In order to understand Material Price Variance, we must first understand Material Cost Variance. Show
Material cost variance is a key component to calculating the material price variance. Material Cost VarianceThe Material Cost Variance (MCV) compares the standard cost that a business pays for the direct materials it consumes as part of its production to the business’s actual cost of those direct materials. The Material Cost Variance allows companies to see whether the cost that they have incurred for direct materials is more or less than the standard cost of those direct materials. Therefore, Material Cost Variance is a good way for a business to keep an eye on how much the company is deviating from the standards the business has set. Formula for MCVMaterial Cost Variance = Standard Cost for Actual Output – Actual Cost Reasons For Material Cost VarianceMaterial cost variances may be caused by the purchase price a business is paying being less than the standard price or due to a business changing the quantity of the material they use. Therefore, Material Cost Variance is made up of two different components basically: Material Quantity Variance and Material Price Variance. Next, we will look at Material Price Variance. Material Price VarianceA Material Price Variance (MPV) occurs when the actual price paid for materials used in production is different than the standard price for the materials. The Material Price Variance will be favorable if the actual price paid for the materials is less than the standard price. In contrast, if the price paid for the materials is greater than the standard price, the Material Price Variance will be adverse. A Material Price Variance may occur for a variety of reasons, such as a rise in price, changes in transportation expenses, size of the order, or the quality of materials being purchased, among others. MPV FormulaThe Formula used to compute Material Price Variance is: Material Price Variance = AQ (SP — AP) Where, AQ = Actual Quantity SP = Standard Price AP = Actual Price An example might be helpful in understanding the formula.
The Material Price Variance is computed as shown below. MPV = ($7-$5) x 50 lbs. = $100 (F) The (F) means that there is a favorable variance. It’s favorable since the actual price paid for the material was lower than the standard price. Had the actual price for the material been greater than the standard price, it would have resulted in an (A), meaning an adverse variance. Next, we will explain what Material Quantity Variance is and how to compute it. Material Quantity VarianceA Material Quantity Variance, also known as Material Usage Variance, occurs when a company uses a different amount of material for production than the standard quantity that should have been used for production. The Material Quantity Variance will be favorable if the actual quantity used is less than the standard quantity. In contrast, the Material Quantity Variance will be adverse if the actual quantity used is more than the standard quantity. There are a number of reasons that a company may have a Material Quantity Variance. It could be due to theft, waste, or differences in material quality, among others. Formula for Material Quantity VarianceThe formula for Material Quantity Variance is: (SQ – AQ) x SP = Material Quantity Variance Now, let’s do an example to show how to compute Material Quantity Variance. MUV = (75lbs. – 50 lbs.) x $7 = $175 (F) The Material Quantity Variance in this example is favorable because the standard quantity is greater than the actual quantity that the company used. The result would have been adverse had the actual quantity used been greater than the standard quantity. ConclusionMaterial Cost Variance is made up of the Material Quantity Variance and the Material Price Variance. Therefore, Material Price Variance + Material Quantity Variance = Material Cost Variance. We can check this by doing an example. The formula for Material Cost Variance is: Standard Cost – Actual Cost = MCV This means that the (SQ x SP) – (AQ x AP) = (75 lbs. x $7) – ( 50 lbs. x $5) = $525 – $250 = $275 (F) The Material Cost Variance is favorable because the actual cost paid is less than the standard cost. If the actual cost a business pays is more than the standard cost, the Material Cost Variance is adverse. MCV = MPV + MQV $275 (F) = $100 (F) + $175 (F) Article Sources & Citations FundsNet requires Contributors, Writers and Authors to use Primary Sources to source and cite their work. These Sources include White Papers, Government Information & Data, Original Reporting and Interviews from Industry Experts. Reputable Publishers are also sourced and cited where appropriate. Learn more about the standards we follow in producing Accurate, Unbiased and Researched Content in our editorial policy.
What is the difference between standard price and actual price?While standard cost is an estimate of the expected cost, actual cost is what was actually spent to produce the product. Actual cost includes the total cost of materials, direct labor, and overhead costs that are incurred due to production.
What is the difference between the standard cost of material specified and actual cost of material consumed?Material price variance is the difference between standard and actual prices of materials used multiplied by .
What is the difference between the standard cost of materials for the actual output and the actual cost of materials used for producing actual output?The direct material variance is the difference between the standard cost of materials resulting from production activities and the actual costs incurred.
Which is the difference between the standard cost of direct materials and the actual cost of direct material used?Material Variance
The difference between the standard cost of direct materials and the actual cost of direct materials that an organization uses for production is known as Material Variance.
|