To begin your assignment you gather the following financial data and ratios that are typical of companies in Lydex Company's industry: Current ratio Acid-test ratio Average collection period 2.3 1.1 40 days Average sale period 60 days Return on assets 8.8% Debt-to-equity ratio 0.7 Times interest earned ratio Price-earnings ratio 5.8 10 Required: 1. You decide first to assess the company's performance in terms of debt management and profitability. Compute the following for both this year and last year: (Round your "Percentage" answers to 1 decimal place and other answers to 2 decimal places.) a. The times interest earned ratio. b. The debt-to-equity ratio. c. The gross margin percentage. d. The return on total assets. (Total assets at the beginning of last year were $13,030,000.) e. The return on equity. (Stockholders' equity at the beginning of last year totaled $7,968,950. There has been no change in common stock over the last two years.) f. Is the company's financial leverage positive or negative? a. The times interest earned ratio b. The debt-to-equity ratio This Year Last Year c. The gross margin percentage % % d. The return on total assets e. The return on equity % % % % f. Is the company's financial leverage positive or negative?