SEGMENT INFORMATION (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Jan. 31, 2015	Feb. 01, 2014	Jan. 31, 2015 segment	Feb. 01, 2014
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Number of reportable segments			4us-gaap_NumberOfReportableSegments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		$ (189.8)us-gaap_Revenues
Net sales to unaffiliated customers	206.0us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet	189.8us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet	653.8us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet	547.9us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet
Income (loss) from operations	34.7us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss	16.4us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss	97.7us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss	53.3us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss
Interest (income)/expense, net	(0.2)mei_InterestExpenseIncomeNet	0.1mei_InterestExpenseIncomeNet	(0.4)mei_InterestExpenseIncomeNet	0.3mei_InterestExpenseIncomeNet
Other expense, net	(0.3)us-gaap_OtherNonoperatingIncomeExpense	0.3us-gaap_OtherNonoperatingIncomeExpense	(0.2)us-gaap_OtherNonoperatingIncomeExpense	0.8us-gaap_OtherNonoperatingIncomeExpense
Income before income taxes	35.2	16.0	98.3	52.2
Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	(206.0)		(653.8)	(547.9)
Segment Reconciling Items
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0	0
Automotive
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales to unaffiliated customers	141.1	128.7	463.4	358.7
Income (loss) from operations	29.5	17.4	92.8	46.8
Automotive \| Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	(142.6)	(129.4)	(466.5)	(360.3)
Automotive \| Segment Reconciling Items
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	(1.5)	(0.7)	(3.1)	(1.6)
Interconnect
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales to unaffiliated customers	36.9	41.5	121.4	130.1
Income (loss) from operations	3.8	6.0	15.7	21.4
Interconnect \| Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	(37.4)	(42.3)	(123.1)	(132.2)
Interconnect \| Segment Reconciling Items
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	(0.5)	(0.8)	(1.7)	(2.1)
Power Products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales to unaffiliated customers	26.1	18.0	63.9	53.8
Income (loss) from operations	9.3	2.7	17.9	9.6
Power Products \| Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	(26.3)	(18.0)	(64.3)	(53.9)
Power Products \| Segment Reconciling Items
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	(0.2)	0	(0.4)	(0.1)
Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales to unaffiliated customers	1.8	1.7	5.1	5.0
Income (loss) from operations	(1.2)	(1.6)	(4.1)	(2.9)
Other \| Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	(1.9)	(1.8)	(5.3)	(5.1)
Other \| Segment Reconciling Items
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	(0.1)	(0.1)	(0.2)	(0.1)
Eliminations/Corporate
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	2.2	1.7	5.4	3.6
Net sales to unaffiliated customers	0.1	(0.1)	0	0.3
Income (loss) from operations	(6.7)	(8.1)	(24.6)	(21.6)
Eliminations/Corporate \| Segment Reconciling Items
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 2.3	$ 1.6	$ 5.4	$ 3.9

Interest expense, net

No definition available.

Name:	mei_InterestExpenseIncomeNet
Namespace Prefix:	mei_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Sum of operating profit and nonoperating income or expense before Income or Loss from equity method investments, income taxes, extraordinary items, and noncontrolling interest.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 235

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(h)(1)(i))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of segments reported by the entity. A reportable segment is a component of an entity for which there is an accounting requirement to report separate financial information on that component in the entity's financial statements.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfReportableSegments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The net result for the period of deducting operating expenses from operating revenues.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The net amount of other income and expense amounts, the components of which are not separately disclosed on the income statement, resulting from ancillary business-related activities (that is, excluding major activities considered part of the normal operations of the business) also known as other nonoperating income (expense) recognized for the period. Such amounts may include: (a) dividends, (b) interest on securities, (c) net gains or losses on securities, (d) unusual costs, (e) gains or losses on foreign exchange transactions, and (f) miscellaneous other income and expense items.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 9

-Article 5

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 225

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.9)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872669&loc=d3e20235-122688

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherNonoperatingIncomeExpense
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of revenue recognized from goods sold, services rendered, insurance premiums, or other activities that constitute an earning process. Includes, but is not limited to, investment and interest income before deduction of interest expense when recognized as a component of revenue, and sales and trading gain (loss).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 225

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872669&loc=d3e20235-122688

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 1

-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_Revenues
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Total revenue from sale of goods and services rendered during the reporting period, in the normal course of business, reduced by sales returns and allowances, and sales discounts.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_SegmentReportingAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_SegmentReportingInformationLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ConsolidationItemsAxis=us-gaap_MaterialReconcilingItemsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ConsolidationItemsAxis=us-gaap_OperatingSegmentsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=mei_AutomotiveMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=mei_CorporateAndIntersegmentEliminationMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=mei_InterconnectMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=mei_PowerProductsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=us-gaap_AllOtherSegmentsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: