<ARTICLE> 5 <CIK> 0000874265 <NAME> GENESIS HEALTH VENTURES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES <CURRENCY> US DOLLARS <PERIOD-TYPE> 9-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> SEP-30-1997 <PERIOD-START> OCT-01-1996 <PERIOD-END> JUN-30-1997 <EXCHANGE-RATE> 1 <CASH> 15,346,000 <SECURITIES> 12,957,000 <RECEIVABLES> 237,623,000 <ALLOWANCES> (36,431,000) <INVENTORY> 25,267,000 <CURRENT-ASSETS> 340,514,000 <PP&E> 650,514,000 <DEPRECIATION> (86,269,000) <TOTAL-ASSETS> 1,375,151,000 <CURRENT-LIABILITIES> 119,687,000 <BONDS> 0 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <COMMON> 701,000 <OTHER-SE> 598,829,000 <TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY> 1,375,151,000 <SALES> 816,270,000 <TOTAL-REVENUES> 816,270,000 <CGS> 640,000,000 <TOTAL-COSTS> 723,894,000 <OTHER-EXPENSES> 0 <LOSS-PROVISION> 0 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 28,506,000 <INCOME-PRETAX> 63,870,000 <INCOME-TAX> 23,312,000 <INCOME-CONTINUING> 40,558,000 <DISCONTINUED> 0 <EXTRAORDINARY> (553,000) <CHANGES> 0 <NET-INCOME> 40,005,000 <EPS-PRIMARY> 1.12 <EPS-DILUTED> 1.11