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Advanced Costing Methods

Target costing

7.1 Steps used in deriving a target cost

Target costing involves setting a target cost by subtracting a desired profit from a
competitive market price. In effect it is the opposite of conventional 'cost plus pricing'.

Step 1: A target price is set, based on the customers’ perceived value of
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the product. This will therefore be a market based price.

2 Step 2: The required target operating profit per unit is then calculated.
This may be based on either return on sales, or return on investment.

3 Step 3: The target cost is derived by subtracting the target profit from the
target price.

4 Step 4: The cost gap is then calculated.

5 Step 5: If there is a cost gap, attempts will be made to close the gap.
Techniques such as value engineering may be performed, which looks at
every aspect of the value chain business functions, with an objective of
reducing costs whilst satisfying customer needs.

Illustrations and further practice

Now read Illustration 4, ‘Music Matters’.

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