Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
HEFFERNAN EDWARD J
  2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
ALLIANCE DATA SYSTEMS CORP [ADS]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) __X__ Other (specify below)
Executive Vice President / Chief Financial Officer
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
17655 WATERVIEW PARKWAY
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
01/03/2005
(Street)

DALLAS, TX 75252-8012
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)
6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock 01/03/2005   S(1)   14,000 D $ 44.75 27,037 (2) D  

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)
6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)
8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)
9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)
10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
HEFFERNAN EDWARD J
17655 WATERVIEW PARKWAY
DALLAS, TX 75252-8012
      Executive Vice President Chief Financial Officer

Signatures

 Leigh Ann K. Epperson, Attorney in Fact   01/04/2005
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) The sale reported in this Form 4 was effected pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan adopted by the Reporting Person on November 11, 2004. The trading plan was established to sell up to 14,000 shares of the Company's common stock. Portions of the shares may be sold on specified dates or any time the stock achieves certain pre-arranged minimum prices and may take place beginning on January 3, 2005 and ending on January 28, 2005, unless sooner terminated. The Reporting Person will have no control over the timing of any sales under the plan and there can be no assurance that the shares covered by the plan actually will be sold. The Reporting Person entered into the plan for personal tax and financial planning purposes and will continue to have a significant ownership interest in the Company.
(2) The total number of securities beneficially owned includes: (a) 64 out of an original 23,000 shares of restricted stock granted 10/9/00, which is fully vested; (b) 21,718 shares acquired by the exercising of vested employee stock options; and (c) 5,255 shares of performance-based restricted stock granted 2/2/04, of which 0 shares are vested.

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