<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE>                     5
<LEGEND>
This  schedule   contains   summary   financial   information   extracted   from
Heilig-Meyers  Company's Consolidated  Statements of Operations and Consolidated
Balance Sheets and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such financial
statements.
</LEGEND>
<MULTIPLIER>                  1,000

<S>                                              <C>                 <C>                 <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                    YEAR                YEAR                YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                FEB-28-1999         FEB-28-1998         FEB-28-1997
<PERIOD-END>                                     FEB-28-1999         FEB-28-1998         FEB-28-1997
<CASH>                                                 67254               48779               14959
<SECURITIES>                                          190970<F1>          182158<F1>          243427<F1>
<RECEIVABLES>                                         297027              453071              638079
<ALLOWANCES>                                           42745               60306               41120
<INVENTORY>                                           493463              542868              433277
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                     1130274             1293548             1134057
<PP&E>                                                605958              571477              497132
<DEPRECIATION>                                        205272              173326              130383
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                       1947752             2097513             1837158
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                                 749941              702151              583920
<BONDS>                                               547344              715271              561489
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                      0                   0                   0
<PREFERRED>                                                0                   0                   0
<COMMON>                                              119722              117616              108828
<OTHER-SE>                                            485380              491538              533793
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                         1947752             2097513             1837158
<SALES>                                              2431152             2160223             1342208
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                                     2726358             2469736             1593119
<CGS>                                                1637901             1451560              876142
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                        1637901             1451560              876142
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                           0                   0                   0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                      107916              181645               80908
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                     75676               67283               47800
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                        (3048)             (84387)              61900
<INCOME-TAX>                                           (1081)             (29244)              21715
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                                    (1967)             (55143)              40185
<DISCONTINUED>                                             0                   0                   0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                            0                   0                   0
<CHANGES>                                                  0                   0                   0
<NET-INCOME>                                           (1967)             (55143)              40185
<EPS-BASIC>                                          (0.03)<F2>          (0.98)<F2>           0.81<F2>
<EPS-DILUTED>                                          (0.03)              (0.98)               0.80
<FN>
<F1> Represents  retained  interests in securitized  receivables <F2> Represents
basic earnings per share </FN>
</TABLE>