Final answer:
The net income earned during the year is $4.4 million.
Step-by-step explanation:
The net income earned during the year can be calculated by subtracting the decrease in Retained Earnings from the dividend declared.
In this case, the Retained Earnings decreased by $1.0 million and the dividend declared was $5.4 million. Therefore, the net income earned during the year would be $5.4 million - $1.0 million = $4.4 million.