a. Why are ratios useful? What are the five major categories of ratios? b. Calculate D'Leon's 2017 current and quick ratios based on the projected balance sheet and income statement data. What can you say about the company's liquidity positions in 2015, in 2016, and as projected for 2017? We often think of ratios as being useful (1) to managers to help run the business, (2) to bankers for credit analysis, and (3) to stockholders for stock valuation. Would these different types of analysts have an equal interest in the company's liquidity ratios? Explain your answer. c. Calculate the 2017 inventory turnover, days sales outstanding (DSO), fixed assets turnover, and total assets turnover. How does D'Leon's utilization of assets stack up against other firms in the industry? d. Calculate the 2017 debt-to-capital and times-interest-earned ratios. How does D'Leon compare with the industry with respect to financial leverage? What can you conclude from these ratios? e. Calculate the 2017 operating margin, profit margin, basic earning power (BEP), return on assets (ROA), return on equity (ROE), and return on invested capital (ROIC). What can you say about these ratios? f. Calculate the 2017 price/earnings ratio and market/book ratio. Do these ratios indicate that investors are expected to have a high or low opinion of the company? g. Use the DuPont equation to provide a summary and overview of D'Leon's financial condition as projected for 2017. What are the firm's major strengths and weaknesses? h. Use the following simplified 2017 balance sheet to show, in general terms, how an improvement in the DSO would tend to affect the stock price. For example, if the company could improve its collection procedures and thereby lower its DSO from 45.6 days to the 32-day industry average without affecting sales, how would that change "ripple through the financial statements (shown in thousands below) and influence the stock price? Accounts receivable Other current assets Net fixed assets Total assets $ 878 1,802 817 $3,497 Current liabilities Debt Equity Liabilities plus equity $ 845 700 1,952 $3,497 i. Does it appear that inventories could be adjusted? If so, how should that adjustment affect D'Leon's profitability and stock price? j. In 2016, the company paid its suppliers much later than the due dates; also, it was not maintaining financial ratios at levels called for in its bank loan agreements. Therefore, suppliers could cut the company off, and its bank could refuse to renew the loan when it comes due in 90 days. On the basis of data provided, would you, as a credit manager, continue to sell to DLeon on credit? (You could demand cash on deliverythat is, sell on terms of CODbut that might cause D'Leon to stop buying from your company.) Similarly, if you were the bank loan officer, would you recommend renewing the loan or demanding its repayment? Would your actions be influenced if, in early 2017, DLeon showed you its 2017 projections along with proof that it was going to raise more than $1.2 million of new equity? k. In hindsight, what should D'Leon have done in 2015? 1. What are some potential problems and limitations of financial ratio analysis? m. What are some qualitative factors that analysts should consider when evaluating a company's likely future financial performance