<ARTICLE>                     5
<LEGEND>
     This schedule contains summary financial invormation 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>                                          1000
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              SEP-30-1999
<PERIOD-START>                                 OCT-01-1998
<PERIOD-END>                                   MAR-31-1999
<CASH>                                              54,693
<SECURITIES>                                             0
<RECEIVABLES>                                            0
<ALLOWANCES>                                             0
<INVENTORY>                                      1,706,514
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                 1,840,170
<PP&E>                                              35,765
<DEPRECIATION>                                           0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                   2,102,772
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                              303,363
<BONDS>                                                  0
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                    0
<PREFERRED>                                              0
<COMMON>                                               642
<OTHER-SE>                                         727,959
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                     2,102,772
<SALES>                                          1,343,428
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                                 1,359,711
<CGS>                                            1,104,471
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                    1,104,471
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                         0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                         0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   7,293
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                    108,915
<INCOME-TAX>                                        42,800
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                                 66,115
<DISCONTINUED>                                           0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                          0
<CHANGES>                                                0
<NET-INCOME>                                        66,115
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                         1.08
<EPS-DILUTED>                                         1.05