<ARTICLE> 5 <CIK> 0000046916 <NAME> HENRY CO. <PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1998 <PERIOD-END> DEC-31-1998 <CASH> 12,022,676 <SECURITIES> 0 <RECEIVABLES> 23,917,078 <ALLOWANCES> 766,633 <INVENTORY> 14,787,345 <CURRENT-ASSETS> 52,409,650 <PP&E> 73,250,825 <DEPRECIATION> 37,880,601 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 125,513,800 <CURRENT-LIABILITIES> 20,029,970 <BONDS> 85,973,139 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 1,660,874 <COMMON> 4,691,080 <OTHER-SE> 1,139,016 <TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY> 125,513,800 <SALES> 150,156,121 <TOTAL-REVENUES> 157,510,857 <CGS> 105,142,584 <TOTAL-COSTS> 140,171,059 <OTHER-EXPENSES> 2,081,321 <LOSS-PROVISION> 501,840 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 6,566,680 <INCOME-PRETAX> 1,580,554 <INCOME-TAX> 509,342 <INCOME-CONTINUING> 7,903,741 <DISCONTINUED> 0 <EXTRAORDINARY> 0 <CHANGES> 0 <NET-INCOME> 1,071,212 <EPS-PRIMARY> 0 <EPS-DILUTED> 0