Using the Financial Statements provided in the file attached to this exam, answer the following question by choosing the best answer.

Total Cash dividends paid during the current year were ______________.

Group of answer choices

Can't tell because you did not give me a Statement of Retained Earnings

$7,946 thousand

$8,083

$8,083 thousand

Flag question: Question 9Question 93 pts

Using the Financial Statements provided in the file attached to this exam, answer the following question by choosing the best answer.

In the investing section of the current fiscal year's Statement of Cash Flows, what was the largest use of cash?

Group of answer choices

Net (payments) borrowing under debt agreements

Capital expenditures

Business acquisition

Sale of pool and spa business

\\begin{tabular}{lrr} Accounts Payable & 188,447 & 221,771 \\\\ Accrued compensation and benefits & 32,790 & 32,762 \\\\ Other current liabilities & 34,753 & 38,372 \\\\ \\( \\quad \\) Total current liabilities & 275,165 & 308,179 \\\\ & & 516,168 \\\\ Long-Term Debt & 403,671 & 5,704 \\\\ Deferred Income Taxes & 13,872 & 5,609 \\\\ Other Noncurrent Liabilities & 6,081 & 836,660 \\\\ \\( \\quad \\) Total Liabilities & \\( \\mathbf{6 9 8 , 7 8 9} \\) & \\\\ \\cline { 2 - 3 } \\end{tabular} Shareholders' Equity: Preferred stock, no par value, 10,000,000 shares authorized; none issued Common stock, par value \\( \\$ 1 \\) per share, \\( 100,000,000 \\) shares authorized; \\( 23,774,600 \\) and \\( 24,211,485 \\) shares issued respectively Capital in excess of par Retained earnings Treasury stock, 24,250 and 576,783 shares respectively, at cost Unearned compensation related to outstanding restricted stock Total Shareholders' Equity Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity ABC Company Income Statement For Fiscal Year Ended 12/31/2023 \"all numbers in thousands except per share data 12/31/2023 12/31/2022 Net Sales Cost of Goods Sold Gross Profit Operating Expenses: Selling, general and administrative Depreciation and amortization Provision for doubtful accounts Impairment of long-lived assets Total operating expenses Operating Income Non-Operating Income (Expenses): Interest and other income Interest expense Gain on sale of pool and spa business Total non-operating income (expense) Income Before Taxes Income Taxes Net Income Earnings Per Share: Basic Earnings Per Share: Diluted \\( \\begin{array}{llll}\\text { \\$ } 3,037,708 & \\$ 3,310,163\\end{array} \\) \\begin{tabular}{rr} \\( 2,343,788 \\) & \\( 2,566,706 \\) \\\\ \\hline 693,920 & 743,457 \\end{tabular} \\begin{tabular}{rr} 550,943 & 579,234 \\\\ 31,093 & 32,551 \\\\ 11,065 & 10,626 \\\\ 734 & 15,557 \\\\ \\hline 593,835 & 637,968 \\end{tabular} \\begin{tabular}{rr} \\hline 100,085 & 105,489 \\\\ \\hline \\end{tabular} \\begin{tabular}{cc} 10,546 & 7,476 \\\\ \\( (35,945) \\) & \\( (43,288) \\) \\\\ -- & 11,000 \\\\ \\hline\\( (25,399) \\) & \\( (24,812) \\) \\end{tabular} \\( \\begin{array}{rrrr}\\$ & 1.90 & \\$ & 2.00 \\\\ \\$ & 1.88 & \\$ & 1.97 \\\\ & & & \\\\ & 23,175 & & 23,238\\end{array} \\) Average Shares Outstanding: Basic For Fiscal Year Ended 12/31/2023 \"all numbers in thousands 12/31/2023 12/31/2022 Cash Flows from Operating Activities: Net Income Depreciation and Amortization Other adjustments to reconcile Changes in assets and liabilities: Accounts receivable Inventories Other current assets Accounts payable Other liabilities Net cash provided by operating activities Cash Flows from Investing Activities: Capital expenditures Proceeds from sale of PP\\&E Business acquisitions, net of cash Purchase of bestroute.com stock rights Proceeds from sale of pool and spa business Investments in affiliated entities Net cash used in investing activities Cash Flows from Financing Activities: Net (payments) borrowings under ST debts Proceeds from issuance of \\( \\mathrm{LT} \\) debts Principal payments on other debt Purchase of treasury shares Dividends paid Other Net cash used in financing activities Net (decrease) increase in cash and equivalents Cash and equivalents, beginning of the year Cash and equivalents, end of the year Average Shares Outstanding: Diluted 23,424 23,584 ABC Company Balance Sheet \\( 12 / 31 / 2023 \\) \"all numbers in thousands except share and per share data \\( 12 / 31 / 2023 \\quad 12 / 31 / 2022 \\) Assets Current Assets: Cash and cash equivalents \\begin{tabular}{rrrr} \\( \\$ \\) & 6,817 & \\( \\$ \\) & 22,449 \\\\ & & \\\\ & 387,953 & & 435,607 \\\\ & 396,441 & & 441,789 \\\\ & 15,420 & 18,524 \\\\ & 56,809 & 68,940 \\\\ \\hline & 863,440 & 987,309 \\\\ & 145,702 & 152,079 \\\\ & 263,808 & 249,826 \\\\ & 20,312 & 17,481 \\\\ \\hline\\( \\$ 1,293,262 \\) & \\( \\$ 1,406,695 \\) \\\\ \\hline \\hline \\end{tabular} Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity Current Liabilities: Current portion of long-term debt