<ARTICLE> 5 <CIK> 0000945633 <NAME> UNITED STATIONERS SUPPLY CO. <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> 3-MOS 6-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1998 DEC-31-1998 <PERIOD-START> APR-01-1998 JAN-01-1998 <PERIOD-END> JUN-30-1998 JUN-30-1998 <CASH> 21,727 21,727 <SECURITIES> 0 0 <RECEIVABLES> 179,259 179,259 <ALLOWANCES> 9,902 9,902 <INVENTORY> 498,300 498,300 <CURRENT-ASSETS> 706,114 706,114 <PP&E> 252,237 252,237 <DEPRECIATION> 89,156 89,156 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 1,070,799 1,070,799 <CURRENT-LIABILITIES> 374,714 374,714 <BONDS> 0 0 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 0 <PREFERRED> 0 0 <COMMON> 1,832 1,832 <OTHER-SE> 326,387 326,387 <TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY> 1,070,799 1,070,799 <SALES> 751,966 1,464,483 <TOTAL-REVENUES> 751,966 1,464,483 <CGS> 626,076 1,215,531 <TOTAL-COSTS> 626,076 1,215,531 <OTHER-EXPENSES> 101,607 186,061 <LOSS-PROVISION> 2,210 2,793 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 9,516 21,342 <INCOME-PRETAX> 12,557 38,756 <INCOME-TAX> 5,328 16,436 <INCOME-CONTINUING> 7,229 22,320 <DISCONTINUED> 0 0 <EXTRAORDINARY> (5,907) (5,907) <CHANGES> 0 0 <NET-INCOME> 1,322 16,413 <EPS-PRIMARY> .08 1.01 <EPS-DILUTED> .08 .95