Required information Skip to question [The following information applies to the questions displayed below.] Simon Companys year-end balance sheets follow. At December 31 Current Year 1 Year Ago 2 Years Ago Assets Cash $ 27,312 $ 31,925 $ 32,597 Accounts receivable, net 90,000 62,600 51,700 Merchandise inventory 112,000 85,000 59,000 Prepaid expenses 8,795 8,380 3,622 Plant assets, net 220,223 207,207 179,081 Total assets $ 458,330 $ 395,112 $ 326,000 Liabilities and Equity Accounts payable $ 115,265 $ 67,442 $ 43,462 Long-term notes payable 87,028 91,785 72,766 Common stock, $10 par value 162,500 162,500 162,500 Retained earnings 93,537 73,385 47,272 Total liabilities and equity $ 458,330 $ 395,112 $ 326,000 The companys income statements for the current year and one year ago follow. Assume that all sales are on credit: For Year Ended December 31 Current Year 1 Year Ago Sales $ 595,829 $ 470,183 Cost of goods sold $ 363,456 $ 305,619 Other operating expenses 184,707 118,956 Interest expense 10,129 10,814 Income tax expense 7,746 7,053 Total costs and expenses 566,038 442,442 Net income $ 29,791 $ 27,741 Earnings per share $ 1.83 $ 1.71 (4-a) Compute days' sales in inventory. (4-b) For each ratio, determine if it improved or worsened in the current year.