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 $ 36,165 104,818 131,789 11,879 328,319 $612,970 $ 43,542 $ 45, 356 75,459 58,126 97,758 61,267 11,430 4,746 300, 233 275, 305 $ 528,422 $ 444,800 $152,630 $ 89,303 $ 59,301 115, 238 162,500 182,602 $612,970 123,968 99,284 162,500 162,500 152,651 123,715 $ 528, 422 $ 444,800 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 Net income Current Yr $ 79, 861 $486,085 247,027 13,547 10,359 757,018 $ 39,843 1 Yr Ago $ 628,822 $408,734 159,092 14,463 9,432 591,721 $ 37,101 $ 2.28 Earnings per share $ 2.45 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: income before interest and income tax 1 Choose Denominator: 11 Interest expense $ Times Interest Earned Times interest earned Current Year: times 13,547 = 14,463 = 1 Year Ago: times