<ARTICLE>                     5
<LEGEND>
THE  SCHEDULE  CONTAINS  SUMMARY  FINANCIAL   INFORMATION   EXTRACTED  FROM  THE
CONSOLIDATED  FINANCIAL  STATEMENTS  OF SNAP-ON  INCORPORATED  AS OF AND FOR THE
THIRTY-NINE  WEEKS ENDED  OCTOBER 2, 1999 AND IS  QUALIFIED  IN ITS  ENTIRETY BY
REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
<MULTIPLIER>                                   1,000

                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              JAN-01-2000
<PERIOD-START>                                 JAN-03-1999
<PERIOD-END>                                   OCT-02-1999
<CASH>                                         42,688
<SECURITIES>                                   0
<RECEIVABLES>                                  592,254
<ALLOWANCES>                                   23,594
<INVENTORY>                                    498,070
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                               1,265,954
<PP&E>                                         754,351
<DEPRECIATION>                                 (403,349)
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 2,206,946
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                          504,282
<BONDS>                                        669,715
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                          0
<PREFERRED>                                    0
<COMMON>                                       66,718
<OTHER-SE>                                     744,067
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   2,206,946
<SALES>                                        1,378,895
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               1,378,895
<CGS>                                          716,310
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  716,310
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                               527,215
<LOSS-PROVISION>                               0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                             15,360
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                155,444
<INCOME-TAX>                                   55,654
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                            99,790
<DISCONTINUED>                                 0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                0
<CHANGES>                                      0
<NET-INCOME>                                   99,790
<EPS-BASIC>                                  1.71
<EPS-DILUTED>                                  1.69