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The following information applies to the questions displayed,below.$]$

Simon Company's year$-$end balance sheets follow.

$\backslash$table$[[$At December $31,$Current Year,$1,$Year Ago,$2$ Years Ago$],[$Assets$,,,,],[$Cash$,30,845,$$$36,055,$$$39,075,],[$Accounts receivable, net,$89,399,65,069,51,088,],[$Merchandise inventory,$114,673,83,378,53,326,],[$Prepaid expenses,$10,634,9,369,4,173,],[$Plant assets, net,$283,130,261,431,235,538,],[$Total assets,$$528,081,$$$455,242,$$$383,200,],[$Liabilities and Equity,,,,$],[$Accounts payable,$128,862,$$$76,167,$$$49,065,],[$Long$-$term notes payable,$96,381,103,659,85,534,],[$Common stock, $$10$ par value,$163,500,163,500,162,500,],[$Retained earnings,$139,418,111,916,86,101,],[$Total liabilities and equity,$$528,081,$$$455,242,$$$383,200,]]$

For both the current year and one year ago, compute the following ratios:

The company's income statements for the current year and one year ago, follow.

$(1)$ Debt and equity ratios.

$(2-$a$)$ Compute debt$-$to$-$equity ratio for the current year and one year ago.

$(2-$b$)$ Based on debt$-$to$-$equity ratio, does the company have more or less debt in the current year versus one year ago?

$(3-$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 $1$

Required $2A$

Required $2$B

Required $3$A

Required $3$B

Compute debt and equity ratio for the current year and one year ago.

$\backslash$table$[[$Debt Ratio$],[,$Numerator:,$1,$Denominator:,$=,$Debt Ratio$],[,,1,,=,$Debt ratio$],[$Current Year:,,$1,,=,0,\%$