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Running head: Problem Set # 2
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Running head: Problem Set # 2
Cathy started her own line of custom made, hand embellished wedding shoes. She
opened up her own shop paid $2500 in fixed licensing fee. She used about $3000 in raw
materials and made $3500. At the end of the first month, Carly, her sister looked at her
financials and told her that she was losing money and should shut down. Cathy is
heartbroken. As an economics guru, what would you advise her to do?
Cathy deals in custom made embellished wedding shoes and as per the given scenarios her
Fixed or Sunk Cost = $2,500
Variable Cost = $3,000
Revenue = $500
Looking at the current numbers it is advised to Cathy to “NOT TO SHUT DOWN HER
BUSINESS”.
This is advised as her revenue is based on raw material – total earnings and that showed the
positive number.
The fixed or sunk cost are counted in the decision making as they are unavoidable even if the
production is stopped.
Cathy cannot get those $2,500 back. Therefore, it is suggested not to shut down.
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Running head: Problem Set # 2
2. Prescott Pharmaceuticals makes a number of generic versions of drugs. When
Cymbalta (Duloxetine) lost its patent, Prescott invested $500,000 to obtain FDA
approval and $100,000 to certify one of its production lines for its production.
Production of the drug will cost $2,000,000. Marginal costs for the tablet are $0.10 and
they sell for $0.40 per tablet. But many firms have entered and now make Duloxetine
causing sales to fall off. Prescott anticipates that it could use this production line for
other drugs losing patent protection shortly. If forecasted sales are 5 million tablets,
what is the breakeven price? Should Prescott discontinue selling this product?
As per the given information
The FDA approved cost = $500,000
Certification cost = $100,000
Production cost= $2,000,000
Marginal/Variable cost per unit = $0.1
Selling price per unit = $0.4
Break even Point = fixed cost / selling price – variable price
= 5,000,000+100,000+2,000,000/0.4-0.1
=8,666,666 units
Now to calculate the selling price
(selling price x Number of units = Fixed cost + (Variable cost x Number of units)
Selling price x 5,000,000 = 2,600,000 +. (0.1 x 5,000,000)
Selling Price = $0.62
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Running head: Problem Set # 2
So the estimated breakeven price for 5,000,000 units will be $0.62
The analysis of the numbers calculated shows that the forecasted sales for the tablet is
5,000,000 units which will not get the company the desired breakeven point which is at
present 8,666,666 units. So it is suggested “NOT TO CONTINUE WITH THE DRUG”.