Gary Radio Corporation is a subsidiary of Salem Companies. Gary makes car radios that it sells to retail outlets. It purchases speakers for the radios from outside suppliers for $56 each. Recently, Salem acquired the Hyden Speaker Corporation, which makes car radio speakers that it sells to manufacturers. Hyden produces and sells approximately 200,000 speakers per year, which represents 70 percent of its operating capacity. At the present volume of activity, each speaker costs $48 to produce. This cost consists of a $32 variable cost component and an $16 fixed cost component. Hyden sells the speakers for $60 each. The managers of Gary and Hyden have been asked to consider using Hyden's excess capacity to supply Gary with some of the speakers that it currently purchases from unrelated companies. Both managers are evaluated based on return on investment. Hyden's manager suggests that the speakers be supplied at a transfer price of $60 each (the current selling price). On the other hand, Gary's manager suggests a $56 transfer price, noting that this amount covers total cost and provides Hyden a healthy contribution margin.
a. What transfer price would you recommend?
b. Discuss the effect of the intercompany sales on each manager's return on investment.
c. Should Hyden be required to use more than excess capacity to provide speakers to Gary? In other words, should it sell to Gary some of the 200,000 units that it is currently selling to unrelated companies? Why or why not?

b. The intercompany sales at $56 per unit will increase Hyden's return on investment because it will use excess capacity to produce the required units while still selling to outside customers at $60 per unit. With regard to Gary's return on investment, there will be no change as this is the same price it buys from outside suppliers. However, if the price were to be $60 per unit, the return on investment will reduce while skyrocketing Hyden's.

c. Hyden can still sell some of the 200,000 units that it currently sells to unrelated companies at $56 if the outside demand is less than 200,000 units or if Gary will buy at $60 per unit.

Explanation:

a) Data and Calculations:

Purchase price from outside suppliers = $56 each

Production units of Hyden = 200,000

Capacity of Hyden = 285,714

Unit cost at present volume of activity = $48

Variable cost = $32

Fixed cost = $16

Transfer price by Hyden at $60:

Profit per unit = $12 ($60 - $48)

Return on investment = 25% ($12/$48 * 100)

Transfer price at $56 using excess capacity:

Incremental profit per unit = $24 ($56 - $32)

Incremental return on investment = 75% ($24/$32 * 100)

Transfer price at $56 producing below capacity:

Profit per unit = $8 ($56 - $48)

Return on investment = 16.7% ($8/$48 * 100)