<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-12
<SEQUENCE>8
<FILENAME>ex12.txt
<DESCRIPTION>COMPUTAITON OF RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES
<TEXT>
<PAGE> 1
EXHIBIT 12
KENT ELECTRONICS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
COMPUTATION OF RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES
(IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT RATIO)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Fiscal years ended
April 1, April 3, March 28, March 29, March 30,
2000 1999 1998 1997(1) 1996
-------- -------- --------- --------- ---------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Earnings before income taxes $30,043 $ 294 $58,167 $45,100 $49,095
Add fixed charges 12,492 12,009 6,647 2,363 1,857
------- ------- ------- ------- -------
Earnings as adjusted $42,535 $12,303 $64,814 $47,463 $50,952
======= ======= ======= ======= =======
Fixed charges:
Interest expense $10,470 $10,495 $ 5,272 $ 1,192 $ 898
Interest portion of rental
expense(2) 2,022 1,514 1,375 1,171 959
------- ------- ------- ------- -------
Total fixed charges $12,492 $12,009 $ 6,647 $ 2,363 $ 1,857
======= ======= ======= ======= =======
Ratio of earnings to fixed
charges 3.4x 1.0x 9.8x 20.1x 27.4x
======= ======= ======= ======= =======
</TABLE>
(1) Includes non-recurring merger and integration charges of $5.5 million,
pre-tax, in fiscal year 1997. Exclusive of such charges, the ratio of
earnings to fixed charges for fiscal year 1997 was 22.4.
(2) The interest factor of rental expense is estimated at one-third of total
rental expense, which the Company believes to be a reasonable
approximation.
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>