<ARTICLE> 5 <CIK> 0000355999 <NAME>UNITED STATIONERS INC. <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> 3-MOS 9-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1998 DEC-31-1998 <PERIOD-START> JUL-01-1998 JAN-01-1998 <PERIOD-END> SEP-30-1998 SEP-30-1998 <CASH> 24,938 24,938 <SECURITIES> 0 0 <RECEIVABLES> 233,335 233,335 <ALLOWANCES> 9,844 9,844 <INVENTORY> 510,252 510,252 <CURRENT-ASSETS> 776,909 776,909 <PP&E> 259,064 259,064 <DEPRECIATION> 94,080 94,080 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 1,141,903 1,141,903 <CURRENT-LIABILITIES> 460,712 460,712 <BONDS> 0 0 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 0 <PREFERRED> 0 0 <COMMON> 3,686 3,686 <OTHER-SE> 344,717 344,717 <TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY> 1,141,903 1,141,903 <SALES> 795,407 2,259,890 <TOTAL-REVENUES> 795,407 2,259,890 <CGS> 136,275 385,227 <TOTAL-COSTS> 136,275 385,227 <OTHER-EXPENSES> 91,594 283,268 <LOSS-PROVISION> 779 3,571 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 10,169 33,896 <INCOME-PRETAX> 34,513 73,269 <INCOME-TAX> 14,634 31,070 <INCOME-CONTINUING> 19,879 42,199 <DISCONTINUED> 0 0 <EXTRAORDINARY> 0 (5,907) <CHANGES> 0 0 <NET-INCOME> 19,879 36,292 <EPS-PRIMARY> .54 1.07 <EPS-DILUTED> .52 1.02