If company managers want to pursue cost-saving actions that can potentially result in their company achieving a sustainable cost advantage over rivals because the company's actions to cut costs cannot be detected by rivals from the information in either the fir or the comparative competitive efforts section of the cir, then they should consider.

a. pursuing actions to keep marketing expenses per branded pair sold in the wholesale segment at or near the industry-low in each region.
b. all possible avenues for avoiding the payment of any import tariffs
c. all possible means of boosting worker productivity in ways that lower labor costs per pair produced mail-in rebates.
d. underspending rivals on search engine advertising in the internet segment
e. always delivering orders to footwear retailers at the lowest feasible cost and never offering

Paar corporation bought 100 percent of kimmel, inc., on january 1, 2012. on that date, paar’s equipment (10-year life) has a book value of $420,000 but a fair value of $520,000. kimmel has equipment (10-year life) with a book value of $272,000 but a fair value of $400,000. paar uses the equity method to record its investment in kimmel. on december 31, 2014, paar has equipment with a book value of $294,000 but a fair value of $445,200. kimmel has equipment with a book value of $190,400 but a fair value of $357,000. the consolidated balance for the equipment account as of december 31, 2014 is $574,000. what would be the impact on consolidated balance for the equipment account as of december 31, 2014 if the parent had applied the initial value method rather than the equity method? the balance in the consolidated equipment account cannot be determined for the initial value method using the information given. the consolidated equipment account would have a higher reported balance. the consolidated equipment account would have a lower reported balance. no effect: the method the parent uses is for internal reporting purposes only and has no impact on consolidated totals.

Oakmont company has an opportunity to manufacture and sell a new product for a four-year period. the company’s discount rate is 18%. after careful study, oakmont estimated the following costs and revenues for the new product: cost of equipment needed $ 230,000 working capital needed $ 84,000 overhaul of the equipment in year two $ 9,000 salvage value of the equipment in four years $ 12,000 annual revenues and costs: sales revenues $ 400,000 variable expenses $ 195,000 fixed out-of-pocket operating costs $ 85,000 when the project concludes in four years the working capital will be released for investment elsewhere within the company. click here to view exhibit 12b-1 and exhibit 12b-2, to determine the appropriate discount factor(s) using tables.

Bridge building company estimates that it will incur $1,200,000 in overhead costs for the year. additionally, the company estimates 50,000 direct labor hours will be spent building custom walking bridges for the year at a total direct labor cost of $600,000. what is the predetermined overhead rate for bridge building company if direct labor costs are to be used as an allocation base?