When switching from LIFO to FIFO in an inflationary environment, what happens to COGS?

When transitioning from LIFO (Last In, First Out) to FIFO (First In, First Out) in an inflationary environment, the cost of goods sold (COGS) is lower under the FIFO method. This occurs because FIFO assumes that the oldest inventory items (which cost less when prices were lower) are sold first. Consequently, in an inflationary context where inventory costs are rising, the oldest, cheaper costs are matched against current revenues.

As a result, because you are matching these lower costs with sales, the reported COGS will decrease compared to using LIFO, where the most recent, higher costs would have been recorded as COGS in an inflationary environment. This difference in handling inventory costs leads to a lower COGS when using FIFO, which can have further implications for net income, taxes, and various financial ratios. Thus, choosing to report COGS under FIFO results in its being lower than under LIFO in situations where prices are rising.