Consolidated Statements of Earnings ($ in thousands, except per share amounts) Year Ended January 31, 2016 Year Ended January 31, 2015 SALES $ 1,796,035 $ 1,624,400 Cost of sales (1,273,421) (1,160,182) Gross profit 522,614 464,218 Selling, operating and administrative expenses (Notes 16, 17) (415,293) (366,752) Earnings from operations 107,321 97,466 Interest expense (Note 18) (6,210) (6,673) Earnings before income taxes 101,111 90,793 Income taxes (Note 9) (31,332) (27,910) NET EARNINGS FOR THE YEAR $ 69,779 $ 62,883 NET EARNINGS PER SHARE (Note 20) Basic $ 1.44 $ 1.30 Diluted $ 1.43 $ 1.29 WEIGHTED-AVERAGE NUMBER OF SHARES OUTSTANDING (ooo's) Basic 48,509 Diluted 48,783 48,709 48,432 Look at North West's income statement (which it calls "statement of earnings). Did its sales increase or decrease between 2015 and 2016? Did its net income (which it calls "net earnings) increase or decrease between the two years? ($ in thousands) Change in amount Increased/Decreased Sales $ Net income (net earnings) $ Are its sales and net income moving in the same direction (that is, both increasing or both decreasing)? For North West, both sales and net income are