8-K

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D. C. 20549

___________

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

June 22, 2005
Date of report (Date of earliest event reported)

APPLERA CORPORATION
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware	1-4389	06-1534213
(State or other jurisdiction of Incorporation)	(Commission file number)	(IRS Employer  Identification No.)

301 Merritt 7
Norwalk, Connecticut 06851
(Address of Principal Executive Offices, Including Zip Code)

(203) 840-2000
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

N/A
(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:

  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 2.05. Costs Associated with Exit or Disposal Activities.

     On June 22, 2005, the Applied Biosystems group of Applera Corporation (the “Company”) announced that it will take a pre-tax charge in the fourth quarter of its 2005 fiscal year of approximately $20 million to $22 million to cover costs of employee severance and facilities closures. The charge reflects the Applied Biosystems group’s decision to reduce and rebalance its workforce. The Company committed to this course of action on June 22, 2005, when most of the affected employees were notified. Substantially all of the affected employees will have been terminated or will no longer be actively employed by August 2005, and substantially all severance payments and other benefits to these employees will be completed by October 2005. Attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and incorporated by reference herein is the text of a press release issued by the Company’s Applied Biosystems group on June 22, 2005, announcing this action.

     Of the total amount of the charge described above, approximately $12.0 million is for employee severance payments and other benefits, approximately $7.0 million is for excess lease space and related leasehold improvements, and approximately $2.0 million is for an asset impairment consisting of the write-down in value of an Applied Biosystems group facility. The Company estimates that approximately $12.0 million of the pre-tax charge will result in future cash expenditures for employee severance payments and other benefits, and approximately $2.5 million of the pre-tax charge will result in future cash expenditures for excess lease space. None of the pre-tax charge for the asset impairment is expected to result in future cash expenditures.

Item 8.01. Other Events.

     On June 22, 2005, the Company’s Applied Biosystems group announced that it will take a pre-tax charge in the fourth quarter of its 2005 fiscal year of approximately $20 million to $22 million to cover costs of employee severance and facilities closures. The charge reflects the Applied Biosystems group’s decision to reduce and rebalance its workforce. Attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and incorporated by reference herein is the text of a press release issued by the Company’s Applied Biosystems group on June 22, 2005, announcing this action.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

     (c) Exhibits.

     The following exhibits are filed with this Report:

Exhibit No.	Description
99.1	Press Release issued June 22, 2005, with respect to a reduction and rebalancing of the workforce of the Applied Biosystems group of Applera Corporation.

SIGNATURES

     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.

APPLERA CORPORATION
By:	/s/ Dennis L. Winger
	Dennis L. Winger Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Dated: June 28, 2005

EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit No.	Description
99.1	Press Release issued June 22, 2005, with respect to a reduction and rebalancing of the workforce of the Applied Biosystems group of Applera Corporation.

EX-99.1

EXHIBIT 99.1

Media
Sophie Patel650.554.2732sophia.patel@appliedbiosystems.com  Investors
Peter Dworkin 650.554.2479dworkipg@appliedbiosystems.com

European Media and Investors
David Speechly, Ph.D.
(+) 44.162.273.9150                    
speechdp@eur.appliedbiosystems.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

APPLIED BIOSYSTEMS ANNOUNCES FISCAL FOURTH QUARTER 2005 CHARGE

FOSTER CITY, CA – June 22, 2005 – Applied Biosystems Group (NYSE:ABI), an Applera Corporation business, today announced it will take a pre-tax charge in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2005 of approximately $20 million to $22 million to cover costs of employee severance and facilities closure.

The charge reflects the Group’s decision to reduce and rebalance the Applied Biosystems workforce. The Group anticipates a reduction of about 250 positions, primarily in research and development, marketing, and operations. However, during fiscal 2006, the Group anticipates expanding personnel in other functional areas including field sales and support, manufacturing quality, and advanced research.

“These adjustments are in keeping with our program to enhance Applied Biosystems’ performance and should better align our resources with the needs of our customers,” said Catherine M. Burzik, President of Applied Biosystems. “We expect these actions, which include augmenting and upgrading of skills in critical functions, will support higher levels of sales over time while also improving customer satisfaction. Additionally, we believe these actions will improve operational efficiency and quality, while assuring that our R&D spending remains competitive.”

About Applera Corporation and Applied Biosystems
Applera Corporation consists of two operating groups. The Applied Biosystems Group serves the life science industry and research community by developing and marketing instrument-based systems, consumables, software, and services. Customers use these tools to analyze nucleic acids (DNA and RNA), small molecules, and proteins to make scientific discoveries, develop new pharmaceuticals, and conduct standardized testing. Applied Biosystems is headquartered in Foster City, CA, and reported sales of $1.7 billion during fiscal 2004. The Celera Genomics Group (NYSE:CRA) is engaged principally in the discovery and development of targeted therapeutics for cancer, autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Celera Genomics is leveraging its proteomic, bioinformatic, and genomic capabilities to identify and validate drug targets, and to discover and develop small molecule therapeutics. It is also seeking to advance therapeutic antibody and selected small molecule drug programs in collaboration with global technology and market leaders. Celera Diagnostics, a 50/50 joint venture between Applied Biosystems and Celera Genomics, is focused on discovery, development, and commercialization of diagnostic products. Information about Applera Corporation, including reports and other information filed by the company with the Securities and Exchange Commission, is available at http://www.applera.com, or by telephoning 800.762.6923. Information about Applied Biosystems is available at www.appliedbiosystems.com.

Applied Biosystems Forward Looking Statements
Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking. These may be identified by the use of forward-looking words or phrases such as “should” among others. These forward-looking statements are based on Applera Corporation’s current expectations. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a “safe harbor” for such forward-looking statements. In order to comply with the terms of the safe harbor, Applera Corporation notes that a variety of factors could cause actual results and experience to differ materially from the anticipated results or other expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements. These factors include but are not limited to (1) rapidly changing technology could adversely affect demand for Applied Biosystems’ products, and its business is dependent on the development and customer acceptance of new products; (2) Applied Biosystems’ sales are dependent on customers’ capital spending policies and government-sponsored research; (3) Applied Biosystems’ significant overseas operations, with attendant exposure to fluctuations in the value of foreign currencies; and (4) risks associated with Applied Biosystems’ growth strategy, including difficulties in integrating acquired operations or technologies; (5) the risk of earthquakes, which could interrupt Applied Biosystems’ operations; (6) risks associated with lawsuits, arbitrations, investigations, and other legal actions with private parties and governmental entities, particularly involving claims for infringement of patents and other intellectual property rights; (7) Applied Biosystems’ dependence on the operation of computer hardware, software, and Internet applications and related technology for its businesses, particularly those focused on the development and marketing of information-based products and services; and (8) other factors that might be described from time to time in Applera Corporation's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All information in this press release is as of the date of the release, and Applera does not undertake any duty to update this information, including any forward-looking statements, unless required by law.

Copyright© 2005. Applera Corporation. All rights reserved. Applied Biosystems and Celera are registered trademarks and Applera is a trademark of Applera Corporation or its subsidiaries in the U.S. and/or certain other countries.