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McDowell Industries sells on terms of \(3 / 10\), net \(30 .\) Total sales for the year are \(\$ 912,500\). Forty percent of the customers pay on the 10th day and take discounts; the other 60 percent pay, on average, 40 days after their purchases. a. What is the days sales outstanding? b. What is the average amount of receivables? c. What would happen to average receivables if McDowell toughened up on its collection policy with the result that all nondiscount customers paid on the 30th day?

Short Answer

Expert verified
a. DSO is 28 days. b. Average receivables are approximately \$70,019. c. Average receivables decrease to \$55,015.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding the Problem

McDowell Industries sells goods with payment terms allowing a 3% discount if paid within 10 days, otherwise full payment is due in 30 days. We are given the total sales and different payment behaviors of customers. We need to calculate the days sales outstanding (DSO), average receivables, and the impact on receivables if payment behavior changes.
02

Calculate Days Sales Outstanding (DSO)

DSO measures the average number of days it takes to collect payment. It's calculated using the formula: \[\text{DSO} = \frac{\sum(\text{receivables} \times \text{days})}{\text{total sales}}\]- 40% of customers pay on the 10th day, therefore contributing 10 days.- 60% of customers pay, on average, 40 days after purchase.Thus, DSO is:\[\text{DSO} = (0.4 \times 10) + (0.6 \times 40) = 4 + 24 = 28 \text{ days}\]
03

Calculate Average Receivables

Average receivables represent the amount owed to the company at any point in time. It's calculated by multiplying the daily sales by the DSO. Daily sales is found by dividing total sales by 365:\[\text{Daily Sales} = \frac{\\(912,500}{365} \approx \\)2,500.68\]Then compute average receivables:\[\text{Average Receivables} = \text{Daily Sales} \times \text{DSO}\]\[\text{Average Receivables} \approx \\(2,500.68 \times 28 \approx \\)70,019.04\]
04

Impact of Policy Change on Average Receivables

If all nondiscount customers pay on the 30th day, the new DSO would change to :\[\text{New DSO} = (0.4 \times 10) + (0.6 \times 30) = 4 + 18 = 22 \text{ days}\]Calculate the new average receivables:\[\text{New Average Receivables} = \text{Daily Sales} \times \text{New DSO}\]\[\text{New Average Receivables} \approx \\(2,500.68 \times 22 \approx \\)55,014.96\]This reflects a decrease in receivables due to improved collection policy.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Days Sales Outstanding (DSO)
Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) is an important metric that helps a company understand how quickly it collects on its credit sales. Essentially, it represents the average number of days a company takes to receive payment after a sale has been made. A lower DSO value signifies quicker payment collection, while a higher DSO indicates a delay in payment, potentially indicating cash flow issues.
For McDowell Industries, we observed a DSO of 28 days under the given terms. This figure was calculated based on customer payment behavior, with 40% paying early, taking advantage of a discount, and 60% paying later than the standard terms allowed. To calculate the DSO, you adjust each group of customers by the average days it takes them to pay, and then find a weighted average:
  • 40% of customers pay after 10 days: Contribution to DSO = 0.4 * 10 = 4 days.
  • 60% of customers pay, on average, 40 days later: Contribution to DSO = 0.6 * 40 = 24 days.
The total DSO is then obtained by adding these contributions together, giving McDowell Industries a DSO of 28 days.
A high DSO like this could suggest that the company might need to revise their collection procedures or explore issues in customer credit management.
Average Receivables
Average Receivables is a key financial metric that reflects the typical amount of outstanding credit sales at any given time. It gives a snapshot of how much money is owed to the company from its customers. Knowing this amount helps businesses manage their cash flow efficiently.
To find the Average Receivables, you first figure out the Daily Sales, which is calculated by dividing the Total Sales by the number of days in a year (365 days):
  • Daily Sales = 912,500 / 365 = approximately 2,500.68.
With this information, you multiply the Daily Sales by the DSO (that we calculated earlier) to get:
  • Average Receivables = Daily Sales * DSO = 2,500.68 * 28 ≈ 70,019.04.
Thus, McDowell Industries typically has about $70,019.04 tied up in receivables at any given time. Managing this amount effectively ensures liquidity while maintaining good customer relationships.
Collection Policy
Collection Policy refers to the rules and procedures that a company implements to collect outstanding accounts receivable. It's crucial because it affects a company's cash flow, customer satisfaction, and the overall financial health.
For McDowell Industries, the current policy and customer behavior lead to a DSO of 28 days. However, if the company tightens its policy, encouraging customers to pay within 30 days instead of 40, the DSO would drop to 22 days.
This adjustment assumes that all of the 60% of customers taking longer would reduce their payment time, effectively lowering the DSO: - New DSO = (0.4 * 10) + (0.6 * 30) = 22 days. The result is a reduction in Average Receivables, as seen in the calculations:
  • New Average Receivables ≈ 2,500.68 * 22 ≈ 55,014.96.
Such a policy change would reduce the receivables by around $15,004.08, reflecting better cash flow. Improvements in collection policies such as reminding clients via emails or phone calls, offering incentives for early payments, and clear contract terms, can significantly impact a company's cash position.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

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