Steps for Use the following information for the Exercises below. $($Algo$)$

$[$The following information applies to the questions displayed below.$]$

Simon Company's year$-$end balance sheets follow.

$\backslash$table$[[$At December $31,$Current Year,$1,$Year Ago,$2$ Years Ago$],[$Assets$,,,,],[$Cash$,$$$36,227,$$$41,499,$$$44,542,],[$Accounts receivable, net,$103,946,72,623,59,972,],[$Merchandise inventory,$133,332,100,862,63,889,],[$Prepaid expenses,$11,900,11,227,4,804,],[$Plant assets, net,$328,606,303,109,267,893,],[$Total assets,$$614,011,$$$529,320,$$$441,100,],[$Liabilities and Equity,,,,$],[$Accounts payable,$151,360,$$$86,771,$$$57,061,],[$Long$-$term notes payable,$111,971,121,744,96,508,],[$Common stock, $$10$ par value,$162,500,163,500,163,500,],[$Retained earnings,$188,180,157,305,124,031,],[$Total liabilities and equity,$$614,011,$$$529,320,$$$441,100,]]$

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

Exercise $13-10($Algo$)$ Analyzing efficiency and profitability LO P$3$

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

$\backslash$table$[[$For Year Ended December $31,$Current Year,$1$ Year Ago$],[$Sales$,,$$$798,214,,$$ $629,891],[$Cost of goods sold,$ $486,911,,$$ $409,429,],[$Other operating expenses,$247,446,,159,362,],[$Interest expense,$13,570,,14,487,],[$Income tax expense,$10,377,,9,448,],[$Total costs and expenses,,$758,304,,592,726],[$Net income,,$ $39,910,,$$ $37,165],[$Earnings per share,,$ $2\mathrm{.}46,,$$ $2\mathrm{.}29]]$

For both the Current Year and $1$ Year Ago, compute the following ratios:

$(1-$a$)$ Profit margin ratio.

$(1-$b$)$ Did profit margin improve or worsen in the Current Year versth $1$ Year Ago?

$(2)$ Total asset turnover.

$(3-$a$)$ Return on total assets.

$(3-$b$)$ Based on return on total assets, did Simon's operating efficiency improve or worsen in the Current Year versus $1$ Year Ago?