In: Accounting
Ratio of Liabilities to Stockholders' Equity and Times Interest Earned
The following data were taken from the financial statements of Hunter Inc. for December 31 of two recent years:
| Current Year | Previous Year | |||
| Accounts payable | $604,000 | $290,000 | ||
| Current maturities of serial bonds payable | 530,000 | 530,000 | ||
| Serial bonds payable, 10% | 2,370,000 | 2,900,000 | ||
| Common stock, $1 par value | 90,000 | 110,000 | ||
| Paid-in capital in excess of par | 960,000 | 970,000 | ||
| Retained earnings | 3,330,000 | 2,640,000 | ||
The income before income tax was $1,044,000 and $913,500 for the current and previous years, respectively.
a. Determine the ratio of liabilities to stockholders' equity at the end of each year. Round to one decimal place.
| Current year | |
| Previous year | 
b. Determine the times interest earned ratio for both years. Round to one decimal place.
| Current year | |
| Previous year | 
c. The ratio of liabilities to stockholders' equity has and the times interest earned ratio has ___ from the previous year. These results are the combined result of a ___ income before income taxes and interest expense in the current year compared to the previous year.
| a | |||||
| Current Year | Previous Year | ||||
| Accounts payable | 604000 | 290000 | |||
| Current maturities of serial bonds payable | 530000 | 530000 | |||
| Serial bonds payable, 10% | 2370000 | 2900000 | |||
| Total liabilities | 3504000 | 3720000 | |||
| Current Year | Previous Year | ||||
| Common stock, $1 par value | 90000 | 110000 | |||
| Paid-in capital in excess of par | 960000 | 970000 | |||
| Retained earnings | 3330000 | 2640000 | |||
| Total stockholders' equity | 4380000 | 3720000 | |||
| Ratio of liabilities to stockholders' equity: | |||||
| Current year | 0.8 | =3504000/4380000 | |||
| b | 1 | =3720000/3720000 | |||
| b | |||||
| Interest expense: | |||||
| Current year | 290000 | =(530000+2370000)*10% | |||
| Previous year | 343000 | =(530000+2900000)*10% | |||
| Times interest earned ratio : | |||||
| Current year | 4.6 | =(1044000+290000)/290000 | |||
| Previous year | 3.7 | =(913500+343000)/343000 | |||
| c | |||||
| The ratio of liabilities to stockholders' equity has improved and the times interest earned ratio has improved from the previous year. | |||||
| These results are the combined result of a larger income before income taxes and lower interest expense in the current year compared to the previous year. | |||||