would choose to evaluate Krogerโ€™s performance. Justify your choice.

FIFO, average-cost, and LIFO methods are often used instead of specific identification for inventory valuation purposes. Compare these methods with the specific identification method, discussing the theoretical propriety of each method in the determination of income and asset valuation.

Question:In your audit of Jose Oliva Company, you find that a physical inventory on December 31, 2017, showed merchandise with a cost of \(441,000 was on hand at that date. You also discover the followingitems were all excluded from the \)441,000.

1. Merchandise of \(61,000 which is held by Oliva on consignment. The consignor is the Max Suzuki Company.

2. Merchandise costing \)38,000 which was shipped by Oliva f.o.b. destination to a customer on December 31, 2017. The customerwas expected to receive the merchandise on January 6, 2018.

3. Merchandise costing \(46,000 which was shipped by Oliva f.o.b. shipping point to a customer on December 29, 2017. Thecustomer was scheduled to receive the merchandise on January 2, 2018.

4. Merchandise costing \)83,000 shipped by a vendor f.o.b. destination on December 30, 2017, and received by Oliva on January4, 2018.

5. Merchandise costing $51,000 shipped by a vendor f.o.b. shipping point on December 31, 2017, and received by Oliva onJanuary 5, 2018.

Instructions

Based on the above information, calculate the amount that should appear on Olivaโ€™s balance sheet at December 31, 2017, for inventory.

How might a company obtain a price index in order to apply dollar-value LIFO?

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