Case: SUPER VALU

SUPERVALU reported the following data in its annual report.

 

Feb. 23,   2008

Feb. 28,   2009

Feb. 27,   2010

Total   revenues

$44,048

$44,564

$40,597

Cost of   sales (using LIFO)

33,943

34,451

31,444

Year end   inventories using FIFO

2,956

2,967

2,606

Year end   inventories using LIFO

2,776

2,709

2,342

(a) Compute SUPERVALU’s inventory turnover ratios for 2009 and 2010, using:

(1) Cost of sales and LIFO inventory.

(2) Cost of sales and FIFO inventory.

(b) Some firms calculate inventory turnover using sales rather than cost of goods sold in the numerator. Calculate SUPERVALU’s 2009 and 2010 turnover, using:

(1) Sales and LIFO inventory.

(2) Sales and FIFO inventory.

(c) Describe the method that SUPERVALU’s appears to use.

(d) State which method you would choose to evaluate SUPERVALU’s performance. Justify your choice.