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 * SZEFTEL IVAN M   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 __X__ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) __X__ Other (specify below) Executive Vice President / President Retail Credit Svcs. (Last) (First) (Middle) 17655 WATERVIEW PARKWAY 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 05/26/2006 (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 05/26/2006   M   548 A $ 12 84,512 D   Common Stock 05/26/2006   S   548 D $ 54.1 83,964 D

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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

Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)

$ 12

05/26/2006

M

548

(1)

06/07/2011

Common Stock

548

(1)

234,904 (2)

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
SZEFTEL IVAN M 17655 WATERVIEW PARKWAY DALLAS, TX 75252-8012		X	Executive Vice President	President Retail Credit Svcs.

Signatures

Leigh Ann K. Epperson, Attorney in Fact		05/31/2006
**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)	This is an employee stock option grant that is fully vested.
(2)	The total number of derivative securities beneficially owned includes: (a) an option for 77,001 out of an original 80,000 shares granted 9/1/00, which is fully vested; (b) an option for 16,300 out of an original 38,048 shares granted 6/8/01, which is fully vested; (c) an option for 42,528 shares granted 6/24/03, of which 28,068 shares are fully vested and 14,460 shares will vest on 6/23/06; (d) an option for 42,103 shares granted 2/2/04, of which 27,788 shares are fully vested and 14,315 shares will vest on 2/2/07; (e) an option for 27,113 shares granted 2/3/05, of which 8,947 shares vested on 2/3/06, 8,947 shares will vest on 2/3/07 and 9,219 shares will vest on 2/3/08; and (f) an option for 29,859 shares granted 2/13/06, of which 9,853 shares will vest on each of 2/13/07 and 2/13/08 and 10,153 shares will vest on 2/13/09.

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