ALSO. . .

Dillard’s Inc. said fiscal second-quarter profit plunged 74% as sales at the department store chain declined. Profit from operations fell to $9.4 million, or 10 cents a share, from year-earlier net income of $36.2 million, or 34 cents. Dillard’s was expected to earn 19 cents a share, the average estimate of analysts polled by First Call/Thomson Financial. The retailer missed estimates for the fifth straight quarter. Revenue in the quarter ended July 29 fell 2.5% to $1.9 billion. Same-store sales fell 3%.