<ARTICLE>                       5
<LEGEND>
                                                                      Exhibit 27
FINANCIAL DATA SCHEDULE

         This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the
Registrant's interim unaudited  consolidated  financial statements as of and for
the three  months  ended March 31,  2000,  and is  qualified  in its entirety by
reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>                           0000924642
<NAME>                          Applied Digital Solutions, Inc.

                             
<PERIOD-START>                  Jan-01-2000
<PERIOD-TYPE>                         3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>               Dec-31-2000
<PERIOD-END>                    Mar-31-2000
<CASH>                            5,863,000
<SECURITIES>                              0
<RECEIVABLES>                    49,215,000
<ALLOWANCES>                      1,568,000
<INVENTORY>                      46,311,000
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                112,785,000
<PP&E>                           31,942,000
<DEPRECIATION>                   15,754,000
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                  209,081,000
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>            72,462,000
<BONDS>                          36,999,000
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                     0
<PREFERRED>                               0
<COMMON>                             50,000
<OTHER-SE>                       97,276,000
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>    209,081,000
<SALES>                          84,961,000
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                 85,153,000
<CGS>                            58,254,000
<TOTAL-COSTS>                    63,910,000
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                 22,445,000
<LOSS-PROVISION>                    277,000
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                1,118,000
<INCOME-PRETAX>                  (2,123,000)
<INCOME-TAX>                       (598,000)
<INCOME-CONTINUING>              (1,172,000)
<DISCONTINUED>                            0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                           0
<CHANGES>                                 0
<NET-INCOME>                     (1,172,000)
<EPS-BASIC>                         (0.02)
<EPS-DILUTED>                         (0.02)