Simon Company's year-end balance sheets follow. At December 31 2017 2016 2015 Assets $ 33,712 $ 37,475 $ 39,439 Cash Accounts receivable, net Merchandise inventory Prepaid expenses Plant assets, net 52,585 58 ,877 4,606 299,848 277,028 250,993 $560, 190 $482,922 $406,500 96,750 119,236 10,644 66, 257 92,021 10,141 Total assets Liabilities and Equity Accounts payable Long-term notes payable secured by mortgages on plant assets Common stock, $10 par value Retained earnings ed $138,092 $ 82,430 $ 53,658 106, 369 111,072 88,938 162,500 162,500 153,229 126,920 101,404 $560,190 $482,922 $406,500 162,500 ok Total liabilities and equity nt The company's income statements for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, follow. nt For Year Ended December 31 2017 2016 Sales $728,247 $574,677 $373,540 145, 393 13,218 8,620 Cost of goods sold other operating expenses Interest expense $444, 231 225,757 12,380 9,467 ences Income taxes Total costs and expenses 691,835 540,771 $ 36,412 $ 33,906 Net income $. Earnings per share 2.24 2.09 Exercise 13-9 Part 1 (1) Debt and equity ratios. Debt Ratio Choose Numerator: I Choose Denominator: Debt Ratio Debt ratio 2017: 2016: Equity Ratio Choose Numerator: I Choose Denominator: Equity Ratio %3D es Equity ratio %3D 2017: 2016: (2) Debt-to-equity ratio. Debt-To-Equity Ratio Choose Numerator: I Choose Denominator: = Debt-To-Equity Ratio Debt-to-equity ratio %3D 2017: to 1 %D 2016: to 1 ces Exercise 13-9 Part 3 (3) Times interest earned. Times Interest Earned Choose Numerator: I Choose Denominator: Times Interest Earned Times interest earned %3D 2017: times 2016: times ces