Quarterly Financial Data Quarterly Financial Information Table (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2019		Sep. 28, 2019		Jun. 29, 2019		Mar. 30, 2019		Dec. 31, 2018		Sep. 29, 2018		Jun. 30, 2018		Mar. 31, 2018		Dec. 31, 2019		Dec. 31, 2018		Dec. 31, 2017
Quarterly Financial Data [Abstract]
Sales		$ 7,338,190		$ 7,078,118		$ 7,344,548		$ 7,155,991		$ 7,918,182		$ 7,490,445		$ 7,392,528		$ 6,875,613		$ 28,916,847	[1]	$ 29,676,768	[1]	$ 26,554,563	[1]
Gross profit		822,943		798,841		814,909		861,688		975,370		923,778		932,820		868,944		3,298,381		3,700,912		3,356,968
Operating income		238,108		173,218		(549,190)		245,560		334,380		290,310		286,827		235,995		107,696		1,147,512		945,736
Net income (loss) attributable to shareholders		$ 112,013	[2]	$ 92,131	[3]	$ (548,966)	[4]	$ 140,735		$ 230,653	[2]	$ 176,533		$ 169,915		$ 139,094		$ (204,087)		$ 716,195		$ 402,176
Basic		$ 1.37	[5]	$ 1.11	[5]	$ (6.48)	[5]	$ 1.65	[5]	$ 2.66	[5]	$ 2.02	[5]	$ 1.94	[5]	$ 1.58	[5]	$ (2.44)		$ 8.19		$ 4.54
Diluted		$ 1.36	[5]	$ 1.10	[5]	$ (6.48)	[5]	$ 1.63	[5]	$ 2.63	[5]	$ 1.99	[5]	$ 1.92	[5]	$ 1.56	[5]	$ (2.44)	[6]	$ 8.10	[6]	$ 4.48	[6]
Effect of Fourth Quarter Events [Line Items]
Impairment						$ 697,993												$ 698,246		$ 0		$ 0
Loss on disposition of businesses, net		$ 5,813																21,252		3,604		21,000
Other Charges																		66,893		29,146		21,581
Effective tax rate reconciliation, impact from repatriation of foreign earnings	[7]																	0		28,323		(196,010)
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)		18,193
Global Components [Member]
Quarterly Financial Data [Abstract]
Sales																		20,250,735		20,856,851		18,330,456
Operating income	[8]																	(10,199)		1,007,638		801,027
Effect of Fourth Quarter Events [Line Items]
Inventory Write-down						20,114												22,332
Receivables and Inventory write down						$ 15,851												18,037
Loss on disposition of businesses, net				$ 14,573														19,384
Expense Reduction Program [Member] | Severance Costs [Member]
Effect of Fourth Quarter Events [Line Items]
Other Charges				$ 30,906														45,951
Wyle Defined Benefit Plan [Member]
Effect of Fourth Quarter Events [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost (Credit), Gain (Loss) Due to Settlement		$ (20,111)																$ (20,111)		$ 0		$ (16,706)

[1] Includes sales related to the United States of $11,511,611, $12,157,306, and $11,038,930 for 2019, 2018, and 2017, respectively.

[2] Net income attributable to shareholders includes a U.S. Tax Act benefit of $28,323 during the fourth quarter of 2018. Net income attributable to shareholders includes a pension settlement of $20,111 and loss on disposition of businesses, net of $5,813, and tax expense of $18,193 during the fourth quarter of 2019 related to the repatriation of foreign earnings and the wind down of the personal computer and mobility asset disposition business.

[3] Net income attributable to shareholders includes a loss on disposition of businesses, net, of $14,573 and personnel charges of $30,906 related to the operating expense reduction program, previously disclosed in July 2019, during the third quarter of 2019.

[4] Net income attributable to shareholders includes impairments of $697,993, a charge of $20,114 related to a subset of inventory held by its digital business, and a charge of $15,851 related to the receivables and inventory of its financing solutions business during the second quarter of 2019.

[5] Quarterly net income per share is calculated using the weighted-average shares outstanding during each quarterly period, while net income per share for the full year is calculated using the weighted-average shares outstanding during the year. Therefore, the sum of the net income per share for each of the four quarters may not equal the net income per share for the full year. As the company reported a net loss attributable to shareholders for the second quarter of 2019, basic and diluted net loss per share attributable to shareholders are the same.

[6] As the company reported a net loss attributable to shareholders for 2019, basic and diluted net loss per share attributable to shareholders are the same and stock-based compensation awards for the issuance of 1,614 shares were excluded from the computation of net income per share on a diluted basis as their effect was anti-dilutive. Stock-based compensation awards for the issuance of 651 shares, and 380 shares for the years ended December 31, 2018, and 2017, respectively, were excluded from the computation of net income per share on a diluted basis as their effect was anti-dilutive.

[7] For the year ended December 31, 2017, the company accrued a provisional estimate of $196,010 of tax expense for the Tax Act's one-time transition tax on the foreign subsidiaries' accumulated, unremitted earnings in accordance with U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's Staff Accounting Bulletin (“SAB 118”). Additionally, during the fourth quarter of 2018 the company recorded a $28,323 benefit upon finalizing its analysis of the impact from the Tax Act.

[8] Global components operating income for 2019 includes impairments of $698,246, charges of $22,332 related to a subset of inventory held by its digital business, and a charge $18,037 related to the receivables and inventory of its financing solutions business. The company has made the decision to narrow its digital inventory offerings and will no longer provide notes to its components customers. Also included are restructuring, integration, and other charges of $10,778 and a loss on disposition of businesses, net, of $19,384 for 2019.