<ARTICLE> 5 
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000 
       
        
                                                                              
<PERIOD-TYPE>                              YEAR             3-MOS          6-MOS          9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          JAN-31-1996      JAN-31-1997    JAN-31-1997    JAN-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             FEB-01-1995      FEB-01-1996    FEB-01-1996    FEB-01-1996
<PERIOD-END>                               JAN-31-1996      APR-30-1996    JUL-31-1996    OCT-31-1996
<CASH>                                           1,154              919            797          3,826
<SECURITIES>                                         0                0              0              0
<RECEIVABLES>                                  467,871          510,305        532,762        614,732
<ALLOWANCES>                                    22,669           24,008         24,163         24,580
<INVENTORY>                                    465,422          460,695        440,390        641,203
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                               950,788          952,290        968,243      1,291,293
<PP&E>                                          61,610           60,366         60,282         62,997
<DEPRECIATION>                                       0                0              0              0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               1,043,879        1,043,294      1,077,584      1,384,425
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                          749,084          734,136        672,657        956,530
<BONDS>                                          9,097            9,048          8,998          8,947
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0                0              0              0
<PREFERRED>                                          5                5              5              5
<COMMON>                                            57               57             64             65
<OTHER-SE>                                     285,636          300,048        395,860        418,878
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                 1,043,879        1,043,294      1,077,584      1,384,425
<SALES>                                      3,086,620          985,574      2,048,802      3,285,452
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                             3,086,620          985,574      2,048,802      3,285,452
<CGS>                                        2,867,226          916,562      1,905,488      3,056,183
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                3,031,016          962,847      2,001,097      3,205,815
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                               163,790           46,285         95,609        149,632
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0                0              0              0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              20,086            5,523         10,802         15,211
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                 35,518           17,204         36,903         64,426
<INCOME-TAX>                                    13,977            6,776         14,459         25,234
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                             21,541           10,428         22,444         39,192
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0                0              0              0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0                0              0              0
<CHANGES>                                            0                0              0              0
<NET-INCOME>                                    21,541           10,428         22,444         39,192
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                      .57              .27            .58            .97
<EPS-DILUTED>                                      .56              .27            .57            .95