Beckman Instruments Profit Rose 9.3% in Second Quarter : Earnings: Medical equipment supplier netted $11.7 million or 42 cents a share for period ended June 30.

Beckman Instruments, a supplier of medical laboratory equipment, said Monday that it earned $11.7 million for the second quarter, up 9.3% from $10.7 million for the same period last year.

That amounted to 42 cents a share for the period ended June 30, compared to earnings of 37 cents a share a year earlier.

Three-month sales were $221.8 million, down 1% from $225.1 million. The company said that changes in currency exchange rates accounted for the slight reduction.

Beckman, based in Fullerton, has 6,900 employees and markets products in 120 countries.

“We are committed to maintaining our profitable operations and earnings growth while making the (research and development) investment that will provide sales growth in the years ahead,” Chairman Lou Rosso said in a prepared statement.

For the first half, profit was down 10.5%. Earnings came to $17.9 million, or 64 cents a share, through June, compared to earnings of $20 million, or 69 cents a share, for the same period last year. Earnings per share were reduced by 14 cents for the first six months this year because of accounting changes.

Six-month sales were $423.5 million, down 3.3% from $438.1 million for the comparable period of 1992.

James S. Schmitt, an analyst for the independent research firm Westcountry Financial in Somis, said he was encouraged by the earnings report. Beckman’s stock is generally undervalued, he said, because “it’s not a glamorous type of company.”

He said he does not expect the company’s fortunes to improve, however, during the rest of the year. “I think the company is doing what they can do (to) slim down the costs,” he said.

In Monday’s trading on the New York Stock Exchange, Beckman closed at $21.75, down 12.5 cents.