Question

Comparative financial statements for Weller Corporation, a merchandising company, for the year ending December 31 appear below. The company did not issue any new common stock during the year. A total of 820,000 shares of common stock were outstanding. The interest rate on the bond payable was 12%, the income tax rate was 40%, and the dividend per share of common stock was $0.75 last year and $0.40 this year. The market value of the company’s common stock at the end of this year was $19. All of the company’s sales are on account.

Weller Corporation Comparative Balance Sheet (dollars in thousands)
	This Year			Last Year
Assets
Current assets:
Cash	$	3,812		$	3,980
Accounts receivable, net		12,500			9,200
Inventory		9,800			8,280
Prepaid expenses		1,820			2,140
Total current assets		27,932			23,600
Property and equipment:
Land		6,200			6,200
Buildings and equipment, net		19,400			19,200
Total property and equipment		25,600			25,400
Total assets	$	53,532		$	49,000
Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	$	9,700		$	8,400
Accrued liabilities		640			800
Notes payable, short term		320			320
Total current liabilities		10,660			9,520
Long-term liabilities:
Bonds payable		7,500			7,500
Total liabilities		18,160			17,020
Stockholders' equity:
Common stock		820			820
Additional paid-in capital		4,300			4,300
Total paid-in capital		5,120			5,120
Retained earnings		30,252			26,860
Total stockholders' equity		35,372			31,980
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$	53,532		$	49,000

Weller Corporation Comparative Income Statement and Reconciliation (dollars in thousands)
	This Year			Last Year
Sales	$	81,000		$	76,000
Cost of goods sold		53,000			49,000
Gross margin		28,000			27,000
Selling and administrative expenses:
Selling expenses		8,700			8,200
Administrative expenses		12,200			11,200
Total selling and administrative expenses		20,900			19,400
Net operating income		7,100			7,600
Interest expense		900			900
Net income before taxes		6,200			6,700
Income taxes		2,480			2,680
Net income		3,720			4,020
Dividends to common stockholders		328			656
Net income added to retained earnings		3,392			3,364
Beginning retained earnings		26,860			23,496
Ending retained earnings	$	30,252		$	26,860

Required:

Compute the following financial data for this year:

1. Gross margin percentage. (Round your percentage answer to 1 decimal place (i.e., 0.1234 should be entered as 12.3).)

2. Net profit margin percentage. (Round your percentage answer to 1 decimal place (i.e., 0.1234 should be entered as 12.3).)

3. Return on total assets. (Round your percentage answer to 1 decimal place (i.e., 0.1234 should be entered as 12.3).)

4. Return on equity. (Round your percentage answer to 2 decimal places (i.e., 0.1234 should be entered as 12.34).)

Answer 1