<ARTICLE>                     5
<LEGEND>
     This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the 
     Consolidated Balance Sheets and Consolidated Statements of Income found on
     pages 3 and 4 of the Company's Form 10-Q for the year-to-date, and is
     qualified in its entirety by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<MULTIPLIER>                                         1,000
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              SEP-30-1998
<PERIOD-START>                                 OCT-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                                   JUN-30-1998
<CASH>                                             112,747
<SECURITIES>                                             0
<RECEIVABLES>                                            0
<ALLOWANCES>                                             0
<INVENTORY>                                      1,291,283
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                 1,470,338
<PP&E>                                              24,264
<DEPRECIATION>                                           0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                   1,621,868
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                              219,783
<BONDS>                                                  0
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                    0
<PREFERRED>                                              0
<COMMON>                                               533
<OTHER-SE>                                         492,034
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                     1,621,868
<SALES>                                          1,475,857
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                                 1,490,020
<CGS>                                            1,210,117
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                    1,210,117
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                         0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                         0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                  10,497
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                    101,506
<INCOME-TAX>                                        40,602
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                                 60,904
<DISCONTINUED>                                           0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                          0
<CHANGES>                                                0
<NET-INCOME>                                        60,904
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                         1.15
<EPS-DILUTED>                                         1.02