<ARTICLE> 5

<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
<CURRENCY> U.S. DOLLARS

                                                                                            
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS                   3-MOS                   12-MOS                   12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          SEP-30-2000             SEP-30-2000             SEP-30-1999             SEP-30-1998
<PERIOD-START>                             OCT-01-1999             OCT-01-1999             OCT-01-1998             OCT-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               MAR-31-2000             DEC-31-1999             SEP-30-1999             SEP-30-1998
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                      1                       1                       1                       1
<CASH>                                         102,659                  68,280                 103,595                  39,980
<SECURITIES>                                         0                       0                       0                       0
<RECEIVABLES>                                   97,120                 100,735                 107,284                 100,543
<ALLOWANCES>                                     1,833                   1,920                   2,056                   3,382
<INVENTORY>                                     25,819                  26,618                  17,171                  16,626
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                               539,117                 505,359                 508,935                 420,670
<PP&E>                                         297,022                 287,597                 266,418                 257,207
<DEPRECIATION>                                 170,573                 167,696                 162,312                 163,307
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               1,199,647               1,164,353               1,156,858               1,055,940
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                          136,012                 140,380                 141,390                 125,789
<BONDS>                                        295,145                 321,453                 317,151                 305,806
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0                       0                       0                       0
<PREFERRED>                                          0                       0                       0                       0
<COMMON>                                        96,446                  79,416                  79,223                  58,235
<OTHER-SE>                                     412,989                 388,603                 384,212                 346,216
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                 1,199,647               1,164,353               1,156,858               1,055,940
<SALES>                                        180,611                  91,688                 359,320                 370,881
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               441,823                 221,083                 837,421                 780,845
<CGS>                                           95,999                  48,681                 202,845                 196,396
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  181,592                  90,758                 362,063                 342,707
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0                       0                       0                       0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0                       0                       0                       0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              11,180                   5,628                  23,390                  26,036
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                 82,483                  42,833                 150,355                 150,091
<INCOME-TAX>                                    33,876                  17,774                  62,464                  58,389
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                             48,607                  25,059                  87,891                  91,702
<DISCONTINUED>                                  15,661                   6,241                  34,830                  11,405
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0                       0                       0                       0
<CHANGES>                                            0                       0                       0                       0
<NET-INCOME>                                    64,268                  31,300                 122,721                 103,107
<EPS-BASIC>                                       0.83                    0.41                    1.57                    1.30
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     0.81                    0.40                    1.53                    1.27