WHOLE FOODS MARKET INC
10-Q, 1999-05-25
GROCERY STORES
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                                    FORM 10-Q

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549


[X]  Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange
     Act of 1934 for the period ended April 11, 1999; or

[ ]  Transition  report  pursuant  to  Section  13 or 15(d) of  the  Securities
     Exchange Act of 1934 for the transition  period from  ________ to _______.


Commission File Number:  0-19797


                            WHOLE FOODS MARKET, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

   Texas                                                           74-1989366
(State of                                                        (IRS employer
incorporation)                                             identification no.)

   601 N. Lamar
   Suite 300
   Austin, Texas                                                        78703
(Address of principal executive offices)                            (ZIP Code)

               Registrant's telephone number, including area code:
                                  512-477-4455

     Indicate  by check mark  whether the  registrant  (1) has filed all reports
required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of
1934  during  the  preceding  12 months  (or for such  shorter  period  that the
registrant was required to file such reports),  and (2) has been subject to such
filing requirements for the past 90 days:

                  Yes  X                     No

     The  number of shares  of the  registrant's  common  stock,  no par  value,
outstanding as of April 11, 1999 was 26,138,270 shares.


<PAGE>

<TABLE>

<CAPTION>

                          Part 1. Financial Information

Item 1.  Financial Statements

Whole Foods Market, Inc. And Subsidiaries
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) (In thousands)
April 11, 1999 and September 27, 1998

                                                               1999         1998
                                                             ----------------------
<S>                                                          <C>            <C>

Assets
Current assets:
    Cash and cash equivalents                                $  17,133       36,674
    Marketable securities                                        8,768       27,019
    Merchandise inventories                                     89,516       85,628
    Accounts receivable and other                               39,606       34,772
                                                             ----------------------
      Total current assets                                     155,023      184,093
                                                             ----------------------

Net property and equipment                                     335,483      291,478
Excess of cost over net assets acquired, net                    35,169       35,802
Other assets                                                    39,361       33,435
                                                             ----------------------

                                                             $ 565,036      544,808
                                                             ======================

Liabilities And Shareholders' Equity
Current liabilities:
    Current installments of long-term debt                   $     271          343
    Trade accounts payable                                      34,002       34,137
    Accrued payroll, bonus and employee benefits                25,139       26,670
    Accrued expenses and other                                  39,837       29,879
                                                             ----------------------
      Total current liabilities                                 99,249       91,029


Long-term debt, less current installments                      161,815      158,673
Other long-term liabilities                                     17,803       17,833
                                                             ----------------------
      Total liabilities                                        278,867      267,535
                                                             ----------------------

Shareholders' equity:
    Common stock, no par value, 100,000 shares authorized;
      26,746 and 26,500 shares issued; 26,138 and 26,500
      shares outstanding                                       222,648      219,189
    Common stock in treasury, at cost                          (18,939)           -
    Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)                  (15)         211
    Retained earnings                                           82,475       57,873
                                                             ----------------------
      Total shareholders' equity                               286,169      277,273
                                                             ----------------------

                                                             $ 565,036      544,808
                                                             ======================
</TABLE>



See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

                                                                    Page 2 of 12

<PAGE>

<TABLE>

<CAPTION>



Whole Foods Market, Inc. And Subsidiaries
Condensed Consolidated Income Statements (Unaudited) (In thousands, except per share data)

                                                    Twelve weeks ended         Twenty-eight weeks ended
                                                April 11        April 12       April 11        April 12
                                                  1999            1998           1999            1998
                                              -----------------------------  -----------------------------
<S>                                             <C>                <C>         <C>               <C>


Sales                                           $  358,872         324,811     $  815,111         732,599
Cost of goods sold and occupancy costs             234,748         213,872        537,661         485,908
                                              -----------------------------  -----------------------------

Gross profit                                       124,124         110,939        277,450         246,691

Selling, general and administrative expenses       101,368          90,620        231,789         202,524
Pre-opening and relocation costs                     2,243           1,462          2,243           2,527
Merger expenses                                          -               -              -           1,699
                                              -----------------------------  -----------------------------

Income from operations                              20,513          18,857         43,418          39,941
Interest expense                                    (1,923)         (1,534)        (4,603)         (3,532)
Investment and other income                            504             334          1,517             340
                                              -----------------------------  -----------------------------

Income before income taxes                          19,094          17,657         40,332          36,749
Income taxes                                         7,447           6,533         15,730          13,597
                                              -----------------------------  -----------------------------

Net income                                      $   11,647          11,124     $   24,602          23,152
                                              =============================  =============================
Basic earnings per share                         $    0.44            0.43      $    0.93            0.89
                                              =============================  =============================
Diluted earnings per share                       $    0.43            0.40      $    0.90            0.84
                                              =============================  =============================

</TABLE>


See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

                                                                    Page 3 of 12

<PAGE>


<TABLE>

<CAPTION>

Whole Foods Market, Inc. And Subsidiaries
Condensed Consolidated Statements Of Cash Flows (Unaudited) (In thousands)

                                                                       Twenty-eight weeks ended
                                                                       April 11        April 12
                                                                         1999             1998
                                                                    ------------------------------
<S>                                                                     <C>               <C>
Net cash flow from operating activities                                 $ 48,702           36,681

Cash flow from investing activities:
    Acquisition of property and equipment                                (67,037)         (48,901)
    Acquisition of leasehold rights                                       (3,592)          (2,555)
    Proceeds from marketable securities available for sale                18,500                -
    Purchase of marketable securities available for sale                    (475)         (25,935)
                                                                    ------------------------------
      Net cash flow used in investing activities                         (52,604)         (77,391)
                                                                    ------------------------------

Cash flow from financing activities:
    Net proceeds from bank borrowings                                          -           11,000
    Net proceeds from the sale of convertible debentures                       -          111,749
    Payments on long-term debt                                              (157)         (73,019)
    Proceeds from issuance of common stock                                 3,457           13,365
    Purchase of treasury stock                                           (18,939)               -
    Cash acquired in pooling-of-interests                                      -               54
                                                                    ------------------------------
      Net cash flow from (used in) financing activities                  (15,639)          63,149
                                                                    ------------------------------

Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents                     (19,541)          22,439
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period                          36,674           13,395
                                                                    ==============================

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period                            $   17,133           35,834
                                                                    ==============================

Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
    Interest and income taxes paid:
      Interest                                                        $    1,244            3,457
                                                                    ==============================
      Federal and state income taxes                                  $    6,066           14,556
                                                                    ==============================
</TABLE>

See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.


                                                                    Page 4 of 12

<PAGE>



Whole Foods Market, Inc. And Subsidiaries
Notes To Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited)
April 11, 1999

(1) Basis of Presentation

The accompanying  unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements of Whole
Foods Market, Inc. and subsidiaries ("Company") have been prepared in accordance
with generally accepted accounting  principles for interim financial  statements
and with the  instructions to Form 10-Q and Rule 10-01 of Regulation S-X. In the
opinion of management, all adjustments, consisting of normal recurring accruals,
considered  necessary  for a  fair  presentation  have  been  included.  Certain
information  and  footnote  disclosure  normally  included  in annual  financial
statements prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting  principles
have been  condensed  or omitted  pursuant to the rules and  regulations  of the
Securities  and  Exchange  Commission.  For  further  information,  refer to the
consolidated   financial  statements  and  footnotes  thereto  included  in  the
Company's  Annual  Report on Form 10K for the fiscal  year ended  September  27,
1998.

The Company's fiscal year ends on the last Sunday in September. The first fiscal
quarter is sixteen  weeks,  the second and third  quarters each are twelve weeks
and the fourth quarter is twelve or thirteen weeks.

(2) Earnings Per Share

The  computation  of basic earnings per share is based on the number of weighted
average common shares  outstanding during the period. The computation of diluted
earnings  per share  includes the  dilutive  effect of common stock  equivalents
consisting  of common  shares deemed  outstanding  from the assumed  exercise of
stock options.  A  reconciliation  of the  denominators of the basic and diluted
earnings per share calculations follows (in thousands):

<TABLE>

                                          Twelve weeks ended                     Twenty-eight weeks ended
                                       April 11         April 12                 April 11        April 12
                                        1999             1998                     1999             1998
                                      --------------------------              ----------------------------
<S>                                   <C>                <C>                  <C>                 <C>

Denominator for basic earnings per
 share:  weighted average shares         26,339          26,094                   26,461           25,990

Additional shares deemed
 outstanding from the assumed
 exercise of stock options                  817           1,730                    1,003            1,662
                                      --------------------------              ----------------------------

Denominator for diluted earnings
 per share:  adjusted weighted average
 shares and assumed conversions          27,156          27,824                   27,464           27,652
                                      ==========================              ============================
</TABLE>

The  computation of diluted  earnings per share for the twelve and  twenty-eight
week periods ended April 11, 1999 and April 12, 1998 does not include  1,643,000
shares of common  stock  related  to the zero  coupon  convertible  subordinated
debentures  because to do so would be  antidilutive.  The computation of diluted
earnings per share for the twelve and twenty-eight  week periods ended April 11,
1999 does not include  options to purchase  1,577,000  and  1,551,000  shares of
common stock because to do so would be antidilutive.  The computation of diluted
earnings per share for the twelve and twenty-eight  week periods ended April 12,
1998 does not include  options to purchase  192,000 and 95,000  shares of common
stock because to do so would be antidilutive.


                                                                    Page 5 of 12

<PAGE>


(3)  Business Combinations

Subsequent  to  the  end  of  the  second  quarter,  the  Company  acquired  the
outstanding stock of Nature's Heartland, Inc., which operated four natural foods
supermarkets  in  the  greater  Boston   metropolitan   area,  in  exchange  for
approximately  $25 million in cash. This transaction will be accounted for using
the purchase  method and,  accordingly,  the purchase price will be allocated to
net assets acquired based on their estimated fair values.  Total costs in excess
of net assets acquired will be amortized on a straight-line basis over 40 years.
Pro forma results of operations are not presented due to the  immaterial  effect
of the acquired company's results on consolidated results of operations.

(4) Segments

Effective the beginning of the first quarter of fiscal 1999, the Company adopted
Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 131, "Disclosures about Segments
of an Enterprise and Related  Information." This statement establishes standards
for  reporting  information  about  operating  segments  in  interim  and annual
financial  statements.  The Company  identifies its segments based on management
responsibility  and the nature of  products  and  services.  The  natural  foods
supermarkets  segment includes the Company's  stores and supporting  operations.
The direct marketing  segment consists of Amrion.  The "Other" category consists
of Allegro Coffee  Company and  operations,  including  start-up  costs,  of the
Company's internet commerce subsidiary, WholeFoods.com.

<TABLE>

<CAPTION>

Sales by segment were as follows (in thousands):

                                          Twelve weeks ended                      Twenty-eight weeks ended
                                      April 11          April 12                 April 11          April 12
                                        1999              1998                     1999              1998
                                     ----------------------------             ------------------------------
<S>                                  <C>                <C>                   <C>                 <C>

Natural foods supermarkets           $  339,770         302,036               $  769,928           683,954
Direct marketing                         18,300          20,528                   43,287            43,314
Other                                     3,123           3,337                    8,036             3,337
                                     ----------------------------             ------------------------------
                                        361,193         325,901                  820,401           735,304
Intersegment sales                       (2,321)         (1,090)                  (5,290)           (2,705)
                                     ----------------------------             ------------------------------

Total sales                          $  358,872         324,811               $  815,111           732,599
                                     ============================             ==============================



Income from operations and  reconciliation  to income before income taxes are as
follows (in thousands):

                                          Twelve weeks ended                      Twenty-eight weeks ended
                                      April 11          April 12                 April 11          April 12
                                        1999              1998                     1999              1998
                                     ----------------------------             ------------------------------
Natural foods supermarkets            $  19,297          15,913               $   40,363            34,069
Direct marketing                          1,911           2,901                    4,106             5,563
Other                                      (695)             43                   (1,051)              309
                                     ----------------------------             ------------------------------
Income from operations                   20,513          18,857                   43,418            39,941
Interest expense                         (1,923)         (1,534)                  (4,603)           (3,532)
Investment and other income                 504             334                    1,517               340
                                     ----------------------------             ------------------------------

Income before income taxes            $  19,094          17,657               $   40,332            36,749
                                     ============================             ==============================
</TABLE>


                                                                    Page 6 of 12

<PAGE>


(5) Comprehensive Income

Effective the beginning of the first quarter of fiscal 1999, the Company adopted
Statement of Financial  Accounting  Standards No. 130, "Reporting  Comprehensive
Income", which establishes standards for reporting  comprehensive income and its
components  in financial  statements.  Accumulated  other  comprehensive  income
reported on the Company's  consolidated  balance  sheets  consists of unrealized
gains and losses, net of tax, on  available-for-sale  securities.  Comprehensive
income, net of related tax effects, is as follows (in thousands):

<TABLE>


                                          Twelve weeks ended                    Twenty-eight weeks ended
                                      April 11          April 12               April 11          April 12
                                        1999              1998                   1999              1998
                                     ----------------------------           ------------------------------
<S>                                  <C>                 <C>                <C>                   <C>

Net income                           $   11,647          11,124             $   24,602            23,152
Unrealized gain (loss), net                 (24)             (4)                  (138)               74
                                     ----------------------------           ------------------------------

Comprehensive income                 $   11,623          11,120             $   24,464            23,226
                                     ============================           ==============================

</TABLE>

(6) Recent Pronouncements

The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants  (AICPA) issued Statement
of Position (SOP) 98-1, "Accounting for the Costs of Computer Software Developed
or Obtained for Internal  Use" in March 1998.  SOP 98-1 is effective  for fiscal
years  beginning   after  December  15,  1998  and   establishes   criteria  for
capitalizing certain internal use software costs. The Company plans to adopt SOP
98-1 in fiscal  year  2000.  The  adoption  of SOP 98-1 will not have a material
impact on the Company's financial statements.

The AICPA issued SOP 98-5,  "Reporting on the Costs of Start-up  Activities"  in
April 1998.  SOP 98-5 requires  costs of start-up  activities  and  organization
costs to be expensed as incurred and is effective for financial  statements  for
fiscal years  beginning  after December 15, 1998. The Company plans to adopt SOP
98-5 in  fiscal  year  2000,  with the  initial  application  recognized  as the
cumulative  effect of a change in accounting  principle.  The Company  currently
capitalizes  pre-opening  costs and expenses  such amounts in the quarter of the
location opening.  Capitalized pre-opening costs at April 11, 1999 and April 12,
1998 totaled approximately $212,000 and $126,000, respectively. The Company does
not expect the adoption of SOP 98-5 to have a material  effect on the  Company's
consolidated financial statements; however, the ultimate effect of adoption will
depend upon the level of capitalized pre-opening costs at such date.







                                                                    Page 7 of 12

<PAGE>


Item 2. Management's  Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results
        of Operations

Results of  Operations  - Twelve and  twenty-eight  weeks  ended  April 11, 1999
compared to the same periods of the prior year.

General
The Company reports its results of operations on a fifty-two or fifty-three week
fiscal year ending on the last Sunday in September.  The first fiscal quarter is
sixteen  weeks,  the second  and third  quarters  each are twelve  weeks and the
fourth quarter is twelve or thirteen  weeks.  The following table sets forth the
Company's results of operations data expressed as a percentage of sales:

<TABLE>

                                          Twelve weeks ended                    Twenty-eight weeks ended
                                      April 11          April 12               April 11          April 12
                                        1999              1998                   1999              1998
                                     ----------------------------           ------------------------------
<S>                                  <C>                 <C>                    <C>              <C>

Sales                                  100.0%            100.0%                 100.0%            100.0%
Cost of goods sold
 and occupancy costs                    65.4              65.9                   66.0              66.3
                                     ----------------------------           ------------------------------
Gross profit                            34.6              34.2                   34.0              33.7
Selling, general and
 administrative expenses                28.3              27.9                   28.4              27.6
Pre-opening and relocation costs         0.6               0.5                    0.3               0.3
Merger and reorganization expenses       0.0               0.0                    0.0               0.2
                                     ----------------------------           ------------------------------
Income from operations                   5.7               5.8                    5.3               5.5
Interest expense                        (0.5)             (0.5)                  (0.6)             (0.5)
Investment and other income              0.1               0.1                    0.2               0.1
                                     ----------------------------           ------------------------------
Income before income taxes               5.3               5.4                    5.0               5.0
Income taxes                             2.1               2.0                    1.9               1.9
                                     ----------------------------           ------------------------------
Net income                               3.3%              3.4%                   3.0%              3.2%
                                     ============================           ==============================
</TABLE>

Figures may not add due to rounding.

Sales
Sales  increased 10% for the second fiscal quarter and 11% for the  twenty-eight
weeks  compared to the same  periods of the prior  fiscal year due to new stores
opened and  acquired  since last year and  comparable  store sales  increases of
approximately 8.2% and 7.0% respectively.  These increases were partially offset
by a net sales decrease at Amrion that resulted from a decline in  international
market sales and increased  competition in the supplement  category.  Comparable
store  sales  increases  generally  result  from an  increase  in the  number of
customer   transactions  and  slightly  higher  average   transaction   amounts,
reflecting  an increase  in market  share as the stores  mature in a  particular
market.

Gross Profit
Gross profit  consists of sales less cost of goods sold and occupancy costs plus
contribution from non-retail distribution and food preparation  operations.  The
Company's consolidated gross profit as a percentage of sales was 34.6% and 34.0%
for the twelve and twenty-eight weeks ended April 11, 1999 compared to 34.2% and
33.7%,  respectively,  for the same periods of the prior year.  These  increases
reflect  increased  national buying and private label initiatives which continue
to lower the cost of  product  purchased  on a  national  basis,  and  continued
improvement by new stores with respect to product procurement, merchandising and
controlling spoilage. Gross profit was also positively affected by reductions in
product cost as a percentage of sales at Amrion.

Selling, General and Administrative Expenses
Selling,  general and  administrative  expenses as a percentage of sales for the
twelve and twenty-eight weeks ended April 11, 1999 were 28.3% and 28.4% compared
to 27.9% and 27.6%  respectively,  for the same periods of the prior year. These
increases  reflect  increased  store labor  costs,  an increase in the number of
administrative  and support  personnel at the  regional  and national  levels to


                                                                    Page 8 of 12

<PAGE>

support  current and planned  growth and the  implementation  of new  management
information  systems,  costs incurred to address the Company's Year 2000 issues,
and  start-up  costs  associated  with  WholeFoods.com.  Additionally,  selling,
general and administrative expenses as a percentage of sales at Amrion increased
as a result of higher market  development  costs and a decline in  international
market sales.

Pre-Opening and Relocation Costs
Pre-opening costs include hiring and training personnel,  supplies,  and certain
occupancy and miscellaneous costs related to new store and facility openings and
are expensed in the quarter of the opening.  Relocation  costs consist of losses
on dispositions of fixed assets and inventories, remaining lease payments, other
costs of holding replaced facilities and other related expenses. Pre-opening and
relocation  costs for the twelve and  twenty-eight  weeks  ended  April 11, 1999
totaled $2.2 million for the opening of one new store and the  relocation of one
store in the second quarter. In the prior year, pre-opening and relocation costs
for the twelve and  twenty-eight  weeks  totaling $1.5 million and $2.5 million,
respectively,  were  associated  with  the  opening  of one  new  store  and the
relocation  of two stores  during the first  quarter  and the opening of two new
stores in the second quarter.

Interest Expense
Interest  expense  consists  of costs  related to the  convertible  subordinated
debentures and senior notes payable, net of capitalized interest associated with
new store  development.  Net  interest  expense for the twelve and  twenty-eight
weeks ended  April 11,  1999 was  approximately  $1.9  million and $4.6  million
compared to approximately  $1.5 million and $3.5 million for the same periods of
the prior year.

Investment and Other Income
Investment and other income  consists  primarily of interest  income earned on a
short-term  corporate  bond  portfolio  and  a  prime  money  market  portfolio.
Investment  and  other  income  for  the  second  quarter  of  fiscal  1999  was
approximately $504,000 as compared to approximately $334,000 for the same period
of the prior  year.  Subsequent  to the end of the second  quarter,  the Company
liquidated  its  remaining  investment  portfolios  to help finance the Nature's
Heartland acquisition.

Liquidity and Capital Resources and Changes in Financial Condition

During the first fiscal  quarter,  the Company  purchased a 381,000  square foot
manufacturing,   distribution,   warehousing  and  administrative   facility  in
Thornton,  Colorado for approximately $15 million.  The Company expects to spend
an additional $15 million on improvements and equipment for the facility. During
the second fiscal quarter, the Company's Board of Directors authorized a plan to
repurchase up to $25 million in outstanding  shares of Company common stock. The
Company has repurchased 608,000 shares of Company common stock for approximately
$18.9 million. Subsequent to the end of the second quarter, the Company acquired
the outstanding stock of Nature's  Heartland Inc., in exchange for approximately
$25 million in cash.

Whole Foods Market's  principal  historical  capital  requirements have been the
funding  of the  development  or  acquisition  of  new  stores,  expansions  and
improvements  in  existing  stores  and  increases  in overall  working  capital
requirements.  The Company  estimates that cash requirements to open a new store
will range from $5 million to $12 million  (after  giving effect to any landlord
construction  allowance).  This  excludes new store  inventory of  approximately
$750,000,  a  substantial  portion of which is  financed by the vendors of Whole
Foods Market. Subsequent to the end of the second quarter the Company has opened
two new stores.  Five new store  openings are scheduled for the remainder of the
current  fiscal  year.  The  Company  has  thirty-two   stores  currently  under
development  that are expected to open during the next three fiscal  years.  The
Company  intends to  replace  its  current  line of credit  facility  with a new
revolving line of credit facility to increase the amount available for borrowing
and delete or modify certain  restrictive  covenants.  The Company  expects that
cash  generated  from  operations  and cash  available  under its line of credit
agreement will be sufficient to finance planned  expansion and other anticipated
working capital and capital expenditure requirements.

Year 2000 Issues

During  fiscal  1998,  the  Company  established  a project  team to  coordinate
existing Year 2000 activities and address remaining Year 2000 issues. The team's
efforts are focused in three areas:  (1)  information  systems (IS) software and
hardware;  (2) facilities and non-IS  equipment with embedded  systems;  and (3)
third-party relationships.



                                                                    Page 9 of 12

<PAGE>


The Company has adopted a Year 2000 plan  consisting  of five phases as follows:
Phase I -  inventory  and  ranking  of the  Company's  systems  and  components,
equipment,  and suppliers that may be vulnerable to Year 2000 problems; Phase II
- -  assessment  of items  identified  in  Phase I;  Phase  III -  remediation  or
replacement  of  non-compliant  systems  and  components  and  determination  of
solutions or  alternatives  for  non-compliant  suppliers;  Phase IV testing and
implementation of systems for which remediation or replacement is complete;  and
Phase V - development  of  contingency  plans to mitigate the potential  adverse
effects  on the  Company's  operations  that  have  been  determined  to be most
reasonably likely based upon the results of Phases I through IV. The Company has
completed  Phases I and II.  Phases III and IV are  currently in process and are
planned to be completed  for all critical  systems by June 30, 1999.  Phase V is
planned to be completed by July 31, 1999.

Subsequent  to the end of the second  quarter,  the  Company  acquired  Nature's
Heartland,  Inc.  The Company has  completed  an  inventory  and  assessment  of
Nature's Heartland's systems and equipment,  and will replace or remediate those
that are  non-compliant.  The Company  expects  that Year 2000  efforts  will be
completed  for Nature's  Heartland in  accordance  with the Year 2000 plan dates
indicated above.

Information Systems Software and Hardware.  The Company has assessed its primary
information  systems and remediation,  testing and implementation are in process
or has been  completed for those  systems  requiring  remediation.  Remediation,
testing and  implementation of the Company's primary accounting and distribution
information  systems  has been  completed.  The Company  plans to  complete  all
remediation,  testing, and implementation of its individual  information systems
by June 30, 1999.

Facilities and Non-IS Equipment with Embedded Systems. The Company has completed
an inventory  and  assessment  of all equipment  with non-IS  embedded  systems.
Certain  devices such as time clocks,  scales,  fax machines,  and HVAC controls
will be upgraded or replaced as part of the plan to address Year 2000 issues for
embedded  systems.  The  Company  plans to  complete  remediation,  testing  and
implementation for all non-IS embedded systems by June 30, 1999.

Third-party Relationships.  The Company has identified significant third parties
upon  which it relies and has  communicated  with these  third  parties  through
questionnaires and interviews or otherwise obtained information to determine, to
the extent practical,  their Year 2000 readiness.  The Company  understands that
majority  of these third  parties are still  addressing  Year 2000  issues,  and
therefore will continue to monitor their  progress and review their  contingency
plans as necessary.

Costs to Address the Company's Year 2000 Issues.  The Company estimates that the
expense associated with the Year 2000 Plan will be approximately $2 million,  of
which  approximately  $400,000  has been  incurred  to date.  Additionally,  the
Company estimates that hardware and software purchases totaling approximately $2
million  will  be  capitalized   pursuant  to  the  Year  2000  Plan,  of  which
approximately $600,000 has been capitalized to date.

Risks and Contingency Plans. The  aforementioned  costs and completion dates are
based on plans for work to be performed and management's  best estimates,  which
have  been  derived  from   assumptions   about  future  events   including  the
availability  of  certain  resources  and other  factors,  and may be updated as
additional  information  becomes  available.  The Company believes that the Year
2000 Plan  will  address  its Year  2000  concerns  and  mitigate  the risk of a
material  adverse  impact on the  Company's  results of  operations.  Should the
Company or  significant  third  parties  upon  which it relies  have a Year 2000
systems failure,  the Company  believes that the most  significant  impact would
likely be the inability of one or more stores to electronically process customer
sales, to conduct  operations due to a power failure or to receive products from
certain vendors. The Company plans to develop contingency plans by July 31, 1999
to address these or other risks that have been  determined to be most reasonably
likely based upon the results of Phases I through IV of the Year 2000 Plan.

Risk Factors

The Company  wishes to caution  readers that  inherent  risks and  uncertainties
including those listed in the Company's  Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year
ended September 27, 1998, among others,  could cause the actual results of Whole
Foods  Market to differ  materially  from  those  indicated  by  forward-looking
statements  made  in this  Quarterly  Report  on Form  10-Q  and  other  written


                                                                   Page 10 of 12

<PAGE>

communications,  as well as oral  forward-looking  statements  made from time to
time by representatives of the Company. Except for historical  information,  the
matters  discussed in such oral and written  communications  are forward looking
statements  that involve risks and  uncertainties,  including but not limited to
general business conditions,  the timely and successful  development and opening
of new or relocated  stores,  the impact of competition  and other factors which
are often beyond the control of the Company.

Item 3.  Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

The Company is exposed to market risk from changes in interest rates,  which may
affect its financial position,  results of operations and cash flows. In seeking
to minimize  the risks from  interest  rate  fluctuations,  the Company  manages
exposures  through its regular operating and financing  activities.  The Company
does not use financial instruments for trading or other speculative purposes.

The  Company's  exposure  to  interest  rate  risk  currently  consists  of  its
investment portfolio,  senior notes and subordinated convertible debentures. The
Company's  investment  portfolio at April 11, 1999 totaled  approximately  $17.3
million and had an average interest rate of approximately 5.43% during the first
two  quarters  of fiscal  1999.  Because  of the  short-term  maturities  of the
investment  portfolio,  the  carrying  value  approximates  fair  market  value.
Subsequent  to  the  end of the  second  quarter,  the  Company  liquidated  its
remaining   investment   portfolio  to  help  finance  the  Nature's   Heartland
acquisition.  At April 11,  1999,  the Company  had $40 million in senior  notes
outstanding  bearing  interest at a fixed rate of 7.29%.  At April 11, 1999, the
estimated  fair  value of the  senior  notes  exceeded  the  carrying  amount by
approximately  $1.6  million.  At April 11, 1999,  the zero coupon  subordinated
convertible  debentures have an effective yield to maturity of 5% and a carrying
amount of  approximately  $121.6 million.  At April 11, 1999, the estimated fair
value of the convertible  debentures was  approximately  $104.6 million.  Should
interest  rates  increase or decrease,  the estimated  fair values of the senior
notes and the zero coupon  subordinated  debentures  would  increase or decrease
accordingly.

Part II. Other Information

Item 4.  Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders

On March 29, 1999, the Company held its annual meeting of  shareholders to elect
the Class 1 directors to the Board of Directors  of the Company.  The  Company's
Board of Directors is separated  into three  classes,  and the directors in each
class are  elected  to serve  three-year  terms.  Each of the Class 1  directors
nominated by the Company was elected, with voting results as follows:
                                      For              Against        Abstaining
                                  ----------           -------        ----------
     Linda A. Mason               23,121,579            18,523          116,093
     Jirka Rysavy                 23,120,752            19,350          116,093

Dr.  Cristina G. Banks resigned from the Board prior to March 29, 1999,  thereby
reducing the number of directors to eight.

Item 6.  Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K

(a)      The following exhibit is filed with this report

         Exhibit 27   Financial Data Schedule

 (b) The Company did not file any reports on Form 8-K during the fiscal  quarter
ended April 11, 1999.






                                                                   Page 11 of 12

<PAGE>


SIGNATURE

Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

                                                 Whole Foods Market, Inc.
                                                 ------------------------
                                                 Registrant


Date:  May 24, 1999                              By:  Glenda Flanagan
                                                      ---------------
                                                 Glenda Flanagan
                                                 Vice President and
                                                 Chief Financial Officer
                                                 (Duly authorized officer and
                                                 principal financial officer)
















                                                                   Page 12 of 12


<TABLE> <S> <C>



<ARTICLE> 5
<LEGEND>
           THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION
           EXTRACTED FROM THE WHOLE FOODS MARKET 1999 FORM 10-Q
           AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH
           FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
</LEGEND>
<CIK>            0000865436
<NAME>           Whole Foods Market, Inc.
<MULTIPLIER>                               1,000
<CURRENCY>                                 US DOLLARS

<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          SEP-26-1999
<PERIOD-END>                               APR-11-1999
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                      1
<CASH>                                          17,133
<SECURITIES>                                     8,768
<RECEIVABLES>                                        0
<ALLOWANCES>                                         0
<INVENTORY>                                     89,516
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                               155,023
<PP&E>                                         335,483
<DEPRECIATION>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 565,036
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                           99,249
<BONDS>                                        121,588
                                0
                                          0
<COMMON>                                       203,709
<OTHER-SE>                                      82,460
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   565,036
<SALES>                                        815,111
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               815,111
<CGS>                                          537,661
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  537,661
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                               232,515
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                               4,603
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                 40,332
<INCOME-TAX>                                    15,730
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                             24,602
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                    24,602
<EPS-BASIC>                                     0.93
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     0.90




</TABLE>


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