<TABLE> <S> <C>

<PAGE>
<ARTICLE> 5
<LEGEND>
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM THE
COMPANY'S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE QUARTERS ENDED JULY 31, 1996, OCTOBER 31,
1996 AND JANUARY 31, 1997 AND THE FISCAL YEARS ENDED APRIL 30, 1997 AND APRIL
30, 1996 AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
<RESTATED> 
       
<S>                          <C>                   <C>                 <C>                <C>                   <C>                 
<PERIOD-TYPE>                       3-MOS                 6-MOS               9-MOS                 YEAR                YEAR        
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>             APR-30-1997           APR-30-1997         APR-30-1997          APR-30-1997         APR-30-1996        
<PERIOD-START>                MAY-01-1996           MAY-01-1996         MAY-01-1996          MAY-01-1996         MAY-01-1995        
<PERIOD-END>                  JUL-31-1996           OCT-31-1996         JAN-31-1997          APR-30-1997         APR-30-1996        
<CASH>                         34,210,175            33,001,504          28,168,373           36,384,325          38,403,234        
<SECURITIES>                            0                     0                   0                    0                   0        
<RECEIVABLES>                  24,713,349            42,150,480          41,758,953           46,871,207          20,905,812        
<ALLOWANCES>                            0                     0                   0                    0                   0        
<INVENTORY>                    32,258,160            36,951,892          49,296,802           42,346,451          23,609,136        
<CURRENT-ASSETS>               92,423,039           113,315,834         120,534,394          130,925,973          84,393,794        
<PP&E>                         29,150,847            34,055,163         113,694,325          121,233,006          25,999,107        
<DEPRECIATION>                (6,807,470)           (7,218,868)         (8,151,832)         (10,704,252)         (6,461,244)        
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                134,937,349           161,052,487         248,201,779          261,724,320         120,962,976        
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>          27,905,731            46,094,524          44,451,675           52,502,935          28,741,955        
<BONDS>                        33,951,517            37,684,067         124,906,667           64,774,267          28,948,867        
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                   0                     0                   0                    0                   0        
<PREFERRED>                             0                     0                   0                    0                   0        
<COMMON>                          208,056               209,830             210,742              257,947           1,933,117        
<OTHER-SE>                     67,526,239            71,462,054          73,072,869          138,713,794          55,886,074        
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>  134,937,349           161,052,487         248,201,779          261,724,320         120,962,976        
<SALES>                                 0                     0                   0                    0                   0        
<TOTAL-REVENUES>              194,052,201           470,822,944         811,476,612        1,166,664,621         533,106,747        
<CGS>                                   0                     0                   0                    0                   0        
<TOTAL-COSTS>                 191,815,816           466,210,230         804,419,995        1,156,764,053         526,557,794        
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                        0                     0                   0                    0                   0        
<LOSS-PROVISION>                        0                     0                   0                    0                   0        
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                655,837             1,370,280           2,647,990            4,042,616           2,530,945        
<INCOME-PRETAX>                 1,866,575             4,749,663           6,355,540            7,482,534           4,810,716        
<INCOME-TAX>                       60,000               270,000             450,000          (1,688,778)             192,747        
<INCOME-CONTINUING>             1,806,575             4,479,663           5,905,540            9,171,312           4,617,969        
<DISCONTINUED>                          0                     0                   0                    0                   0        
<EXTRAORDINARY>                         0                     0                   0                    0                   0        
<CHANGES>                               0                     0                   0                    0                   0        
<NET-INCOME>                    1,806,575             4,479,663           5,905,540            9,171,312           4,617,969        
<EPS-PRIMARY>                        0.09<F1><F2>          0.22<F1><F2>         .28<F1><F2>         0.42<F1><F2>        0.31<F1><F2>

<EPS-DILUTED>                        0.09<F2>              0.21<F2>             .27<F2>             0.41<F2>            0.30<F2>    
<FN>
<F1>REPRESENTS BASIC EARNINGS PER SHARE.
<F2>RESTATED TO REFLECT THE COMPANY'S ADOPTION OF SFAS 128, "EARNINGS PER SHARE".
</FN>
        

</TABLE>