The Difference Between Traditional and Absorption Income Statements

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Dorothy McDaniel Module 3 Case The traditional income statement format uses absorption or full costing, in which variable and fixed manufacturing costs are part of the inventory costs and, thus, part of the cost of goods sold calculation. The contribution margin format uses variable costing, in which fixed manufacturing costs are part of the overhead costs of the accounting period and are not part of the product costs. The reasoning behind this approach is that because companies incur these fixed costs regardless of the sales volume, they should not be a part of product costs. A traditional income statement shows the gross profit, operating profit and pretax and after-tax net income for an accounting period. Generally accepted accounting principles require companies to use the traditional income statement format for external reporting. The contribution margin format allows stakeholders to determine the breakeven point of individual products or product categories. The breakeven point is the sales level at which the company covers its fixed expenses and begins to make a profit. Manufacturing operations benefit from the contribution margin format. Small businesses, including sole proprietorships and partnerships, may use the single-step format, which has two groupings of revenues and expenses. In the multi-step income statement format, the top section shows the gross profit calculation, which is net revenue minus cost of goods sold. The next section lists operating expenses, such as marketing, rent and supplies. A company's operating profit is the difference between gross profit and total operating expenses. Non-operating items, such as interest and taxes, are below the operating income line. The net income from continuing operations is the operating income minus non-operating items. The final section lists extraordinary items, such as flood damage, and the bottom

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