Overview
Avnet Inc. is a global electronic-component distributor and technology solutions provider, connecting component manufacturers with customers and supporting their design, sourcing, supply-chain and logistics needs. Its two main businesses are Electronic Components, which distributes semiconductors and other electronic components, and Farnell, which serves lower-volume customers with components, kits, tools and related products, primarily through e-commerce.[1][2][3][4]
Founded in 1921, Avnet serves customers in more than 140 countries.[1] The company reported FY2026 sales of $27.6 billion, and says it has more than 15,000 employees globally.[5][6] Avnet describes its purpose as “guiding today’s ideas into tomorrow’s technology.” [7] [1][2][3][4][5][6][7]
Products & services
Avnet’s Electronic Components (EC) business distributes semiconductors, interconnect, passive and electromechanical components, and other integrated and embedded components. Its embedded solutions include engineering, integration and assembly of embedded products and systems, embedded displays (including touch and passive displays), standard boards and industrial subsystems, and application-specific devices and specialized systems. These offerings support applications in areas including industrial, healthcare, medical, telecommunications and digital editing.[3][8]
Farnell serves lower-volume development, prototyping and testing needs with electronic and industrial-automation components, kits, tools, test-and-measurement products, single-board computers and maintenance, repair and operations products. Avnet’s related technical services include design tools, evaluation kits and reference designs, product-design and bill-of-materials support, prototyping, integration, technical education and training. Supply-chain services include procurement support, warehousing, logistics, planning tools and component-management solutions.[9][4][10][11][12]
In FY2026, EC reported approximately $21.38 billion in semiconductor sales, $3.96 billion in interconnect, passive and electromechanical components, $378.3 million in computers, and $138.1 million in other products and services. These categories represent approximately 82.7%, 15.3%, 1.5% and 0.5% of EC sales, respectively. Farnell reported approximately $335.4 million in semiconductors, $645.3 million in interconnect, passive and electromechanical components, $223.3 million in single-board computers, and $576.8 million in other products and services—including test-and-measurement and maintenance, repair and operations products—about 18.8%, 36.2%, 12.5% and 32.4% of Farnell sales, respectively. Percentages are calculated from the reported category amounts.[3][4] [3][8][9][4][10][11][12]
Geographic presence
Avnet’s FY2026 reporting describes operations across the Americas, EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa), and Asia/Pacific, with customers in more than 140 countries.[13][1] For the year ended June 27, 2026, sales were $6.481 billion in the Americas (23.5%), $7.725 billion in EMEA (28.0%), and $13.427 billion in Asia (48.5%).[14][14][14]
As of June 27, 2026, Avnet reported approximately 15,040 employees across 48 countries: 4,125 in the Americas, 6,108 in EMEA, and 4,807 in Asia.[15] Its facilities totaled approximately 6.2 million square feet, comprising 1.9 million in the Americas, 3.2 million in EMEA, and 1.1 million in Asia.[16][16][16] [13][1][14][14][14][14][14][14][15][16][16][16]
Business segments
Avnet’s FY2026 report identifies two reportable segments: **Electronic Components (EC)** and **Farnell**. EC serves primarily high- and medium-volume customers, distributing semiconductors, interconnect/passive/electromechanical components, and integrated/embedded components, alongside design, supply-chain, programming, and logistics support.[3] Farnell primarily serves lower-volume customers working on development, prototyping, and testing, offering electronic components, kits, tools, industrial automation, and test-and-measurement products, mainly through e-commerce.[4]
For the year ended June 27, 2026, EC generated about **93.6%** of Avnet’s reported sales ($25.9 billion of $27.6 billion), and Farnell about **6.4%** ($1.8 billion).[5] The report also describes the operating segments as aggregated across the Americas, EMEA, and Asia; these are not the primary reportable segments.[2] [3][4][5][5][5][2]
Company history
Avnet began in 1921, when Charles Avnet started buying and selling surplus radio parts in New York. In 1944, the company opened a manufacturing facility to assemble military antennas. It was incorporated as Avnet Electronic Supply Company in 1955, listed on the American Stock Exchange in 1959, and joined the New York Stock Exchange in 1960.[1][17][18]
From the 1990s onward, acquisitions expanded Avnet’s electronics distribution business, including Hall-Mark Electronics in 1993, Marshall Industries in 1999, and Memec in 2005.[19][20][21] Avnet acquired Premier Farnell in 2016, broadening its distribution business, then sold its Technology Solutions unit to Tech Data in 2017.[22][23] In 2018 and 2019, it announced acquisitions of Softweb Solutions and Witekio, adding software and embedded-software capabilities.[24][25] [1][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25]
Sources
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