Based on the industry$-$low, industry$-$average, and industry$-$high values for the benchmarking data on pp$.6-7$ of each issue of the FIR, which one of the following is the most valid signal that one or more elements of a company's costs are too high relative to those of rival companies?

The company's operating profit per branded pair sold is $$0\mathrm{.}50$ above the industry$-$average benchmark in the Asia$-$Pacific region

The company's worker productivity is about $350$ pairs$/$worker$/$year below the industry$-$average in the Asia$-$Pacific region

The company's marketing expenses per branded pair sold are above the industry$-$average in the Latin America region

The company's distribution and warehouse expenses per branded pair sold in North America are only $$1\mathrm{.}20$ below the industry$-$average benchmark

The company's total compensation package for production workers is about $$2,000$ above the industry$-$average benchmark in those geographic regions where the company has production operations

Which of the following are effective ways to try to boost a company's stock price?

Avoid using bank loans to finance company operations, strive to achieve a credit rating of at least an $A,$ and try to boost the company's image rating above $75$

Strive to increase earnings per share, boost the company's dividend payout ratio to more than $100\%,$ and increase the company's retained earnings

Strive to achieve an ROE above $20\%,$ avoid using $10-$year bank loans to finance capital expenditures, and keep the company's dividend payout ratio below $50\%$

Strive to meet or beat the investor$-$expected EPS targets each year, raise the company's dividend each year by $$\mathrm{.}25$ per share or more, and repurchase shares of common stock

Increase the company's retained earnings each year, boost spending for corporate citizenship and social responsibility, and offer a wider variety of models$/$styles of branded footwear