<ARTICLE> 5
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
                                                                
<PERIOD-TYPE>                       9-MOS              6-MOS             3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                   MAY-03-1998        MAY-03-1998       MAY-03-1998
<PERIOD-END>                        FEB-01-1998        OCT-26-1997       JUL-27-1997
<CASH>                                   36,416             35,453            26,439
<SECURITIES>                                  0                  0                 0
<RECEIVABLES>                           163,126            192,265           183,834
<ALLOWANCES>                              1,899              1,661             1,692
<INVENTORY>                             252,460            296,220           272,596
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                        505,204            577,430           528,453
<PP&E>                                  687,926            664,926           634,065
<DEPRECIATION>                          223,336            212,954           196,404
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                        1,062,568          1,118,301         1,057,724
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                   272,949            319,871           255,500
<BONDS>                                 386,211            418,762           425,959
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                         0                  0                 0
<PREFERRED>                                   0                  0                 0
<COMMON>                                 18,769             18,764             9,600
<OTHER-SE>                              321,567            297,813           291,428
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>          1,062,568          1,118,301         1,057,724
<SALES>                               2,993,661          1,897,662           914,963
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                      2,993,661          1,897,662           914,963
<CGS>                                 2,707,844          1,728,508           839,779
<TOTAL-COSTS>                         2,707,844          1,728,508           839,779
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                              0                  0                 0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                              0                  0                 0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                       23,827             15,403             7,367
<INCOME-PRETAX>                          51,778             18,714           (3,690)
<INCOME-TAX>                             19,052              9,707             2,851
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                      32,726              9,007           (6,541)
<DISCONTINUED>                                0                  0                 0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                               0                  0                 0
<CHANGES>                                     0                  0                 0
<NET-INCOME>                             32,726              9,007           (6,541)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                              0.87               0.24            (0.17)
<EPS-DILUTED>                              0.82               0.23            (0.17)