Information from Nue Company's financial statements is provided below.

	2013	2012
Current liabilities	$250 000	$170 000
Non-current liabilities	130 000	340 000
Shareholders' equity	440 000	560 000
Net cash flows from operating activities	70 000	61 000
Interest and principal payments	14 000	9 000
Net sales	475 000	450 000
Total comprehensive income	90 000	72 000
Interest expense	7 500	13 500
Income tax	18 000	12 500
Dividends paid to ordinary shareholders	16 000	28 000

The debt-to-equity ratio for 2013 is:

		an indicator that Nue Company's reliance on shareholders for funding increased from 2012 to 2013
		an indicator that Nue Company's ability to meet current interest payments to creditors is increasing
		increasing slightly from 2012 to 2013
		an indicator that for every $1 of capital that has been provided by shareholders, creditors provided $0.86