Required information

[The following information applies to the questions displayed below.] Simon Companys year-end balance sheets follow.

At December 31	Current Yr					1 Yr Ago			2 Yrs Ago
Assets
Cash		$	27,989			$	32,717		$	33,739
Accounts receivable, net			89,000				62,200			50,500
Merchandise inventory			113,500				82,500			57,000
Prepaid expenses			9,013				8,588			3,749
Plant assets, net			234,892				222,955			195,812
Total assets		$	474,394			$	408,960		$	340,800
Liabilities and Equity
Accounts payable		$	118,124			$	69,114		$	44,986
Long-term notes payable secured by mortgages on plant assets			89,186				94,061			75,317
Common stock, $10 par value			162,500				162,500			162,500
Retained earnings			104,584				83,285			57,997
Total liabilities and equity		$	474,394			$	408,960		$	340,800

The companys income statements for the Current Year and 1 Year Ago, follow. Assume that all sales are on credit:

For Year Ended December 31	Current Yr						1 Yr Ago
Sales				$	616,712					$	486,662
Cost of goods sold	$	376,194					$	316,330
Other operating expenses		191,181						123,125
Interest expense		10,484						11,193
Income tax expense		8,017						7,300
Total costs and expenses					585,876						457,948
Net income				$	30,836					$	28,714
Earnings per share				$	1.90					$	1.77

(1-a) Compute days' sales uncollected. (1-b) For each ratio, determine if it improved or worsened in the current year.

(2-a) Compute accounts receivable turnover. (2-b) For each ratio, determine if it improved or worsened in the current year.

(3-a) Compute inventory turnover. (3-b) For each ratio, determine if it improved or worsened in the current year.

(4-a) Compute days' sales in inventory. (4-b) For each ratio, determine if it improved or worsened in the current year.