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

At December $31$ Current Year $1$ Year Ago $2$ Years Ago

Assets

Cash $ $30,268$ $ $34,694$ $ $34,729$

Accounts receivable, net $84,32061,91645,843$

Merchandise inventory $106,01680,22948,319$

Prepaid expenses $9,4648,8373,859$

Plant assets, net $268,012243,703218,050$

Total assets $ $498,080$ $ $429,379$ $ $350,800$

Liabilities and Equity

Accounts payable $ $125,262$ $ $72,565$ $ $45,379$

Long$-$term notes payable $91,76698,75779,853$

Common stock, $$10$ par value $162,500162,500162,500$

Retained earnings $118,55295,55763,068$

Total liabilities and equity $ $498,080$ $ $429,379$ $ $350,800$

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.

For Year Ended December $31$ Current Year $1$ Year Ago

Sales $ $647,504$ $ $510,961$

Cost of goods sold $ $394,977$ $ $332,125$

Other operating expenses $200,726129,273$

Interest expense $11,00811,752$

Income tax expense $8,4187,664$

Total costs and expenses $615,129480,814$

Net income $ $32,375$ $ $30,147$

Earnings per share $ $1\mathrm{.}99$ $ $1\mathrm{.}86$

$(1)$ 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?