Answer:
B) ignore the preferred stock dividends when calculating the numerator.
Step-by-step explanation:
The formula used to calculate earnings per share (EPS) = (net income after taxes - preferred dividends) / average outstanding common stocks.
Since no preferred stock dividends were declared this year, then their value on the EPS formula is $0, so you could basically ignore them since any number minus 0 is the same number.
EPS = net income after taxes / average outstanding common stocks