Brooks Sporting Inc. is prepared to report the following $2016$ income statement $($shown in thousands of dollars$).$

Sales $$12600$

Operating costs including depreciation $9450$

EBIT $$3150$

Interest $330$

EBT $$2820$

Taxes $(40\%)1128$

Net income $$1692$

Prior to reporting this income statement, the company wants to determine its annual dividend. The company has $590000$ shares of stock outstanding, and its common stock trades at $$42$ per share. The data has been collected in the Microsoft Excel Online file below. Open the spreadsheet and perform the required analysis to answer the questions below.

Open spreadsheet

The company had a $50\%$ dividend payout ratio in $2015.$ If Brooks wants to maintain this payout ratio in $2016,$ what will be its per$-$share dividend in $2016?$ Round your answer to the nearest cent.

$ fill in the blank $2$

If the company maintains this $50\%$ payout ratio, what will be the current dividend yield on the company's stock? Round your answer to two decimal places.

fill in the blank $3$

$\%$

The company reported net income of $$1\mathrm{.}35$ million in $2015.$ Assume that the number of shares outstanding has remained constant. What was the company's per$-$share dividend in $2015?$ Round your answer to the nearest cent.

$ fill in the blank $4$

As an alternative to maintaining the same dividend payout ratio, Brooks is considering maintaining the same per$-$share dividend in $2016$ that it paid in $2015.$ If it chooses this policy, what will be the company's dividend payout ratio in $2016?$ Round your answer to two decimal places.

fill in the blank $5$

$\%$

Assume that the company is interested in dramatically expanding its operations and that this expansion will require significant amounts of capital. The company would like to avoid transactions costs involved in issuing new equity. Given this scenario, would it make more sense for the company to maintain a constant dividend payout ratio or to maintain the same per$-$share dividend?

Since the company would like to avoid transactions costs involved in issuing new equity, it would be best for the firm to maintain the same per$-$share dividend.

Since the company would like to avoid transactions costs involved in issuing new equity, it would be best for the firm to maintain a constant dividend payout ratio.