Average Cost Method:
As the name implies, the average cost method prices items in the inventory on the basis of the average cost of all similar goods available during the period. Example: Assume that a company had the following transactions in the first month of operations. Date Purchases Sold or Issued Balance March 2 2,000 @ $4.00 2,000 units March 15 6,000 @ $4.40 8,000 units March 19 4,000 units 4,000 units March 30 2,000 @ $4.75 6,000 units Assume the company used the periodic inventory method, the ending inventory and cost of goods sold would be computed as follows using a weighted average method. Date of Invoice No. of Units Unit Cost Total Cost March 2 2,000 @ $4.00 $8,000 March 15 6,000 @ 4.40 26,400 March 30 2,000 @ 4.75 9,500 ------------------------ ------------------ 10,000 $43,900 -------------------------- ---------------------- Weighted average cost per unit: $43,900/10,000 = $4.39 Inventory in units: 6,000 $4.39 = $26,340 Cost of goods available for sale = $43,900 Deduct: Ending inventory = 26,340 ------------------------- Cost of goods sold $17,560 If the company has a beginning inventory, it is included both in the total units available and in the total cost of goods available in computing the average cost per unit. Another average cost method is moving average method, which is used with perpetual inventory records. The application of the average cost method for perpetual records is shown below: Date Purchases Sold or Issued Balance March 2 (2,000 @ $4.00) $8,000 (2,000 @ $4.00) $8,000 March 15 (6,000 @ $4.40) $26,400 (8,000 @ $4.30) $34,400 March 19 (4,000 @ $4.30) 17,200 (4,000 @ $4.30) 17,200 March 30 2,000 @ $4.75 $9,500 (6,000 @ $4.45) 26,700 In this method a new average unit cost is computed each time a purchase is made. On 15 March, after 6,000 units are purchased for $26,400, 8,000 units costing $34,400 ($8,000 plus $26,400) are on hand. The average unit cost is $34,400 divided by 8,000, or $4.30. This unit cost is used in costing withdrawals until another purchase is made, at which time a new average unit cost is computed. Accordingly, the cost of the 4,000 units withdrawn on March 19 is shown at $4.30, a total cost of goods sold of $17,200. On March, following the purchase of 2,000 units for $9,500, a new unit cost of $4.45 is determined, resulting in an ending inventory of $26,700. The use of average cost methods is usually justified on the basis of practical rather than conceptual reasons. These methods are simple to apply, objective and not as subject to income manipulation as some of the other inventory pricing methods. In addition, proponents of the average cost methods argue that it is often impossible to measure a specific physical flow of inventory, and therefore it is better to cost items on an average price basis. This argument is particularly persuasive when the inventory involved is relatively homogeneous in nature. |