Gerrard Construction Co. is an excavation contractor. The following summarized data (in thousands) are taken from the December 31, 2016, financial statements:

For the Year Ended December 31, 2016:
Net revenues	$	30,200
Cost of services provided		12,000
Depreciation expense		6,000
Operating income	$	12,200
Interest expense		3,100
Income tax expense		3,600
Net income	$	5,500
At December 31, 2016:
Assets
Cash and short-term investments	$	3,200
Accounts receivable, net		9,600
Property, plant, and equipment, net		78,400
Total assets	$	91,200
Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity
Accounts payable	$	1,300
Income taxes payable		1,900
Notes payable (long term)		46,300
Paid-in capital		12,000
Retained earnings		29,700
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$	91,200

At December 31, 2015, total assets were $81,000 and total stockholders' equity was $37,000. There were no changes in notes payable or paid-in capital during 2016.

1. Calculate the following financial leverage measures for Gerrard Construction Co. at December 31, 2016:

a. Calculate the debt ratio. (Enter your answer as a percentage rounded to 1 decimal place (i.e., 32.1).)

b. Calculate the Debt/equity ratio. (Enter your answer as a percentage rounded to 1 decimal place (i.e., 32.1).)

C. Gerrard Construction Co. wishes to lease some new earthmoving equipment from Caterpillar on a long-term basis. What impact (increase, decrease, or no effect) would a capital lease of $4.5 million have on the company's debt ratio and debt/equity ratio?

-increase

-decrease

-no effect