On December $31,2023,$ Dow Steel Corporation had $640,000$ shares of common stock and $34,000$ shares of $\backslash (8\backslash \%\backslash ),$ noncumulative, nonconvertible preferred stock issued and outstanding.

$-$ Dow issued a $4\backslash \%$ common stock dividend on May $15$ and paid cash dividends of $\backslash$$$440,000$ and $\backslash$$$73,000$ to common and preferred shareholders, respectively, on December $15,2024.$

$-$ On February $28,2024,$ Dow sold $57,000$ common shares.

$-$ In keeping with its long$-$term share repurchase plan, $6,000$ shares were retired on July $1.$

$-$ Dow's net income for the year ended December $31,2024,$ was $\backslash$$$2,300,000.$ The income tax rate is $\backslash (25\backslash \%\backslash ).$

Required:

Compute Dow's earnings per share for the year ended December $31,2024.$

Note: Do not round intermediate calculations. Except for per share amounts, enter your answers in thousands $($i$.$e$.,10,000$ should be entered as $10).$ Round "Earnings per share" answer to $2$ decimal places.