Carl Karcher Enterprises reported a profit of...

Carl Karcher Enterprises reported a profit of $5.6 million on sales of $104.5 million for the second quarter ended Aug. 8. The company earned $5.5 million on sales of $87.6 million during the same period a year ago. For the six months, the Anaheim-based operator of the Carl’s Jr. fast-food chain reported net income of $12.4 million on revenue of $228 million. For the same period a year earlier, the company earned $9.7 million on $192.2 million in sales. Loren Pannier, chief financial officer, attributed the flat second-quarter earnings to an increased tax rate. A year ago, a large one-time tax credit reduced the company’s effective tax rate to 12% for the quarter. The company is now taxed at the standard 32% corporate tax rate. “On a pretax basis, our net income is up $2 million over the second quarter of last year--a 33% increase. We consider this a very strong quarter,” Pannier said.