8-K

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, DC 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT

TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of report (Date of earliest event reported) October 20, 2005

Danaher Corporation

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

Delaware

(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)

001-08089	59-1995548
(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)

2099 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., 12th Floor, Washington, D.C.	20006-1813
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)	(Zip Code)

202-828-0850

(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

Not applicable

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

¨ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

¨ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

ITEM 2.02 RESULTS OF OPERATIONS AND FINANCIAL CONDITION

On October 20, 2005, Danaher Corporation issued a press release announcing earnings for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2005. A copy of the release is furnished herewith as Exhibit 99.1 and incorporated by reference herein. This Current Report on Form 8-K and the press release attached hereto are being furnished by Danaher pursuant to Item 2.02 of Form 8-K.

This information shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such a filing.

ITEM 9.01 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS

(c) Exhibits:

Exhibit No.	Description
99.1	Press release — “Danaher Corporation Announces Record Third Quarter Results”

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

DANAHER CORPORATION
By:	/s/ Daniel L. Comas
Name:	Daniel L. Comas
Title:	Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Dated: October 19, 2005

EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit No.	Description
99.1	Press release — “Danaher Corporation Announces Record Third Quarter Results”

EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

DANAHER CORPORATION ANNOUNCES RECORD THIRD QUARTER RESULTS

WASHINGTON, D.C., October 20, 2005 — Danaher Corporation (NYSE:DHR) announced today that net earnings for its third quarter ended September 30, 2005 were $229 million, or $0.70 per diluted share, 14% higher than its 2004 third quarter net earnings of $201 million, or $0.62 per diluted share. Sales for the 2005 third quarter were $1,966 million, 12.5% higher than the $1,745 million reported for the 2004 third quarter.

Net earnings for the first nine months of 2005, including the effect of approximately $0.04 per share of one time gains in the first nine months, were $646 million, or $1.98 per diluted share, compared with $528 million, or $1.63 per diluted share for 2004, an increase of 22.5%. Sales for the first nine months of 2005 were $5,721 million compared to $4,910 million for the first nine months of 2004, an increase of 16.5%.

H. Lawrence Culp, Jr., President and Chief Executive Officer, stated, “Once again, we are pleased to report record quarterly earnings. Growth from existing businesses, also known as core revenues was 4%. Total sales growth for the quarter also included acquisition growth of 8.5%. Our operating cash flow for the first nine months of 2005 of $902 million was another record and a 17.5% increase over the first nine months of 2004.”

Danaher Corporation is a leading manufacturer of Professional Instrumentation, Industrial Technologies, and Tools and Components. (www.danaher.com)

Statements in this release and the attachments to this release that are not strictly historical may be “forward-looking” statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause actual events to differ materially from those suggested or indicated by such forward-looking statements. These factors include, among other things, litigation and other contingent liabilities, the Company’s ability to achieve projected efficiencies and cost reductions, economic conditions in the end-markets the Company sells into, the Company’s ability to expand its business in new geographic markets, commodity costs and surcharges, competition, market demand for new products, currency exchange rates, the integration of acquired businesses, changes in the market for acquisitions and divestitures and general economic conditions. Additional information regarding the factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements is available in our SEC filings, including our 2004 Annual Report on Form 10-K and Third Quarter 2005 Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.

To download a copy of the full earnings report, please go to www.danaher.com

Please contact:

Andy Wilson

Vice President, Investor Relations

Danaher Corporation

2099 Pennsylvania Avenue

Washington, D.C. 20006

Telephone: (202) 828-0850