(The following information applies to the questions displayed below. 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 par value Retained earnings Total liabilities and equity $ 36,427 89,700 113,500 11,731 359,936 $611, 294 $ 42,580 $ 43,476 62,200 50,200 84,500 59,000 11,177 4,831 326,521 277, 293 $ 526,978 $ 434,800 $153, 734 $ 89,950 $ 57,968 116,073 162,500 178,987 $611,294 122, 417 97,052 162,500 162,500 152, 111 117,280 $ 526,978 $ 434,800 The company's income statements for the Current Year and 1 Year Ago, follow. Assume that all sales are on credit: For Year Ended December 31 Sales Cost of goods sold Other operating expenses Interest expense Income tax expense Total costs and expenses Net income Current Yr $ 794,682 $ 484,756 246,351 13,510 10,331 754, 948 $ 39,734 1 Yr Ago $ 627,104 $ 407,618 158,657 14,423 9,407 590, 105 $ 36,999 $ 2.28 S Earnings per share $ 2.45 (3-a) Compute inventory turnover. (3-b) For each ratio, determine if it improved or worsened in the current year