Exercise 12-79 Debt Management Ratios Financial statements for Steele Inc. follow. Steele Inc. Consolidated Income Statements (in thousands except per share amounts) 2019 2018 2017 Net sales $7,245,088 $6,944,296 $6,149,218 Cost of goods sold (5,286,253) (4,953,556) (4,355,675) Gross margin $1,958,835 $1,990,740 $1,793,543 General and administrative expenses (1,259,896) (1,202,042) (1,080,843) Special and nonrecurring items 2,617 0 0 Operating income $701,556 $788,698 $712,700 Interest expense (63,685) (62,398) (63,927) Other income 7,308 10,080 11,529 Gain on sale of investments 0 9,117 0 Income before income taxes $645,179 $745,497 $660,302 Provision for income taxes (254,000) (290,000) (257,000) Net income $391,179 $455,497 $403,302 Steele Inc. Consolidated Balance Sheets (in thousands) ASSETS Dec. 31, 2019 Dec. 31, 2018 Current assets: Cash and equivalents $320,558 $41,235 837,377 Accounts receivable 1,056,911 Inventories 733,700 803,707 Other 109,456 101,811 Total current assets $1,784,130