Pickering Financial Management believes that the biotechnology industry is a good investment and is considering investing in one of two companies. However, one company, BrightWorid, Inc., uses the FIFO method of inventory, and another company, BioTech, Inc., uses LIFO. Because the companies use two different methods and because BioTech is a much larger company, it is difficult to compare their net incomes to see which is a better investment. The following information about the two companies is available from their annual reports:
BrightWorid, Inc.
2018 2017
Inventory $ 96,000 $ 80,000
Cost of goods sold. 1,144,000 913,000
Sales....... 1,760,000 1,660,000
Net income 197,000 190,000
BioTech, Inc. 2018 2017
Inventory (See Note), 344,000 $ 299,000
Cost of goods sold 3,864,000 4,224,000
Sales 7,360,000 7,040,000
Net income 830,000 730,000
Notes to the Financial Statement. If BioTech had used the FIFO method, inventory would have been $21.000 higher at the end of 2017 and $26,000 higher at the end of 2018.
To better compare the two companies, Pickering wants you to prepare the following analysis.
Showthe computation of BioTech's cost of goods sold in 2018 using the LIFO method.
Prepare summary journal entries for 2018 for BioTech's purchases of inventory (assume all purchases are on account), sales (assume all are on account), and cost of goods sold. A T- account has been set up for inventory. Post these transactions into the T-account. The company uses the perpetual inventory method.
Show the computation of BioTech's cost of goods sold for 2018 using the FIFO method.
Compute the gross profit percentage for 2018 for both BrightWorid and BioTech using FIFO figures for both.
Compute the inventory turnover for 2018 for both BrightWorid and BioTech using FIFO figures for both.
Which company appears stronger? Support your answer.