<ARTICLE> 5 <LEGEND> THE SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM THE CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS AND THE CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. </LEGEND> <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR YEAR YEAR <FISCAL-YEAR-END> APR-30-1998 APR-30-1997 APR-30-1996 <PERIOD-END> APR-30-1998 APR-30-1997 APR-30-1996 <CASH> 900,856 457,079 58,414 <SECURITIES> 346,158 61,755 360,212 <RECEIVABLES> 838,551 437,585 218,967 <ALLOWANCES> 45,314 30,144 4,419 <INVENTORY> 0 0 0 <CURRENT-ASSETS> 2,143,277 1,480,090 1,262,910 <PP&E> 244,386 207,959 174,429 <DEPRECIATION> 167,065 142,894 122,914 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 2,904,083 1,707,058 1,417,561 <CURRENT-LIABILITIES> 1,276,892 669,009 339,746 <BONDS> 0 0 0 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 0 0 <PREFERRED> 0 4 4 <COMMON> 1,089 1,089 1,089 <OTHER-SE> 1,340,543 998,004 1,038,500 <TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY> 2,904,083 1,707,058 1,417,561 <SALES> 0 0 0 <TOTAL-REVENUES> 1,306,785 1,097,456 871,533 <CGS> 0 0 0 <TOTAL-COSTS> 1,050,810 883,268 695,011 <OTHER-EXPENSES> 0 0 0 <LOSS-PROVISION> 0 0 0 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0 0 0 <INCOME-PRETAX> 280,891 225,058 197,457 <INCOME-TAX> 106,739 81,281 72,368 <INCOME-CONTINUING> 174,152 143,777 125,089 <DISCONTINUED> 217,978<F1> (96,022)<F2> 52,079<F3> <EXTRAORDINARY> 0 0 0 <CHANGES> 0 0 0 <NET-INCOME> 392,130 47,755 177,168 <EPS-PRIMARY> 3.74 .46 1.70 <EPS-DILUTED> 3.65 .45 1.67 <FN> <F1>NET OF TAXES OF $244,424. <F2>NET OF TAX BENEFIT OF ($53,421). <F3>NET OF TAXES OF $35,757. </FN>