Gross Profit
Gross profit increased by $4.3 million, or 8.2%, to $56.5 million for the second quarter of fiscal 2023 compared to the second quarter of fiscal 2022. Our gross profit margin, as a percentage of net sales, was unchanged at 20.6% for both the second quarter of fiscal 2023 and fiscal 2022, primarily due to lower acquisition costs for almonds and walnuts, which were offset by inflationary cost increases, including for labor and manufacturing supplies, increased depreciation expense and a decrease in sales volume. The increase in gross profit was mainly due to a higher net sales base.
Gross profit was $107.1 million for the first twenty-six weeks of fiscal 2023 compared to $104.0 million for the first twenty-six weeks of fiscal 2022 primarily due to a higher net sales base. Our gross profit margin, as a percentage of sales, decreased to 20.3% for the first twenty-six weeks of fiscal 2023 compared to 21.7% for the first twenty-six weeks of fiscal 2022. The decrease in gross profit margin in the year to date comparison was primarily attributable to higher acquisition costs for all major tree nuts (except walnuts) and peanuts, other inflationary cost increases cited in the quarterly comparison and increased depreciation expense.
Operating Expenses
Total operating expenses for the second quarter of fiscal 2023 decreased by $1.9 million, or 5.7%, to $32.0 million. Operating expenses decreased to 11.7% of net sales for the second quarter of fiscal 2023 compared to 13.4% of net sales for the second quarter of fiscal 2022.
Selling expenses for the second quarter of fiscal 2023 were $21.8 million, a decrease of $1.7 million, or 7.4%, from the second quarter of fiscal 2022. The decrease was driven primarily by a $1.5 million decrease in advertising expense and a $0.8 million decrease in freight expense primarily due to a decrease in freight rates, which were partially offset by a $0.3 million increase in base compensation expense and $0.2 million increase in sales broker commission expense.
Administrative expenses for the second quarter of fiscal 2023 were $10.2 million compared to $10.4 million for the second quarter of fiscal 2022. The decrease was due to a $0.8 million decrease in incentive compensation expense and a $0.5 million decrease in the loss on asset disposals, which were largely offset by a $1.0 million increase in base and equity compensation expense.
Total operating expenses for the first twenty-six weeks of fiscal 2023 increased by $1.8 million, or 3.1%, to $60.3 million. Operating expenses decreased to 11.4% of net sales for the first half of fiscal 2023 compared to 12.2% of net sales for the first half of fiscal 2022.
Selling expenses for the first twenty-six weeks of fiscal 2023 were $39.8 million, a decrease of $1.5 million, or 3.6%, from the amount recorded for the first twenty-six weeks of fiscal 2022. The decrease was driven primarily by a $2.0 million decrease in advertising expense and a $1.2 million decrease in freight expense due to a decrease in freight rates. These decreases were partially offset by a $0.6 million increase in base compensation expense and a $0.5 million increase in sales broker commission expense.
Administrative expenses for the first twenty-six weeks of fiscal 2023 were $20.5 million, an increase of $1.0 million, or 5.1%, compared to the same period of fiscal 2022. The increase was primarily due to a $1.3 million increase in base and equity compensation expense and a $0.6 million increase in audit and legal expenses primarily for Acquisition-related costs, which were partially offset by a $0.6 million decrease in the loss on asset disposals.
The $2.3 million gain on sale of facility in the first half of fiscal 2022 was the result of the sale of our Garysburg, North Carolina facility.
Income from Operations
Due to the factors discussed above, income from operations was $24.5 million, or 8.9% of net sales, for the second quarter of fiscal 2023 compared to $18.3 million, or 7.2% of net sales, for the second quarter of fiscal 2022.
Due to the factors discussed above, income from operations was $46.9 million, or 8.9% of net sales, for the first twenty-six weeks of fiscal 2023 compared to $45.6 million, or 9.5% of net sales, for the first twenty-six weeks of fiscal 2022.
Interest Expense
Interest expense was $0.6 million for the second quarter of fiscal 2023 compared to $0.4 million for the second quarter of fiscal 2022. Interest expense was $1.3 million for the first twenty-six weeks of fiscal 2023 compared to $0.8 million for the first twenty-six weeks of fiscal 2022. The increase in interest expense for both the quarterly and year to date comparisons was due to higher weighted average interest rates.
23