<ARTICLE>                     5
<LEGEND>
     This schedule  contains summary  financial  information  extracted from the
consolidated  balance sheets and consolidated  statements of income contained in
Tandy  Corporation's  10-K and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such
financial statements.
 </LEGEND>
<MULTIPLIER>                                   1,000
       
                                            
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                  12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              Dec-31-1996
<PERIOD-END>                                   Dec-31-1996
<CASH>                                         121,500
<SECURITIES>                                   18,500
<RECEIVABLES>                                  235,100
<ALLOWANCES>                                   7,900
<INVENTORY>                                    1,420,500
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                               1,939,800
<PP&E>                                         1,034,300
<DEPRECIATION>                                 488,700
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 2,583,400
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                          1,193,500
<BONDS>                                        104,300
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                          0
<PREFERRED>                                    100,000
<COMMON>                                       85,600
<OTHER-SE>                                     1,079,200
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   2,583,400
<SALES>                                        6,285,500
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               6,285,500
<CGS>                                          4,263,100
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  4,263,100
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                               0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                               0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                             23,400
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                (145,600)
<INCOME-TAX>                                   (54,000)
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                            (91,600)
<DISCONTINUED>                                 0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                0
<CHANGES>                                      0
<NET-INCOME>                                   (91,600)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                  (1.64)
<EPS-DILUTED>                                  (1.64)