The company$$s income statements for the Current Year and $1$ Year Ago, follow.

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

Sales $ $702,932$ $ $554,701$

Cost of goods sold $ $428,789$ $ $360,556$

Other operating expenses $217,909140,339$

Interest expense $11,95012,758$

Income tax expense $9,1388,321$

Total costs and expenses $667,786521,974$

Net income $ $35,146$ $ $32,727$

Earnings per share $ $2\mathrm{.}16$ $ $2\mathrm{.}01$

Additional information about the company follows.

Common stock market price, December $31,$ Current Year $ $32\mathrm{.}00$

Common stock market price, December $31,1$ Year Ago $30\mathrm{.}00$

Annual cash dividends per share in Current Year $0\mathrm{.}26$

Annual cash dividends per share $1$ Year Ago $0\mathrm{.}13$

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

$1.$ Return on equity.

$2.$ Dividend yield.

$3$a$.$ Price$-$earnings ratio on December $31.$

$3$b$.$ Assuming Simon's competitor has a price$-$earnings ratio of $7,$ which company has higher market expectations for future growth?