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

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

$\backslash$table$[[\backslash$table$[[$At December $31],[$Assets$]],$Current Year,$1$ Year Ago,$2$ Years Ago$],[\backslash$table$[[$Cash$],[$Accounts receivable, net$],[$Merchandise inventory$],[$Prepaid expenses$],[$Plant assets, net$]],\backslash$table$[[$$$31,578$