Required information (The following information applies to the questions displayed below.) Simon Company's year-end balance sheets follow. Current Yr 1 Yr Ago 2 Yrs Ago At December 31 Assets Cash Accounts receivable, net Merchandise inventory Prepaid expenses Plant assets, net Total assets Liabilities and Equity Accounts payable Long-term notes payable secured by mortgages on plant assets Common stock, $10 par value Retained earnings Total liabilities and equity $ 29,947 90,339 111,357 10,038 276, 260 $517,941 $ 35,363 $ 36,836 64,385 49,601 82,603 51,790 9,283 3,971 254,867 226, 202 $ 446,501 $ 368,400 $ 128,967 $ 76,968 $ 48,629 99,320 162,500 127,154 $517,941 101,668 162,500 105,365 $ 446,501 79,788 162,500 77,483 368,400 The company's income statements for the Current Year and 1 Year Ago, follow. For Year Ended December 31 Sales Cost of goods sold Other operating expenses Interest expense Income tax expense Total costs and expenses Current Yr $673,323 $410,727 208,730 11,446 8,753 639,656 $ 33,667 1 Yr Ago $ 531,336 $345,368 134,428 12,221 7,970 499,987 $ 31,349 Net income Earnings per share $ 2.07 $ 1.93 For both the Current Year and 1 Year Ago, compute the following ratios: (3-a) Times interest earned. (3-b) Based on times interest earned, is the company more or less risky for creditors in the Current Year versus 1 Year Ago? Complete this question by entering your answers in the tabs below. Required 3A Required 3B Times interest earned. Times Interest Earned Choose Numerator: Choose Denominator: Times Interest Earned 1 Times interest earned Current Year: 1 = times 1 Year Ago: / times Required 3A Required 3B Based on times interest earned, is the company more or less risky for creditors in the Current Year versus 1 Year Ago? Times interest earned