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 Year Assets Current assets: Cash Marketable securities Accounts receivable, net Inventory Prepaid expenses Total current assets Plant and equipment, net Total assets Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity Liabilities: Current liabilities Note payable, 10% Total liabilities Stockholders' equity: Common stock, $75 par value Retained earnings Total stockholders' equity Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $ 1,020,000 0 2,940,000 3,660,000 270,000 7,890,000 9,640,000 $ 17,530,000 $ 1,260,000 300,000 2,040,000 2,100,000 210,000 5,910,000 9,110,000 $ 15,020,000 $ 4,070,000 3,700,000 7,770,000 7,500,000 2,260,000 9,760,000 $ 17,530,000 $ 3,100,000 3,100,000 6,200,000 7,500,000 1,320,000 8,820,000 $ 15,020,000 Lydex Company Comparative Income Statement and Reconciliation Sales (all on account) Cost of goods sold This Year $ 15,920,000 12,736,000 3,184,000 1,014,000 Last Year $ 14,180,000 10,635,000 3,545,000 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 1,628,000 2,170,000 1,917,000 370,000 310,000 1,800,000 1,607,000 540,000 482,100 1,260,000 1,124,900 320,000 940,000 1,320,000 562,450 562,450 757,550 $ 2,260,000 $ 1,320,000 Beginning retained earnings Ending retained earnings 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 Average sale period 2.3 1.1 32 days 60 days Return on assets Debt-to-equity ratio 9.98 0.7 Times interest earned ratio 5.9 Price-earnings ratio 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 $13,130,000.) e. The return on equity. (Stockholders' equity at the beginning of last year totaled $8,257,550. There has been no change in common stock over the last two years.) f. Is the company's financial leverage positive or negative? This Year Last Year b. The debt-to-equity ratio a. The times interest earned ratio 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? 2. You decide next to assess the company's stock market performance. Assume that Lydex's stock price at the end of this year is $106 per share and that at the end of last year it was $74. For both this year and last year, compute: (Round your "Percentage" answers to 1 decimal place and other intermediate and final answers to 2 decimal places.) a. The earnings per share. b. The dividend yield ratio. c. The dividend payout ratio. d. The price-earnings ratio. e. The book value per share of common stock. a. The earnings per share b. The dividend yield ratio c. The dividend payout ratio d. The price-earnings ratio e. The book value per share of common stock This Year % % Last Year % % 3. You decide, finally, to assess the company's liquidity and asset management. For both this year and last year, compute: a. Working capital. b. The current ratio. (Round your final answers to 2 decimal places.) c. The acid-test ratio. (Round your final answers to 2 decimal places.) d. The average collection period. (The accounts receivable at the beginning of last year totaled $1,730,000.) (Use 365 days in a year. Round your intermediate calculations and final answers to 2 decimal place.) e. The average sale period. (The inventory at the beginning of last year totaled $2,090,000.) (Use 365 days in a year. Round your intermediate calculations and final answers to 2 decimal place.) f. The operating cycle. (Round your intermediate calculations and final answers to 2 decimal place.) g. The total asset turnover. (The total assets at the beginning of last year totaled $13,130,000.) (Round your final answers to 2 decimal places.) a. Working capital This Year Last Year b. The current ratio c. The acid-test ratio d. The average collection period days days e. The average sale period days days f. The operating cycle days days g. The total asset turnover