<ARTICLE> 5 <LEGEND> EXHIBIT 27.1 THE CHILDREN'S PLACE RETAIL STORES, INC. FINANCIAL DATA SCHEDULE. THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF THE CHILDREN'S PLACE RETAIL STORES, INC. AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. </LEGEND> <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR YEAR <FISCAL-YEAR-END> JAN-31-1998 FEB-01-1997 <PERIOD-START> FEB-02-1997 FEB-04-1996 <PERIOD-END> JAN-31-1998 FEB-01-1997 <CASH> 887 3,422 <SECURITIES> 0 0 <RECEIVABLES> 1,904 890 <ALLOWANCES> 0 0 <INVENTORY> 20,334 14,425 <CURRENT-ASSETS> 38,390 27,688 <PP&E> 44,909 32,382 <DEPRECIATION> 12,788 12,083 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 79,353 64,479 <CURRENT-LIABILITIES> 18,152 15,737 <BONDS> 0 0 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 0 <PREFERRED> 0 0 <COMMON> 2,462 1,281 <OTHER-SE> 56,005 26,017 <TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY> 79,353 64,479 <SALES> 192,557 143,838 <TOTAL-REVENUES> 192,557 143,838 <CGS> 123,465 89,786 <TOTAL-COSTS> 48,669 37,233 <OTHER-EXPENSES> 139 396 <LOSS-PROVISION> 0 0 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 2,647 2,884 <INCOME-PRETAX> 11,679 9,522 <INCOME-TAX> 4,695 (20,919) <INCOME-CONTINUING> 6,984 30,441 <DISCONTINUED> 0 0 <EXTRAORDINARY> 1,743 0 <CHANGES> 0 0 <NET-INCOME> 5,241 30,441 <EPS-PRIMARY> 0.24 1.49 <EPS-DILUTED> 0.22 1.28