<ARTICLE> 5
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          NOV-30-1998
<PERIOD-START>                             DEC-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               AUG-31-1998
<CASH>                                           9,825
<SECURITIES>                                    60,222<F1>
<RECEIVABLES>                                  376,314
<ALLOWANCES>                                         0
<INVENTORY>                                  1,135,328
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                     0
<PP&E>                                               0
<DEPRECIATION>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               1,734,629
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                                0
<BONDS>                                        525,226<F2>
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0
<PREFERRED>                                          0
<COMMON>                                        39,903
<OTHER-SE>                                     387,522
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                 1,734,629
<SALES>                                      1,591,064
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                             1,622,718
<CGS>                                        1,504,785
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                1,311,062<F3>
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                               211,808<F4>
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              19,331
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                 82,218
<INCOME-TAX>                                    28,800
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                             53,418
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                    53,418
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     1.35
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     1.30
<FN>
<F1>MARKETABLE SECURITIES ARE COMPRISED OF FIRST MORTGAGES AND MORTGAGE-BACKED 
SECURITIES WHICH ARE HELD FOR LONG-TERM INVESTMENT. THE MORTGAGE-BACKED 
SECURITIES SERVE AS COLLATERAL FOR RELATED COLLATERALIZED MORTGAGE OBLIGATIONS.
<F2>BONDS ARE COMPRISED OF SENIOR AND SENIOR SUBORDINATED NOTES AND 
COLLATERALIZED MORTGAGE OBLIGATIONS.
<F3>TOTAL COSTS INCLUDE INTEREST EXPENSE ON THE COLLATERALIZED MORTGAGE 
OBLIGATIONS AS THE ASSOCIATED INTEREST INCOME GENERATED FROM THE 
MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES IS INCLUDED IN TOTAL REVENUES.
<F4>OTHER EXPENSES ARE COMPRISED OF SELLING, GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE 
EXPENSES.
</FN>