At December $31$Current Year$1$ Year Ago$2$ Years AgoAssets$$Cash$ $31,800$$ $35,625$$ $37,800$Accounts receivable, net$89,50062,50050,200$Merchandise inventory$112,50082,50054,000$Prepaid expenses$10,7009,3755,000$Plant assets, net$278,500255,000230,500$Total assets$ $523,000$$ $445,000$$ $377,500$Liabilities and Equity$$Accounts payable$ $129,900$$ $75,250$$ $51,250$Long$-$term notes payable$98,500101,50083,500$Common stock, $$10$ par value$163,500163,500163,500$Retained earnings$131,100104,75079,250$Total liabilities and equity$ $523,000$$ $445,000$$ $377,500$

For both the current year and one year ago, compute the following ratios:

The company$$s income statements for the current year and $1$ year ago, follow.

For Year Ended December $31$Current Year$1$ Year AgoSales$$$ $673,500$$ $532,000$Cost of goods sold$ $411,225$$ $345,500$Other operating expenses$209,550134,980$Interest expense$12,10013,300$Income tax expense$9,5258,845$Total costs and expenses$642,400502,625$Net income$$$ $31,100$$ $29,375$Earnings per share$$$ $1\mathrm{.}90$$ $1\mathrm{.}80$

Additional information about the company follows.

Common stock market price, December $31,$ Current Year$ $30\mathrm{.}00$Common stock market price, December $31,1$ Year Ago$28\mathrm{.}00$Annual cash dividends per share in Current Year$0\mathrm{.}29$Annual cash dividends per share $1$ Year Ago$0\mathrm{.}24$

For both the current year and one year ago, compute the following ratios:

$1.$ Return on equity.

$2.$ Dividend yield.

$3$a$.$ Price$-$earnings ratio on December $31.$

$3$b$.$ Assuming Simon's competitor has a price$-$earnings ratio of $10,$ which company has higher market expectations for future growth?