Based on the table above, answer the following questions.

Required:

1. You decide first to assess the companys 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 $13,120,000.)

e. The return on equity. (Stockholders equity at the beginning of last year totaled $8,124,900. There has been no change in common stock over the last two years.)

f. Is the companys financial leverage positive or negative?

Requlred Information [The following infommetion applies to the questions displayed below.] You hive Just been hired ss s finsncial onslyst for lydex Compony, msnufscturer of zsfety helmetz. Your boss hes esked you to perform comprehenalve anslysis of the compsny's fingncial ststementz, inci'uling compsrling Lydex's performence to its msjor compettors. The compony's finsncial statements for the last two yeers are es follows: To begin your ssighment you gsther the following finsncil dsts snd ratios thet sre typlcsl of compenies in Lysex Compony's industry