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 pat value Retained earnings Total liabilities and equity $ 35,298 102,303 126,105 11,144 311,685 $586,535 $ 40,451 $ 40,488 71,497 55,074 95,413 57,487 10,724 4,680 287,549 255,371 $ 505, 634 $ 413,100 $148,968 $ 85,452 $ 53,439 112, 474 162,500 162,593 $ 586,535 113,970 88,556 162,500 162,500 143,712 108,605 $ 505, 634 $ 413,100 The company's income statements for the Current Year and 1 Year Ago, follow. 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 Earnings per share Current Yr $ 762,496 $465,123 236,374 12,962 9,912 724,371 $ 38,125 1 Yr Ago $ 601,704 $391,108 152, 231 13,839 9,026 566,204 $ 35,500 2.35 $ 2.18 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? Required 3A Required 3B Times interest earned. Times Interest Earned Choose Numerator: 1 Choose Denominator: / Times Interest Earned Times interest earned times Current Year: 1 Year Ago: times Required 3B >