Inventory under the absorption method includes fixed overhead costs, while the variable cost method includes fixed overhead costs as period costs. Fixed overhead costs will hit the income statement under variable costing in the period they are incurred, while under the absorption method, an increase in inventory results in more costs (fixed overhead) remaining on the balance sheet. These costs will not hit the income statement (and therefore net income) until the inventory is sold, which implies the absorption method will produce a higher net income in this situation.