BASIC EARNINGS POWER Definition

BASIC EARNINGS POWER (BEP) is useful for comparing firms in different tax situations and with different degrees of financial leverage. This ratio is often used as a measure of the effectiveness of operations. Basic Earning Power measures the basic profitability of Assets because it excludes consideration of interest and tax. This ratio should be examined in conjunction with turnover ratios to help pinpoint potential problems regarding asset management. Formula: EBIT / Total Assets

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COST ASSIGNMENT involves assigning costs of an account to the accounts that are responsible or accountable for incurring the cost. For example, the cost of issuing purchase orders is allocated to the various objects procured. The cost assignment is done through assignment paths and cost drivers. The assignment path identifies the source account (the account whose cost is being assigned "Issue Purchase Orders" in the above example) and destination accounts (the accounts to which the costs are being allocated the various cost objects procured by issuing purchase orders in the above example). The cost driver identifies the measure or rationale on the basis of which the assignment needs to be done, that is, whether the costs of issuing purchase orders need to be assigned to various cost objects evenly, based on some defined percentage values, or based on some criterion, like the number of purchase orders of each cost object issued. Defining the cost drivers and assignment paths (i.e., source and destination accounts) enable proper assignment and accounting of the various costs incurred in the organization.

CAPITAL CHARGE is a monetary amount, calculated by multiplying the money the business has tied up in capital, by the weighted average cost of capital (WACC). Capital charge is deducted from net operating profit after tax to arrive at Economic Profit.

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