The following selected data were taken from the financial statements of the Winter Group for the three most recent years of operations:​ The Year 3 net income was $242,000, and the Year 2 net income was $308,000. No dividends on common stock were declared during the three years.​
(a)Determine the return on total assets, the return on stockholders' equity, and the return on common stockholders' equity for Years 2 and 3. Round to one decimal place.
(b)What conclusion can be drawn from these data as to the company's profitability?

(a)Return on Total Assets =
(Net Income + Interest Expense )/Average Total AssetsYear 3:
($242,000 + $100,000)/$2,850,000* = 12.0%Year 2:
($308,000 + $100,000)/$2,550,000** = 16.0%*
($3,000,000 + $2,700,000)/2**
($2,700,000 + $2,400,000)/2Return on Stockholders' Equity = Net Income/Average Stockholders' EquityYear 3: $242,000/$1,611,000* = 15.0%Year 2: $308,000/$1,348,000** = 22.8%*
($1,726,000 + $1,496,000)/2**
($1,496,000 + $1,200,000)/2Return on Common Stockholders' Equity =
(Net Income - Preferred Dividends)/Average Common Stockholders' EquityYear 3:
($242,000 - $12,000)/$1,411,000* = 16.3%Year 2:
($308,000 - $12,000)/$1,148,000** = 25.8%*
($1,526,000 + $1,296,000)/2**
($1,296,000 + $1,000,000)/2
(b)The profitability ratios indicate that the Winter Group's profitability has deteriorated. Most of this change is from net income falling from $308,000 in Year 2 to $242,000 in Year 3. The cost of debt is 10%. Since the return on total assets exceeds this amount in either year, there is positive leverage from use of debt. However, this leverage is greater in Year 2 because the return on total assets exceeds the cost of debt by a greater amount in Year 2.