A shopkeeper gives a discount of about $5\%$ and still earns a profit of around $12\%$. If he does not give any discount, approximately what percentage profit will he earn?

Let the Cost Price ($\text{CP}$) of the article be $100$.
Since the profit is $12\%$, the Selling Price ($\text{SP}$) is:

$$\text{SP}=100+12=112$$

This $\text{SP}$ is obtained after giving a $5\%$ discount on the Marked Price ($\text{MP}$):

$$\text{SP}=\text{MP}\times \left(1-\frac{\text{Discount}\%}{100}\right)$$

$$112=\text{MP}\times 0.95$$

$$\text{MP}=\frac{112}{0.95}\approx 117.89$$

If no discount is given, the item is sold at the Marked Price ($\text{MP}$).

$$\text{New Selling Price}=117.89$$

$$\text{New Profit}\%=\left(\frac{117.89-100}{100}\right)\times 100=17.89\%\approx 18\%$$