Question

Analyzing Inventory Disclosure Comparing LIFO and FIFO

The current asset section of the 2014 and 2013 fiscal year end balance sheets of The Kroger Co. are presented in the accompanying table:

$ millions	January 31, 2015	February 1, 2014
Current assets
Cash and temporary cash investments	$188	$825
Deposits in-transit	786	666
Receivables	949	845
FIFO inventory	6,297	5,793
LIFO credit	(1,083)	(827)
Prepaid and other current assets	288	319
Total current assets	$7,425	$7,621

In addition, Kroger provides the following footnote describing its inventory accounting policy (assume the following is their complete disclosure):

Inventories are stated at the lower of cost (principally on a LIFO basis) or market. In total, approximately 95% of inventories in 2014 and 2013 were valued using the LIFO method. Cost for the balance of the inventories, including substantially all fuel inventories, was determined using the FIFO method. Replacement cost was higher than the carrying amount by $1,043 million at January 31, 2015 and $827 million at February 1, 2014. We follow the Link-Chain, Dollar-Value LIFO method for purposes of calculating our LIFO charge or credit.

Required:
a. At what dollar amount does Kroger report its inventory in its January 31, 2015, balance sheet?
$Answer million

b. What is the cumulative effect (through January 31, 2015) of the use of LIFO on Kroger's pretax earnings? (Show an increase as a positive number and a decrease as a negative number.)
$Answer million

c. Assuming a 35% tax rate, what is the cumulative (through January 31, 2015) tax effect of the use of LIFO to determine inventory costs?
(Show an increase as a positive number and a decrease as a negative number.)
(Round your answers to one decimal place.)
$Answer million

d. Kroger reported net earnings of $602 million in its fiscal year 2014 income statement. Assuming a 35% tax rate, what amount of net earnings would Kroger report if the company used the FIFO inventory costing method?
(Round your answers to one decimal place.)
$Answer million

e. Kroger reported merchandise costs (cost of goods sold) of $71,494 million in fiscal year 2014. Compute its inventory turnover for the year.
(Round your answers to one decimal place.)
Answer

f. Calculate the inventory turnover ratio if the FIFO costing method had been used.
(Round your answers to one decimal place.)
Answer

Answer 1

a.	LIFO inventory=FIFO inventory-LIFO reserve=6297-1083=5214
b.	Cumulative effect=Decrease in pre-tax income by $1083(LIFO credit)
c.	Cumulalative tax savings=LIFO credit*(1-tax rate)=103*(1-0.35)=$ 66.95
d.	FIFO earnings=LIFO earnings+Change in LIFO reserve*(1-tax)
	FIFO earnings=602+(1083-827)*(1-0.35)=768.4
e.	Inventory turnover=Cost of goods sold/Average inventory
	Average inventory=(Beginning inventory+Ending inventory)/2=[(5793-827)+(6297-1083)]/2=5090
	Inventory turnover=71494/5090=14.05 times
f.	Inventory turnover=Cost of goods sold/Average inventory
	FIFO cost of goods sold=LIFO cost of goods sold-Change in LIFO reserve=71494-(1083-827)=71238
	Average inventory=(Beginning inventory+Ending inventory)/2=(5793+6297)/2=6045
	Inventory turnover=71238/6045=11.78 times