The internal auditing department has been assigned to perform an audit of a division. Based on background review, the auditor knows the following about management policies:
•Company policy is to rapidly promote divisional managers who show significant success. Thus, successful managers rarely stay at a division for more than three years.
•A significant portion of division management’s compensation comes in the form of bonuses based on the division’s profitability.
The division was identified by senior management as a turnaround opportunity. The division is growing, but is not scheduled for a full audit by the external auditors this year. The division has been growing about 7% per year for the past three years and uses a standard cost system.
During the preliminary review, the auditor notes the following changes in financial data compared to the prior year:
•Sales have increased by 10%.
•Cost of goods sold has increased by 2%.
•Inventory has increased by 15%.
•Divisional net income has increased by 8%.
It is November and the audit manager is finalising plans for a year-end audit of the division. Based on the above data the audit procedure with highest priority would be to