Kansas City, Mo. ? Tax preparer H&R Block announced a second-quarter profit for the first time Tuesday, as gains in its mortgage business made up for the seasonal slowdown in its tax operation. The company also raised its earnings outlook for the year.

The Kansas City, Mo.-based company reported earnings of $10.4 million, or 6 cents per share, for the period that ended Oct. 31. That compares with a loss of $37.3 million, or 21 cents per share, during the same period last year. Analysts surveyed by Thomson First Call had predicted a loss of 6 cents per share.

Revenues increased 23 percent from $471.4 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2003 to $579.9 million in the second quarter of 2004. That was well above analysts’ expectations of $529.5 million.

“We did better across virtually all of our businesses than what the analysts had expected,” said Mark A. Ernst, chairman and chief executive of H&R Block.

“So it’s a little bit of everything,” he said.