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If ending inventory is overstated, would net income be overstated or understated?

If ending inventory is overstated, then cost of goods sold would be understated. As you can see in the visual below, the incorrectly stated inventory balance is $25 higher than the correct ending inventory balance. Since we can assume that beginning inventory and purchases would be the same, the difference would impact cost of goods sold. Inventory and cost of goods sold are inversely related, so if inventory is overstated, cost of goods sold would be understated. 

So now that we know cost of goods sold is understated, you can see how that impacts the income statement in the visual below. When cost of goods sold is understated, gross profit is overstated, and net income is overstated (as well as retained earnings).


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