KANSAS CITY, Mo. — H&R Block says it will trim 400 jobs and has shut 400 underperforming locations as it seeks to reduce costs.

The tax services provider expects the cuts in its field and corporate support organization will cut annual operating costs by $140 million to $150 million by the end of fiscal 2012.

H&R Block will book a pretax charge of about $28 million to cover severance costs. It employs about 133,700 workers overall.

The Kansas City, Mo., company also says it has shut about 400 underperforming locations in its 11,000 store network.

Deere says its second-quarter profit jumped 16 percent as sales of farm and construction equipment improved and is raising its outlook for the second time this year.The Moline, Ill.-based company says it generated $547.5 million in net income, or $1.28 per share, in the quarter. That's up from net income of $472.3 million, or $1.11 per share, a year earlier. Excluding a charge related to health care legislation, profit was $1.58 per share.Deere's revenue grew 6 percent to $7.1 billion.The results topped analysts expectations of $1.09 per share on $6.6 billion revenue.Deere & Co. increased its annual outlook. The company now expects total sales to grow 11 percent to 13 percent and net income to reach $1.6 billion.

NATICK, Mass. — BJ's Wholesale Club Inc. said today that its first-quarter net income rose 7 percent, partly helped by gasoline sales.The results were better than Wall Street expected, and the wholesale club operator lifted its full-year earnings guidance.BJ's and its rivals saw their popularity soar during the recession as shoppers headed there for food and other necessities. But consumers shied away from higher-margin nonessential purchases.BJ's net income rose to $26.1 million, or 49 cents per share, for the three months ended May 1. That compares with a profit of $24.3 million, or 45 cents per share, reported a year earlier.The performance topped the 43 cents-per-share forecast of analysts polled by Thomson Reuters. These estimates generally exclude one-time items.Overall revenue including membership fees rose 13 percent to $2.61 billion from $2.31 billion, meeting analysts' predictions.Revenue at warehouse clubs open at least a year climbed 7.8 percent including gasoline sales and 4.2 percent without it.BJ's boosted its full-year earnings outlook to a range of $2.58 to $2.68 per share. It previously predicted net income between $2.54 and $2.64 per share.Analysts anticipate earnings of $2.61 per share for the year.BJ's currently runs 188 warehouse clubs in 15 states.

WASHINGTON — The asphyxiation deaths of two boys prompted the government Monday to announce the recall of 1.8 million toy dart gun sets.The Consumer Product Safety Commission said a 9-year-old boy in Chicago and a 10-year-old boy in Milwaukee died after they chewed on the one-inch soft plastic darts, which slipped into their throats.The small suction cup part of the dart cut off their breathing.The dart gun sets were sold nationwide at Family Dollar stores."We want parents to know about the risks to children during the preteen years that can come from aspirating these toy darts," warned CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum.The dart gun sets were imported by Henry Gordy International in New Jersey. CPSC says Henry Gordy refused to recall the dart set so Family Dollar Stores worked with the agency on recalling the product.

TOKYO — Toyota says it will recall 4,500 Lexus vehicles in Japan to fix a steering problem, with another 7,000 overseas also likely affected. It's the latest recall woe for the world's biggest automaker.Toyota said Wednesday that it has received 12 complaints from within Japan on the steering issue but knows of no accidents that it has caused.The problem occurs in the company's luxury Lexus "LS" brand, and involves a computerized system that oversees how the steering wheel controls the tires.Toyota has in recent months recalled more than 8 million vehicles worldwide for safety defects affecting some of its best-selling models.