AVNET INC
S-3/A, 2000-02-23
ELECTRONIC PARTS & EQUIPMENT, NEC
Previous: ARCHER DANIELS MIDLAND CO, SC 13D/A, 2000-02-23
Next: BANK FIDUCIARY EQUITY FUND, NSAR-B, 2000-02-23






    As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 23, 2000
                                                      Registration No. 333-94957


                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                           Washington, D.C. 20549-1004
                                ----------------

                               AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO
                                    FORM S-3
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                                  AVNET, INC.
             -----------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


            New York                                          11-1890605
- --------------------------------                         ------------------
  (State or other jurisdiction                            (I.R.S. Employer
of incorporation or organization)                        Identification No.)

                                                 David R. Birk, Esq.
                                       Senior Vice President and General Counsel
    2211 South 47th Street                           Avnet, Inc.
    Phoenix, Arizona 85034                     2211 South 47th Street
     (480) 643-2000                            Phoenix, Arizona 85034
- -------------------------------                 (480) 643-2000
 (Address, including zip code,         -----------------------------------------
and telephone number, including        (Name, address, including zip code, and
  area code, of registrant's              telephone number, including area
 principal executive offices)                code, of agent for service)

                                   COPIES TO:

 Stephen V. Burger, Esq.           Bruno Fine             John Evangelakos, Esq.
Carter, Ledyard & Milburn     SEI Investments B.V.          Sullivan & Cromwell
      2 Wall Street             c/o Sonepar S.A.             125 Broad Street
New York, New York  10005       37, Rue de Liege        New York, New York 10004
     (212) 732-3200            75008 Paris FRANCE             (212) 558-4000
                              011-331-53-42-33-03



     Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public:  From time
to time after the effective date of this Registration  Statement,  as determined
by market conditions and other factors.






<PAGE>



     If the only  securities  being  registered  on this Form are being  offered
pursuant to dividend or interest  reinvestment plans, please check the following
box. |_|

     If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on
a delayed or continuous  basis  pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of
1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest
reinvestment plans, check the following box. |X|

     If this Form is filed to  register  additional  securities  for an offering
pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box
and list  the  Securities  Act  registration  statement  number  of the  earlier
effective registration statement for the same offering. |_|

     If this Form is a  post-effective  amendment  filed pursuant to Rule 462(c)
under the  Securities  Act,  check the following box and list the Securities Act
registration  statement number of the earlier effective  registration  statement
for the same offering. |_|

     If delivery of the  prospectus is expected to be made pursuant to Rule 434,
please check the following box. |_|




     The registrant  hereby amends this  registration  statement on such date or
dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall
file a further  amendment  which  specifically  states  that  this  registration
statement shall  thereafter  become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of
the  Securities  Act of 1933 or until the  registration  statement  shall become
effective  on such  date  as the  Securities  and  Exchange  Commission,  acting
pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.





                                      -ii-

<PAGE>



The  information in this  Prospectus is not complete and may be changed.  We may
not sell  these  securities  until the  registration  statement  filed  with the
Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer
to  sell  these  securities  and it is not  soliciting  an  offer  to buy  these
securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.






<PAGE>



                 Subject to completion, dated February 23, 2000

PROSPECTUS
                                   Avnet, Inc.

                        1,171,270 Shares of Common Stock,
                            Par Value $1.00 per Share

     This  prospectus  relates  to  offers  and  sales  from time to time by SEI
Investments  B.V. of up to 1,171,270  shares of the common stock of Avnet,  Inc.
Avnet  issued  these  shares  to  SEI   Investments   on  January  3,  2000,  as
consideration  for  SEI  Investments'  sale  to  Avnet  of an  84%  interest  in
Eurotronics  B.V.  Avnet will receive no part of the  proceeds  from the sale of
these shares by SEI Investments.

     The Avnet  common  stock is listed on the New York Stock  Exchange  and the
Pacific  Exchange  (symbol:  AVT). On February __, 2000,  the closing price of a
share of the common  stock as  reported  for New York Stock  Exchange  composite
transactions was $____.

     SEI Investments has informed Avnet that it may sell the shares from time to
time in ordinary brokers' transactions at then current market prices or in other
transactions at negotiated prices. SEI Investments may effect these transactions
through or with brokers or dealers who may receive  compensation  in the form of
commissions or discounts.

     The  principal  executive  offices of Avnet are  located at 2211 South 47th
Street, Phoenix, Arizona 85034 (telephone (480) 643-2000).

     Neither the  Securities and Exchange  Commission  nor any state  securities
commission has approved or disapproved of the common stock being offered by this
Prospectus,  or  determined  if this  Prospectus  is truthful or  complete.  Any
representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.


                The date of this Prospectus is __________, 2000.






<PAGE>



                                TABLE OF CONTENTS

                                                                          Page
                                                                          ----

Forward-Looking Statements.............................................     2
Selling Shareholder ...................................................     3
Plan of Distribution ..................................................     4
Legal Matters..........................................................     6
Experts................................................................     6
Where You Can Find More Information ...................................     6


                           FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

     This  prospectus  contains or  incorporates  by  reference  forward-looking
statements with respect to Avnet's  financial  condition,  results of operations
and  business.  You can find many of these  statements by looking for words like
"believes," "expects," "anticipates," "estimates" or similar expressions.

     These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks
and  uncertainties.  Factors that may cause actual results to differ  materially
from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements include the following:

     o    Competitive  pressures among distributors of electronic components and
          computer   products  may  increase   significantly   through  industry
          consolidation, entry of new competitors or otherwise.

     o    General economic or business conditions,  domestic and foreign, may be
          less  favorable  than  expected,  resulting  in  lower  sales  than we
          expected.

     o    Costs  or  difficulties  related  to the  integration  into  Avnet  of
          newly-acquired  businesses, or businesses we expect to acquire, may be
          greater than we expected.

     o    Avnet may lose  customers or suppliers as a result of the  integration
          into Avnet of newly-acquired businesses.

     o    Legislative or regulatory  changes may adversely affect the businesses
          in which Avnet is engaged.




                                       -2-

<PAGE>



     o    Adverse changes may occur in the securities markets.

     o    Changes in interest rates and currency fluctuations may reduce Avnet's
          profit margins.

     o    Avnet may be  adversely  affected  by the  allocation  of  products by
          suppliers.

     Because forward-looking  statements are subject to risks and uncertainties,
actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by them. We
caution you not to place undue reliance on these statements, which speak only as
of the date of this prospectus.

     We do not  undertake  any  obligation  to update  publicly  or  revise  any
forward-looking  statements,  whether  as a result  of new  information,  future
events or otherwise.

                               SELLING SHAREHOLDER

     As of the date of this prospectus,  SEI Investments  B.V., a Dutch company,
owns all of the  1,171,270  shares of Avnet common  stock being  offered by this
prospectus (the "Shares"),  which represent approximately 2.67% of the shares of
Avnet common stock  currently  outstanding.  SEI  Investments is a subsidiary of
Sonepar  Electronique  International,  a French limited liability  company.  SEI
Investments is offering all of the Shares for its own account,  and does not own
any shares of Avnet common stock apart from the Shares.  Because SEI Investments
may offer some or all of the Shares in an offering which is not  underwritten on
a firm  commitment  basis,  we cannot  estimate  the  number of Shares  that SEI
Investments will hold after it completes the sale of the Shares.

     Except as described in the following  paragraphs,  neither SEI  Investments
B.V. nor any of its  affiliates  has had any position,  office or other material
relationship with Avnet or any of its affiliates during the past three years.

     On January 3, 2000,  Avnet issued the 1,171,270  Shares to SEI  Investments
B.V. in exchange  for SEI  Investments'  84%  interest in  Eurotronics  B.V.,  a
European electronics  components  distributor.  Avnet had acquired the remaining
16% interest in Eurotronics  from Marshall  Industries on October 18, 1999. From
that date until Avnet acquired 100% of Eurotronics on January 3, 2000,  Avnet in
effect  succeeded  to the rights of  Marshall  Industries  under a  Shareholders
Agreement dated September 15, 1997,  among Sonepar  Electronique  International,
SEI Investments, Marshall Industries and a Marshall Industries subsidiary. These
rights included (a) the right to appoint and dismiss two members of Eurotronics'
Board of Supervisory  Directors,  and (b) a requirement that certain significant
Eurotronics  corporate  transactions  be  approved  by  unanimous  vote  of  the
Eurotronics Board of Supervisory  Directors.  For further information,  we refer
you to the  Shareholders  Agreement,  which is an  exhibit  to the  registration
statement  on Form S-3 of which this  prospectus  is a part.  See "Where You Can
Find More Information."



                                       -3-

<PAGE>



     During the past three years,  Jean Fribourg has been the managing  director
of  Eurotronics  B.V. and some of its  subsidiaries,  and is  continuing as such
since Avnet acquired a 100% interest of Eurotronics on January 3, 2000.

                              PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

     Avnet is registering  the Shares on behalf of SEI  Investments,  as selling
shareholder,  and also on behalf of any donees, pledgees,  transferees and other
successors-in-interest  that may receive Shares from SEI  Investments  after the
date of this  prospectus as a gift,  pledge,  partnership  distribution or other
non-sale  related  transfer.  Avnet is bearing all costs,  expenses  and fees in
connection with the registration of the Shares, and SEI Investments will pay any
brokerage  commissions and similar selling expenses  attributable to the sale of
Shares.  Avnet will receive no part of the proceeds  from the sale of the Shares
by SEI Investments.

     SEI  Investments  has  informed  Avnet that it proposes to effect  sales of
Shares from time to time

     o    in one or more types of transactions on the New York Stock Exchange or
          the  Pacific   Exchange,   including  block   transactions,   exchange
          distributions and special offerings,

     o    in the over-the-counter market,

     o    in  negotiated  transactions,  including an  underwritten  offering or
          underwritten offerings,

     o    through put or call options transactions relating to the Shares,

     o    through short sales of Shares, or

     o    a combination of these methods of sale,

at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, or at negotiated prices.  These
sales may or may not involve  brokers or dealers.  SEI  Investments  has advised
Avnet  that  it  has  not  entered  into  any  agreements,   understandings   or
arrangements with any underwriters or  broker-dealers  regarding the sale of the
Shares, nor is there an underwriter or coordinating  broker acting in connection
with the proposed sale of Shares by SEI Investments.

     SEI  Investments  may sell Shares  directly to  purchasers or to or through
broker-dealers,   which  may  act  as  agents  or   principals.   Any  of  these
broker-dealers may receive  compensation in the form of discounts,  concessions,
or commissions from SEI Investments and/or the purchasers of the Shares for whom
such broker-dealers may act as agents or to whom they



                                       -4-

<PAGE>



may sell as principal,  or both.  Compensation as to a particular  broker-dealer
may exceed customary commissions.

     SEI Investments and any broker-dealers that act in connection with the sale
of Shares  might be  "underwriters"  within the meaning of Section  2(11) of the
Securities  Act, and any  compensation  these  broker-dealers  receive,  and any
profit they realize  from the resale of the Shares  while acting as  principals,
might be considered as underwriting  discounts or commissions.  Avnet has agreed
to indemnify each person who  participates  as an underwriter in the offering or
sale of the Shares against certain  liabilities,  including  liabilities arising
under the Securities Act.

     Because  SEI  Investments  may be an  "underwriter"  within the  meaning of
Section  2(11) of the  Securities  Act,  it will be  subject  to the  prospectus
delivery  requirements of the Securities Act for offers and sales of the Shares,
including  delivery through the facilities of the New York Stock Exchange or the
Pacific  Exchange as provided in Rule 153 under the  Securities  Act.  Avnet has
informed SEI Investments that the  anti-manipulative  provisions of Regulation M
promulgated  under  the  Exchange  Act may  apply to sales in the  market by SEI
Investments.

     SEI  Investments  also may  resell  all or a portion  of the Shares in open
market  transactions  in reliance upon Rule 144 under the Securities  Act, if it
meets the criteria and satisfies the requirements of Rule 144.

     If SEI Investments notifies Avnet that SEI Investments has entered into any
material arrangement with a broker-dealer for the sale of Shares through a block
trade, special offering,  exchange  distribution or secondary  distribution or a
purchase by a broker or dealer, Avnet will file a supplement to this prospectus,
if required, pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, disclosing

     o    the name of the participating broker-dealer(s),

     o    the number of Shares involved,

     o    the price at which such Shares were sold,

     o    the commission paid or discounts or concessions allowed to the broker-
          dealer(s), where applicable,

     o    whether the broker-dealer(s) conducted any investigation to verify the
          information in or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, and

     o    other material facts of the transaction.




                                       -5-

<PAGE>



Also, if SEI  Investments  notifies Avnet that a donee,  pledgee,  transferee or
other  successor-in-interest of the Shares intends to sell more than 500 Shares,
Avnet will file an appropriate supplement to this prospectus.


                                  LEGAL MATTERS

     David R. Birk,  Senior Vice  President,  Secretary  and General  Counsel of
Avnet, is passing upon the legality of the Shares.  Mr. Birk  beneficially  owns
43,284 shares of Avnet common stock,  which includes 40,625 shares issuable upon
exercise of employee stock options.


                                     EXPERTS

     The consolidated  financial  statements and schedule of Avnet as of July 2,
1999 and June 27, 1998, and for each of the three years in the period ended July
2, 1999, respectively, incorporated by reference in this prospectus from Avnet's
Annual  Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal  year  ended July 2, 1999,  have been
audited by Arthur Andersen LLP, independent public accountants,  as indicated in
their report with respect thereto,  and are incorporated  herein by reference in
reliance upon the authority of that firm as experts in giving such reports.

     The consolidated  financial statements of Marshall Industries as of May 31,
1999 and 1998, and for each of the three years in the period ended May 31, 1999,
respectively,  incorporated by reference in this prospectus from Avnet's Current
Report on Form 8-K bearing cover date of October 20, 1999,  have been audited by
Arthur  Andersen  LLP,  independent  public  accountants,  as indicated in their
report  with  respect  thereto,  and are  incorporated  herein by  reference  in
reliance upon the authority of that firm as experts in giving such reports.


                       WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

     This  prospectus  is a part of a  registration  statement on Form S-3 which
Avnet filed with the SEC under the  Securities Act of 1933. We refer you to this
registration statement for further information concerning Avnet and the offering
of the Shares by this prospectus.

     Avnet files annual,  quarterly and special  reports,  proxy  statements and
other information with the Securities and Exchange  Commission  (Commission File
Number  1-4224).  These filings  contain  important  information  which does not
appear in this prospectus.  For further  information about Avnet, you may obtain
these filings over the internet at the SEC's web site at http://www.sec.gov. You
may also read and copy these filings at the



                                       -6-

<PAGE>



SEC's public reference room at 450 Fifth Street, N.W.,  Washington,  D.C. 20549.
You may obtain  information  on the  operation of the public  reference  room by
calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330, and may obtain copies of Avnet's filings from
the public reference room by calling (202) 942-8090.

     The SEC allows Avnet to  "incorporate by reference"  information  into this
prospectus,  which means that we can disclose  important  information  to you by
referring  you to other  documents  which  Avnet has filed or will file with the
SEC.  We are  incorporating  by  reference  in  this  prospectus  the  following
documents:

     o    Avnet's  Annual  Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended July 2,
          1999;

     o    Avnet's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarterly periods ended
          October 1, 1999, and December 31, 1999;

     o    Avnet's  Current  Reports on Form 8-K bearing cover dates of September
          28, 1999,  October 20, 1999,  December 22, 1999,  January 26, 2000 and
          February 8, 2000; and

     o    The  description  of Avnet's  common  stock  which  appears in Avnet's
          Registration  Statement for the registration of the common stock under
          Section 12(b) of the  Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,  including any
          amendment or report filed to update this description.

     All  documents  which Avnet files with the SEC  pursuant to Section  13(a),
13(c),  14 or  15(d)  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act  after  the date of this
prospectus and before the  termination of this offering of Shares will be deemed
to be  incorporated  by reference in this prospectus and to be a part of it from
the filing dates of such documents.  Certain  statements in and portions of this
prospectus  update  and  replace  information  in  the  above  listed  documents
incorporated  by  reference.  Likewise,  statements  in or  portions of a future
document  incorporated  by reference in this  prospectus  may update and replace
statements in and portions of this prospectus or the above listed documents.

     We shall provide you without charge,  upon your written or oral request,  a
copy of any of the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus, other
than  exhibits to such  documents  which are not  specifically  incorporated  by
reference into such documents.  Please direct your written or telephone requests
to the  Corporate  Secretary,  Avnet,  Inc.,  2211 South 47th  Street,  Phoenix,
Arizona (Telephone 480-643-2000).





                                       -7-

<PAGE>



                                     PART II

                     INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

Item 16.  Exhibits.

   Exhibit
     No.
     ---

    1*    Registration  Rights Agreement dated as of January 3, 2000 between SEI
          Investments B.V. and Avnet, Inc.

    5*    Opinion of David R. Birk,  Esq.  with  respect to the  legality of the
          securities being registered hereunder.

   23(a)  Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP.

   23(b)* Consent of David R. Birk, Esq. (included in Exhibit 5).

   24*    Powers of Attorney.

   99*    Shareholders   Agreement  dated  September  15,  1997,  among  Sonepar
          Electronique International,  SEI Investments B.V., Marshall Industries
          and Marshall  Industries  Investments  B.V.,  filed as Exhibit 10.3 to
          Marshall  Industries'  Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly
          period  ended August 31, 1997,  and  incorporated  herein by reference
          (Commission File No. 1-5441).



- --------
   *Previously filed with this Registration Statement.



                                      II-1

<PAGE>



                                   SIGNATURES


     Pursuant to the  requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant
certifies  that it has  reasonable  grounds to believe  that it meets all of the
requirements  for filing on Form S-3,  and has duly  caused  this  amendment  to
Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned,  thereunto
duly authorized, in the City of Phoenix, State of Arizona, on February 23, 2000.

                                                 AVNET, INC.



                                                 By:  /s/Raymond Sadowski
                                                      -------------------
                                                      Raymond Sadowski
                                                      Senior Vice President and
                                                        Chief Financial Officer

     Pursuant to the  requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this amendment
to Registration Statement has been signed on February 23, 2000, by the following
persons in the capacities indicated:

   Signature                                                    Title
   ---------                                                    -----



/s/Roy Vallee
- -------------                                    Chairman of the Board, Chief
Roy Vallee                                        Executive Officer and Director



    *                                                         Director
- ------------
Eleanor Baum



    *                                                         Director
- -------------------
J. Veronica Biggins



    *                                                         Director
- -------------------
Joseph F. Caligiuri



                                      II-2

<PAGE>



   Signature                                                    Title
   ---------                                                    -----



    *                                                         Director
- --------------------
Lawrence W. Clarkson



    *                                                         Director
- -------------
Ehud Houminer



    *                                                         Director
- -----------------
James A. Lawrence



    *                                                         Director
- ------------------
Salvatore J. Nuzzo



    *                                                         Director
- ----------------
Frederic Salerno



    *                                                         Director
- -----------------
Frederick S. Wood



/s/Raymond Sadowski
- -------------------                                    Senior Vice President and
Raymond Sadowski                                         Chief Financial Officer



/s/John F. Cole
- ---------------                                        Controller and
John F. Cole                                            Chief Accounting Officer

- ----------------------

* By:/s/Raymond Sadowski
     -------------------
     Raymond Sadowski
     Attorney-in-Fact



                                      II-3

<PAGE>



                                  EXHIBIT INDEX



  Exhibit
    No.
    ---
     1*                 Registration Rights Agreement dated as of January 3,
                        2000, between SEI Investments B.V. and Avnet, Inc.

     5*                 Opinion of David R. Birk, Esq. with respect to the
                        legality of the securities being registered hereunder

    23(a)               Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP

    23(b)*              Consent of David R. Birk, Esq. (included in Exhibit 5)

    24*                 Powers of Attorney

    99*                 Shareholders Agreement dated September 15, 1997,
                        among   Sonepar    Electronique    International,    SEI
                        Investments  B.V.,   Marshall  Industries  and  Marshall
                        Industries  Investments  B.V.,  filed as Exhibit 10.3 to
                        Marshall  Industries'  Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for
                        the  quarterly   period  ended  August  31,  1997,   and
                        incorporated herein by reference (Commission File No.
                        1-5441).







- --------
   *Previously filed with this Registration Statement.







                                  EXHIBIT 23(a)




<PAGE>





                    CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS



As independent public accountants, we hereby consent to (1) the incorporation by
reference in this Registration  Statement on Form S-3 of our report dated August
4, 1999, included in Avnet, Inc.'s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
July 2, 1999, (2) the incorporation by reference in this Registration  Statement
on Form S-3 of our report dated August 25, 1999, on the  consolidated  financial
statements  of Marshall  Industries,  which report is included in Avnet,  Inc.'s
Current  Report on Form 8-K  bearing  cover date of October 20, 1999 and (3) all
references to our firm included in this Registration Statement.



                                                     /s/ ARTHUR ANDERSEN LLP



Phoenix, Arizona
February 21, 2000






© 2022 IncJournal is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission