<ARTICLE> 5 
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000 
       
        
                                                                              
<PERIOD-TYPE>                              YEAR             3-MOS          6-MOS          9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          JAN-31-1997      JAN-31-1998    JAN-31-1998    JAN-31-1998
<PERIOD-START>                             FEB-01-1996      FEB-01-1997    FEB-01-1997    FEB-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               JAN-31-1997      APR-30-1997    JUL-31-1997    OCT-31-1997
<CASH>                                             661            1,381          2,125          1,893
<SECURITIES>                                         0                0              0              0
<RECEIVABLES>                                  657,501          652,493        728,885        920,493
<ALLOWANCES>                                    23,922           25,969         28,079         30,362
<INVENTORY>                                    759,974          671,083        705,636      1,014,684
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                             1,450,010        1,343,970      1,452,395      1,974,826
<PP&E>                                         109,664           66,327         69,999         82,877
<DEPRECIATION>                                  44,067                0              0              0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               1,545,294        1,439,225      1,655,232      2,128,472
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                        1,098,017          972,616      1,156,280      1,582,419
<BONDS>                                          8,896            8,844          8,791          8,737
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0                0              0              0
<PREFERRED>                                          5                5              5              5
<COMMON>                                            65               65             66             67
<OTHER-SE>                                     438,311          457,695        490,090        526,668
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                 1,545,294        1,439,225      1,655,232      2,128,472
<SALES>                                      4,598,941        1,370,146      2,921,966      4,943,445
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                             4,598,941        1,370,146      2,921,966      4,943,445
<CGS>                                        4,277,160        1,274,969      2,722,811      4,614,948
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                4,483,930        1,334,453      2,845,455      4,820,886
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                               206,770           59,484        122,644        205,938
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                19,648                0              0              0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              21,522            6,526         12,653         20,644
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                 93,489           29,167         63,858        101,915
<INCOME-TAX>                                    36,516           10,945         24,172         38,556
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                             56,973           18,222         39,686         63,359
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0                0              0              0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0                0              0              0
<CHANGES>                                            0                0              0              0
<NET-INCOME>                                    56,973           18,222         39,686         63,359
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     1.39              .42            .91           1.45
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     1.35              .41            .88           1.39