At December 31	2017	2016	2015
Assets
Cash	$34,271	$41,286	$42,997
Accounts receivable, net	102,368	70,819	56,206
Merchandise inventory	124,885	92,637	61,673
Prepaid expenses	11,149	10,623	4,684
Plant assets, net	320,041	295,595	260,240
Total assets	$592,714	$510,960	$425,800
Liabilities and Equity
Accounts payable	$143,158	$88,079	$425,800
Long-term notes payable secured by mortgages on plant assets	114,773	119,871	96,925
Common stock, $10 par value	162,500	162,500	162,500
Retained earnings	172,283	140,510	109,045
Total liabilities and equity	$592,714	$510,960	$425,800

The companys income statements for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, follow.

For Year Ended December 31	2017						2016
Sales				$	770,528					$	608,042
Cost of goods sold	$	470,022					$	395,227
Other operating expenses		238,864						153,835
Interest expense		13,099						13,985
Income taxes		10,017						9,121
Total costs and expenses					732,002						572,168
Net income				$	38,526					$	35,874
Earnings per share				$	2.37					$	2.21

Calculate the companys long-term risk and capital structure positions at the end of 2017 and 2016 by computing the following ratios.

	Debt-to-equity Ratio
	Chose Numerator	/	Choose Denominator	=	Debt to equity ratio
2017		/		=	0 to 1
2016		/		=	0 to 1