<ARTICLE> 5
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
                                                                                    
<PERIOD-TYPE>                              YEAR                 9-MOS            6-MOS          3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          APR-27-1997          APR-27-1997      APR-27-1997    APR-27-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               APR-27-1997          JAN-26-1997      OCT-27-1996    JUL-28-1996
<CASH>                                          25,791               21,562           21,733         22,662
<SECURITIES>                                         0                    0                0              0
<RECEIVABLES>                                  167,593              194,086          182,522        170,106
<ALLOWANCES>                                     1,499                1,148              993          1,258
<INVENTORY>                                    253,276              223,731          279,670        223,439
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                               488,378              478,843          526,640        457,724
<PP&E>                                         614,393              597,882          569,228        553,143
<DEPRECIATION>                                 187,518              185,514          179,689        172,103
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 995,254              974,846          998,586        911,545
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                          324,066              352,975          390,641        305,026
<BONDS>                                        288,486              265,123          266,856        270,805
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0               20,000           20,000         20,000
<PREFERRED>                                          0                    0                0              0
<COMMON>                                         9,598                9,265            9,227          9,227
<OTHER-SE>                                     297,888              259,006          242,392        233,698
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   995,254              974,846          998,586        911,545
<SALES>                                      3,870,611            2,943,075        1,862,096        892,870
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                             3,870,611            2,943,075        1,862,096        892,870
<CGS>                                        3,549,673            2,722,032        1,729,757        834,108
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                3,549,673            2,722,032        1,729,757        834,108
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0                    0                0              0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0                    0                0              0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              26,211               20,378           13,100          5,990
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                 67,677               39,228           15,261          1,161
<INCOME-TAX>                                    22,740               13,731            5,498            415
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                             44,937               25,497            9,763            746
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0                    0                0              0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0                    0                0              0
<CHANGES>                                            0                    0                0              0
<NET-INCOME>                                    44,937               25,497            9,763            746
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     1.21                 0.68             0.25           0.01
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     1.17                 0.66             0.24           0.01