You have just been hired as a financial analyst for Lydex Company, a manufacturer of safety helmets. Your boss has asked you to perform a comprehensive analysis of the company's financial statements, including comparing Lydex's performance to its major competitors. The company's financial statements for the last two years are as follows: Lydex Company Comparative Balance Sheet This Year Last Assets Current assets: S 890,000 Cash Marketable securities Accounts receivable, net Inventory Prepaid expenses 2,420,000 3,530,000 240,000 7,080,000 1,130,000 300,000 1,520,000 2,300,000 180,000. Total current assets Plant and equipment, net Total ansets Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity Liabilitiesi 5,430,000 9.380,000 8,980,000 $16,460,000$14,410,000 Current liabilities Note payable, 109 $3,940,000 $ 2,840,000 3,620,000 7,560,000 3,020,000 5, 860,000 Total 1iabilities Stockholders' equitys 7,000,000 1,550,000 8,550,000 $16,460,000 $14,410,000 7,000,000 1,900,000 8,900,000 Common stock, $70 par value Total stockholders' equity Total liabilities and stockholders' equity Lydex Company Comparative Income Statement and Reconciliation Last Year 15,790,000 12,880,000 This Year Sales (all on account) Cost of goods sold Gross margin Selling and administrative expenses Net operating income Interest expense Net income before taxes Income taxes (308) Net income Common dividends Net income retained Beginning retained earnings Ending zetained earnings 12,632,000 3,158,000 1,796,000 1,362,000 9.660.000 3,220,000 1,576,000 1,644,000 362,00 302,000 1,342,000 402,600 939,400 469,700 469,700 1.550,000 1,080 300 1,900,0001,550,000 1,000,000 300,000 700,000 350,000 350,000 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 periocd Average sale period Return on assets Debt-to-equity ratio Times interest earned ratio Price-earnings ratio 2.3 40 days 60 days 8.5% 0.7 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 $13,000,000.) e. The return on equity. (Stockholders' equity at the beginning of last year totaled $8,080,300. There has been no change in common stock over the last two years.) f. Is the company's financial leverage positive or negetive? 3 Answer is not complete. This Year Last Year 3.76 0.85 20.001% 6.80% 5.44 0.69 2500 680% 11.301% a. The times interest earned ratio b. The debi-to-equity ratio 1% c The gross margin percentage d.The return on total assets 0 The return on equity is the company's francial leverage postive or nogatve Positive Positive