ATAR Notes: Forum

Archived Discussion => 2010 => Mid-year exams => Exam Discussion => Victoria => Accounting => Topic started by: emb_23 on June 08, 2010, 07:23:25 pm

Title: 2.1.2 Why Do businesses adopt FIFO?
Post by: emb_23 on June 08, 2010, 07:23:25 pm
:(
Title: Re: 2.1.2 Why Do businesses adopt FIFO?
Post by: mojomojo on June 08, 2010, 07:24:36 pm
I just wrote that it assists in the valuation of the balance of stock in the end.
Title: Re: 2.1.2 Why Do businesses adopt FIFO?
Post by: LFTM on June 08, 2010, 07:24:55 pm
i wrote something retarded....

What did you put?
Title: Re: 2.1.2 Why Do businesses adopt FIFO?
Post by: Albeno69 on June 08, 2010, 07:25:11 pm
i wrote so they can see how fast or slow stock is moving. also that its a method  of valuing the cost of goods sold that uses the cost of the oldest items in inventory first.
Title: Re: 2.1.2 Why Do businesses adopt FIFO?
Post by: emb_23 on June 08, 2010, 07:25:56 pm
hahah i wrote an answer when the women said 5 mins left
I said it was a consistent method and upheld consistency haha
Title: Re: 2.1.2 Why Do businesses adopt FIFO?
Post by: Rockim on June 08, 2010, 07:26:46 pm
 i wrote something like its easiest and cheapest way of valuing stocks. Then i said why is was better then the 'coding system' of valuing stocks.  :D zero marks for me
Title: Re: 2.1.2 Why Do businesses adopt FIFO?
Post by: jake on June 08, 2010, 07:28:03 pm
i wrote so they can see how fast or slow stock is moving. also that its a method  of valuing the cost of goods sold that uses the cost of the oldest items in inventory first.

i wrote that fifo assumes that the first purchase stock will be the first stock to leave the business and in applying this assumption the determination of the cost of sales expense can be quickly and easily determined, stock transaction can be easily reported in the stock card and that it saves time in comparison to the time consuming process of identifying the cost value of the individual units of stock sold....
Title: Re: 2.1.2 Why Do businesses adopt FIFO?
Post by: Chavi on June 08, 2010, 07:30:30 pm
'''''''''''
Fifo allows the firm to save time on tedious and cumbersome stock valuations, by simply assuming that first in is first out . . etc for 2 marks
Title: Re: 2.1.2 Why Do businesses adopt FIFO?
Post by: mojomojo on June 08, 2010, 07:32:51 pm
'''''''''''
Fifo allows the firm to save time on tedious and cumbersome stock valuations, by simply assuming that first in is first out . . etc for 2 marks

good one D:
Title: Re: 2.1.2 Why Do businesses adopt FIFO?
Post by: Chavi on June 08, 2010, 07:36:32 pm
With the vcaa exams, they try to catch out weaker/tireder students who would be prone to simply giving a rote learned definition.
Title: Re: 2.1.2 Why Do businesses adopt FIFO?
Post by: Albeno69 on June 08, 2010, 07:37:26 pm
With the vcaa exams, they try to catch out weaker/tireder students who would be prone to simply giving a rote learned definition.
i hate vcaa after that exam
Title: Re: 2.1.2 Why Do businesses adopt FIFO?
Post by: mojomojo on June 08, 2010, 07:37:54 pm
With the vcaa exams, they try to catch out weaker/tireder students who would be prone to simply giving a rote learned definition.

Yeah, thats a good thing i guess.. catch out the students with good memories and reward the intelligent ones.
Title: Re: 2.1.2 Why Do businesses adopt FIFO?
Post by: Stormer on June 08, 2010, 08:02:22 pm
I wrote: It best matches the natural (out)flow of stock.
Title: Re: 2.1.2 Why Do businesses adopt FIFO?
Post by: kakar0t on June 08, 2010, 08:04:27 pm
What do you guys think of this:

FIFO (first in first out) provides management with a higher level of control over their stock. Also, it instills a cross-checking mechanism where physical stocktakes can be used to verify the accuracy of the stock records.

How many marks have i lost here :S
Title: Re: 2.1.2 Why Do businesses adopt FIFO?
Post by: Akirus on June 08, 2010, 08:05:36 pm
What do you guys think of this:

FIFO (first in first out) provides management with a higher level of control over their stock. Also, it instills a cross-checking mechanism where physical stocktakes can be used to verify the accuracy of the stock records.

How many marks have i lost here :S

2, most likely.
Title: Re: 2.1.2 Why Do businesses adopt FIFO?
Post by: Chavi on June 08, 2010, 08:12:58 pm
What do you guys think of this:

FIFO (first in first out) provides management with a higher level of control over their stock. Also, it instills a cross-checking mechanism where physical stocktakes can be used to verify the accuracy of the stock records.

How many marks have i lost here :S
What does fifo have to do with cross check mechanisms.. aren't u referring to the balance in the stock card vs physical stocktake?
Title: Re: 2.1.2 Why Do businesses adopt FIFO?
Post by: Stormer on June 08, 2010, 08:15:00 pm
What do you guys think of this:

FIFO (first in first out) provides management with a higher level of control over their stock. Also, it instills a cross-checking mechanism where physical stocktakes can be used to verify the accuracy of the stock records.

How many marks have i lost here :S

2, most likely.

Just wondering, what answer did you have?
Title: Re: 2.1.2 Why Do businesses adopt FIFO?
Post by: ks04 on June 08, 2010, 08:16:35 pm
I said that FIFO allow for an easy, cheap, consistant method of tracking stock and recording stock value without going to the expense of setting up a barcoding system to identify the actual cost price of each peice of stock... *shrug*
Title: Re: 2.1.2 Why Do businesses adopt FIFO?
Post by: Akirus on June 08, 2010, 08:19:41 pm
FIFO is basically used where it is impossible or impractical to use an identified cost system. Applying the assumption that stock first in is the first out, despite the fact that this may not necessarily be the case, allows a perpetual system to be implemented, or at least with less expenses/etc involved.

I wrote more than that, but something along those lines.
Title: Re: 2.1.2 Why Do businesses adopt FIFO?
Post by: Chavi on June 08, 2010, 08:21:00 pm
I said that FIFO allow for an easy, cheap, consistant method of tracking stock and recording stock value without going to the expense of setting up a barcoding system to identify the actual cost price of each peice of stock... *shrug*
yep, said similar. I don't even think there was any need to define fifo
Title: Re: 2.1.2 Why Do businesses adopt FIFO?
Post by: Fyrefly on June 08, 2010, 11:27:32 pm

There are only two methods of stock valuation allowed for interchangeable goods in Australia.
One is FIFO, the other is weighted average cost.
So I guess one reason that it's used is because there really isn't a whole lot of choice.
Since you guys haven't studied weighted average cost method, it is difficult to suggest reasons why FIFO would be preferred.
...I dunno... have you guys studied LIFO maybe?? (you can't use it in Australia... only in the US)

Specific identification method (the 'each individual item has its own unique barcode' method of tracking inventory) is only used for inventory that is not interchangeable - that is, stock that is, by nature, individually priced, eg. diamonds, antiques, second-hand cars.

In real-life, FIFO is used because it restricts a business' ability to manipulate its profit figures or overstate expenses (increase in expenses = decrease in profit = less income tax payable to ATO). For instance, in times of rising prices (inflation), if you sell your oldest stock first, but you pretend that it's the new stock that's gone first... your inventory is going to be understated, your expenses overstated, and your profit understated. So the use of FIFO is supported by faithful representation reliability when considering this perspective.

Additionally, during times of inflation (which is almost always), not only are you going to be paying more for your inventory, but you are likely to be *charging* more for it as well. So, it is more consistent if you are to sell the cheaper stock when you charge cheaper prices, and sell the more expensive stock (and face an increase in COGS) as you begin to charge higher prices. It keeps expenses and revenues more aligned, which is better for both relevance and consistency when you look at it from this angle.

It's also easier to apply than weighted average cost (less calculations), and (though accountants don't care about this) usually emulates real-life because most businesses sell older stock first before they put their new stock on the shelves. This is called 'stock rotation' - think about supermarkets... they want to sell the food with the closer use-by first in order to reduce wastage ('stock loss').

Anywayz... it's kind of hard to guess what vcaa is wanting from you guys... perhaps if you dropped words like 'cheaper', 'more simple', and/or 'reflects real life' you'll pick up the marks. I dunno... vcaa is full of morons... I have no idea what angle they're going for on this.


Edit: Sorry... I have trouble remembering all the VCE terminology... I think I used VCE words for everything else.
Title: Re: 2.1.2 Why Do businesses adopt FIFO?
Post by: _avO on July 31, 2010, 09:07:25 pm

There are only two methods of stock valuation allowed for interchangeable goods in Australia.
One is FIFO, the other is weighted average cost.
So I guess one reason that it's used is because there really isn't a whole lot of choice.
Since you guys haven't studied weighted average cost method, it is difficult to suggest reasons why FIFO would be preferred.
...I dunno... have you guys studied LIFO maybe?? (you can't use it in Australia... only in the US)

Specific identification method (the 'each individual item has its own unique barcode' method of tracking inventory) is only used for inventory that is not interchangeable - that is, stock that is, by nature, individually priced, eg. diamonds, antiques, second-hand cars.

In real-life, FIFO is used because it restricts a business' ability to manipulate its profit figures or overstate expenses (increase in expenses = decrease in profit = less income tax payable to ATO). For instance, in times of rising prices (inflation), if you sell your oldest stock first, but you pretend that it's the new stock that's gone first... your inventory is going to be understated, your expenses overstated, and your profit understated. So the use of FIFO is supported by faithful representation reliability when considering this perspective.

Additionally, during times of inflation (which is almost always), not only are you going to be paying more for your inventory, but you are likely to be *charging* more for it as well. So, it is more consistent if you are to sell the cheaper stock when you charge cheaper prices, and sell the more expensive stock (and face an increase in COGS) as you begin to charge higher prices. It keeps expenses and revenues more aligned, which is better for both relevance and consistency when you look at it from this angle.


It's also easier to apply than weighted average cost (less calculations), and (though accountants don't care about this) usually emulates real-life because most businesses sell older stock first before they put their new stock on the shelves. This is called 'stock rotation' - think about supermarkets... they want to sell the food with the closer use-by first in order to reduce wastage ('stock loss').

Anywayz... it's kind of hard to guess what vcaa is wanting from you guys... perhaps if you dropped words like 'cheaper', 'more simple', and/or 'reflects real life' you'll pick up the marks. I dunno... vcaa is full of morons... I have no idea what angle they're going for on this.


Edit: Sorry... I have trouble remembering all the VCE terminology... I think I used VCE words for everything else.

I wrote something like that (the bolded section) where you take into account inflation hence FIFO being applied will create the largest profit margin for any given period. How many marks will I get (if any)?