<ARTICLE>                     5
<LEGEND>
     This Schedule Contains Summary Financial Information Extracted From the
     Consolidated Balance Sheet and Consolidates 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 Data.
</LEGEND>
<MULTIPLIER>                                      1000

                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          SEP-30-1999
<PERIOD-START>                             OCT-01-1998
<PERIOD-END>                               JUN-30-1999
<CASH>                                          74,994
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                        0
<ALLOWANCES>                                         0
<INVENTORY>                                  1,812,884
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                             1,990,366
<PP&E>                                          37,249
<DEPRECIATION>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               2,238,938
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                          329,501
<BONDS>                                              0
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0
<PREFERRED>                                          0
<COMMON>                                           642
<OTHER-SE>                                     767,408
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                 2,238,938
<SALES>                                      2,176,564
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                             2,202,661
<CGS>                                        1,787,524
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                1,787,524
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              11,570
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                182,196
<INCOME-TAX>                                    71,747
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                            110,449
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                   110,449
<EPS-BASIC>                                     1.79
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     1.75