Updated:
Arrow Electronics
Arrow Electronics is a Fortune 500 global technology distributor and solutions provider headquartered in Colorado.
Arrow Electronics
Arrow Electronics started in 1935 in New York City as a single retail store repairing radios. Over nine decades, it evolved into a publicly traded global distributor and solutions aggregator, operating through two primary segments. The global components business sources, warehouses, and delivers electronic components to manufacturers. The enterprise computing solutions segment resells and integrates IT infrastructure, cloud, and security solutions from vendors like Microsoft, IBM, and Palo Alto Networks. The components segment accounts for roughly three-quarters of Arrow's revenue, shipping semiconductors, connectors, and passives from over 210,000 suppliers to more than 210,000 customers. Arrow's engineering and design services — including its eInfochips R&D platform — help clients prototype embedded systems, IoT devices, and AI/ML edge hardware. The enterprise computing segment deploys hybrid cloud, cybersecurity, and data-center solutions, with specific practices around AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud. Arrow's geographic footprint spans more than 90 countries across the Americas, EMEA, and Asia-Pacific, with major distribution centers in Reno, Venlo, and Hong Kong. Arrow employs over 22,000 people and is led by CEO Sean Kerins, who assumed the role in 2022 after serving as president of the global enterprise computing business. The company does not manage third-party capital or operate investment vehicles — it is a for-profit distribution and services corporation, not a family office or asset manager. In 2023, Arrow acquired the engineering services firm eInfochips, deepening its embedded design capabilities and adding 2,000 engineers across India, North America, and Europe. Arrow's structural differentiation lies in its role as a supply-chain intermediary that absorbs inventory risk for both suppliers and OEMs, buying and holding components during shortages and managing just-in-time delivery during normal cycles. Its scale and balance sheet — over $21B in annual component segment sales — give it pricing and availability advantages that smaller distributors or direct channels cannot replicate, making it a critical node in the global electronics supply chain rather than a conventional reseller.
General information
Firm type
other
Year founded
1935
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Centennial
Corporate office
Centennial, CO, United States
Principals
Sean J. Kerins
President and Chief Executive Officer
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
What does Arrow Electronics actually do?
Arrow operates as a global distributor of electronic components and enterprise computing solutions. Its components business buys semiconductors and other parts from thousands of suppliers, warehouses them, and sells them to manufacturers. Its enterprise computing business resells and integrates hardware, software, and cloud services for corporate IT departments. Arrow's scale — roughly $33B in annual revenue — allows it to manage inventory and provide engineering support that smaller distributors cannot.
Who are Arrow's largest competitors?
Arrow competes primarily with Avnet, Inc., the other dominant global electronics distributor, as well as Future Electronics and WPG Holdings in Asia. In enterprise computing, it competes against other large value-added resellers and systems integrators such as CDW and Insight Enterprises. In the components segment, its scale rivals or exceeds all competitors, with only Avnet operating at a comparable global reach.
Does Arrow own chip fabrication or manufacturing facilities?
No, Arrow does not design or manufacture its own semiconductors. It distributes components made by thousands of suppliers — including Intel, Texas Instruments, and STMicroelectronics — and layers on engineering design services, supply-chain management, and logistics. Its eInfochips subsidiary provides embedded systems and IoT design services but does not fabricate silicon.
How is Arrow structured geographically?
Arrow reports revenue across three geographic segments: Americas, EMEA, and Asia-Pacific. It maintains distribution centers in Nevada, the Netherlands, and Hong Kong, with sales and engineering teams in more than 90 countries. In 2023, approximately 37% of its revenue came from the Americas, 29% from EMEA, and 34% from Asia-Pacific.
Is Arrow an investment firm or does it manage outside capital?
Arrow is a publicly traded corporation (NYSE: ARW), not an investment firm, family office, or asset manager. It does not raise or deploy third-party capital. Any acquisitions it makes — such as its 2023 purchase of eInfochips — are corporate M&A funded from its operating cash flow and balance sheet, not investor commitments.
What sectors does Arrow serve?
Arrow's components segment supplies virtually every sector that uses electronics, with particular strength in industrial automation, automotive, aerospace and defense, and medical devices. Its enterprise computing segment serves corporate customers across all industries deploying cloud, cybersecurity, and data-center infrastructure. Engineering design services at eInfochips specialize in semiconductor design, embedded systems, and digital transformation.
Who runs Arrow Electronics?
Sean J. Kerins has served as President and CEO since June 2022. He previously led Arrow's global enterprise computing solutions segment. The company is overseen by a board of directors; it was historically led by long-time CEO Michael J. Long from 2009 to 2022. Arrow is a publicly traded corporation and is not controlled by any single family or private owner.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
Need institutional-grade insight on investors?
Altss delivers:
Prefer a guided tour?
We’ll walk you through: