WARNING: THE EDGAR SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED ERROR(S) WHILE PROCESSING THIS SCHEDULE.
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000803191
<NAME> PRUDENTIAL EQUITY INCOME FUND, INC.
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 001
<NAME> EQUITY INCOME FUND (CLASS A)
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> 6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> Oct-31-2000
<PERIOD-END> APR-30-2000
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[AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING] 0
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[ARTICLE] 6
[CIK] 0000803191
[NAME] PRUDENTIAL EQUITY INCOME FUND, INC.
[SERIES]
[NUMBER] 002
[NAME] EQUITY INCOME FUND (CLASS B)
<S> <C>
[PERIOD-TYPE] 6-MOS
[FISCAL-YEAR-END] Oct-31-2000
[PERIOD-END] APR-30-2000
[INVESTMENTS-AT-COST] 1,453,908,015
[INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE] 1,497,384,892
[RECEIVABLES] 13,779,051
[ASSETS-OTHER] 502,534
[OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS] 0
[TOTAL-ASSETS] 0
[PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES] 4,344,849
[SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT] 0
[OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES] 48,329,099
[TOTAL-LIABILITIES] 0
[SENIOR-EQUITY] 0
[PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON] 1,302,299,559
[SHARES-COMMON-STOCK] 90,169,601
[SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR] 99,319,068
[ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT] 2,164,778
[OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII] 0
[ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS] 111,051,315
[OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS] 0
[ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC] 43,476,877
[NET-ASSETS] (189,488,669)
[DIVIDEND-INCOME] 25,665,088
[INTEREST-INCOME] 694,982
[OTHER-INCOME] 236,345
[EXPENSES-NET] 12,254,849
[NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME] 14,341,566
[REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT] 112,921,496
[APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT] (96,529,395)
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[EQUALIZATION] 0
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[DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS] (210,358,638)
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[NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED] (570,523,385)
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[NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS] (337,035,773)
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[AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE] 0.00
[ARTICLE] 6
[CIK] 0000803191
[NAME] PRUDENTIAL EQUITY INCOME FUND, INC.
[SERIES]
[NUMBER] 003
[NAME] EQUITY INCOME FUND (CLASS C)
<S> <C>
[PERIOD-TYPE] 6-MOS
[FISCAL-YEAR-END] Oct-31-2000
[PERIOD-END] APR-30-2000
[INVESTMENTS-AT-COST] 1,453,908,015
[INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE] 1,497,384,892
[RECEIVABLES] 13,779,051
[ASSETS-OTHER] 502,534
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[OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS] 0
[ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC] 43,476,877
[NET-ASSETS] (189,488,669)
[DIVIDEND-INCOME] 25,665,088
[INTEREST-INCOME] 694,982
[OTHER-INCOME] 236,345
[EXPENSES-NET] 12,254,849
[NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME] 14,341,566
[REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT] 112,921,496
[APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT] (96,529,395)
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[EQUALIZATION] 0
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[DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS] (210,358,638)
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[NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED] (570,523,385)
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[NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS] (337,035,773)
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[PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND] (0.10)
[PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS] (2.18)
[RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL] 0.00
[PER-SHARE-NAV-END] 16.15
[EXPENSE-RATIO] 1.89
[AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING] 0
[AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE] 0.00
[ARTICLE] 6
[CIK] 0000803191
[NAME] PRUDENTIAL EQUITY INCOME FUND, INC.
[SERIES]
[NUMBER] 004
[NAME] EQUITY INCOME FUND (CLASS Z)
<S> <C>
[PERIOD-TYPE] 6-MOS
[FISCAL-YEAR-END] Oct-31-2000
[PERIOD-END] APR-30-2000
[INVESTMENTS-AT-COST] 1,453,908,015
[INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE] 1,497,384,892
[RECEIVABLES] 13,779,051
[ASSETS-OTHER] 502,534
[OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS] 0
[TOTAL-ASSETS] 0
[PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES] 4,344,849
[SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT] 0
[OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES] 48,329,099
[TOTAL-LIABILITIES] 0
[SENIOR-EQUITY] 0
[PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON] 1,302,299,559
[SHARES-COMMON-STOCK] 90,169,601
[SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR] 99,319,068
[ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT] 2,164,778
[OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII] 0
[ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS] 111,051,315
[OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS] 0
[ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC] 43,476,877
[NET-ASSETS] (189,488,669)
[DIVIDEND-INCOME] 25,665,088
[INTEREST-INCOME] 694,982
[OTHER-INCOME] 236,345
[EXPENSES-NET] 12,254,849
[NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME] 14,341,566
[REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT] 112,921,496
[APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT] (96,529,395)
[NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS] 30,733,667
[EQUALIZATION] 0
[DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME] (12,176,788)
[DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS] (210,358,638)
[DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER] 0
[NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD] 217,611,296
[NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED] (570,523,385)
[SHARES-REINVESTED] 207,678,075
[NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS] (337,035,773)
[ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR] 0
[ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR] 208,488,456
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[GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES] 4,145,839
[INTEREST-EXPENSE] 0
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[AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS] 136,597,000
[PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN] 18.13
[PER-SHARE-NII] 0.20
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[PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND] (0.18)
[PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS] (2.18)
[RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL] 0.00
[PER-SHARE-NAV-END] 16.23
[EXPENSE-RATIO] 0.89
[AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING] 0
[AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE] 0.00
</TABLE>
