Cover and table of contents

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Cover and table of contents

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549


FORM 10-K

(Mark One)

☒ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024

OR

☐TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the transition period from to

Commission File Number: 001-08089

DHR Logo.jpg

DANAHER CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware59-1995548
(State of Incorporation)(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number)
2200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Suite 800W20037-1701
Washington,DC
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: 202-828-0850

Securities Registered Pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each classTrading Symbol(s)Name of each exchange on which registered
Common stock, $0.01 par valueDHRNew York Stock Exchange
0.200% Senior Notes due 2026DHR/26New York Stock Exchange
2.100% Senior Notes due 2026DHR 26New York Stock Exchange
1.200% Senior Notes due 2027DHR/27New York Stock Exchange
0.450% Senior Notes due 2028DHR/28New York Stock Exchange
2.500% Senior Notes due 2030DHR 30New York Stock Exchange
0.750% Senior Notes due 2031DHR/31New York Stock Exchange
1.350% Senior Notes due 2039DHR/39New York Stock Exchange
1.800% Senior Notes due 2049DHR/49New York Stock Exchange

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:

NONE

(Title of Class)

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.

Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act.

Yes ☐ No ☒

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the Registrant was required to file such reports) and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

Large Accelerated Filer☒Accelerated Filer☐
Non-accelerated Filer☐Smaller Reporting company☐
Emerging Growth Company☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☒

If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant's executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to §240.10D-1(b). ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).

Yes ☐ No ☒

As of February 3, 2025, the number of shares of Registrant’s common stock outstanding was 714,709,852. The aggregate market value of common stock held by non-affiliates of the Registrant on June 30, 2024 was $161.1 billion, based upon the closing price of the Registrant’s common stock as quoted on the New York Stock Exchange on such date.


DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Part III incorporates certain information by reference from the Registrant’s proxy statement for its 2025 annual meeting of shareholders to be filed pursuant to Regulation 14A within 120 days after Registrant’s fiscal year-end. With the exception of the sections of the 2025 Proxy Statement specifically incorporated herein by reference, the 2025 Proxy Statement is not deemed to be filed as part of this Form 10-K.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page
INFORMATION RELATING TO FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS1
PART I
Item 1.Business3
Item 1A.Risk Factors14
Item 1B.Unresolved Staff Comments31
Item 1C.Cybersecurity31
Item 2.Properties32
Item 3.Legal Proceedings32
Item 4.Mine Safety Disclosures32
Information About Our Executive Officers33
PART II
Item 5.Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities34
Item 6.Not Applicable34
Item 7.Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations35
Item 7A.Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk51
Item 8.Financial Statements and Supplementary Data52
Item 9.Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure98
Item 9A.Controls and Procedures98
Item 9B.Other Information98
Item 9C.Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that Prevent Inspections98
PART III
Item 10.Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance99
Item 11.Executive Compensation99
Item 12.Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters99
Item 13.Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence99
Item 14.Principal Accountant Fees and Services99
PART IV
Item 15.Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules100
Item 16.Form 10-K Summary100

In this Annual Report on Form 10-K (“Annual Report”), the terms “Danaher” or the “Company” refer to Danaher Corporation, Danaher Corporation and its consolidated subsidiaries or the consolidated subsidiaries of Danaher Corporation, as the context requires. Unless otherwise indicated, all financial data in this Annual Report refer to continuing operations only.

INFORMATION RELATING TO FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain statements included or incorporated by reference in this Annual Report, in other documents we file with or furnish to the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), in our press releases, webcasts, conference calls, materials delivered to shareholders and other communications, are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the U.S. federal securities laws. All statements other than historical factual information are forward-looking statements, including without limitation statements regarding: projections of revenue, expenses, profit, profit margins, asset values, pricing, tax rates, tax provisions, cash flows, pension and benefit obligations and funding requirements, our liquidity position or other projected financial measures; management’s plans and strategies for future operations, including statements relating to anticipated operating performance, customer demand, cost reductions, restructuring activities, new product and service developments, competitive strengths or market position, acquisitions and the integration thereof, divestitures, spin-offs, split-offs, initial public offerings, other securities offerings or other distributions, strategic opportunities, stock repurchases, dividends, executive compensation and potential executive stock sales or purchases; growth, declines and other trends in markets we sell into; future new or modified laws, regulations, accounting pronouncements; or public policy changes; regulatory approvals and the timing and conditionality thereof; outstanding claims, legal proceedings, tax audits and assessments and other contingent liabilities; future currency exchange rates and fluctuations in those rates; the potential or anticipated direct or indirect impact of public health crises, climate change, military conflicts or other man-made or natural disasters on our business, results of operations and/or financial condition; general economic and capital markets conditions; the anticipated timing of any of the foregoing; assumptions underlying any of the foregoing; and any other statements that address events or developments that Danaher intends or believes will or may occur in the future. Terminology such as “believe,” “anticipate,” “assume,” “continue,” “should,” “could,” “intend,” “will,” “plan,” “aim,” “expect,” “estimate,” “project,” “target,” “can,” “may,” “possible,” “potential,” “upcoming,” “forecast” and “positioned” and similar references to future periods are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements are accompanied by such words. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and assessments made by our management in light of their experience and perceptions of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors they believe to be appropriate. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to the risks and uncertainties set forth below and under “Item 1A. Risk Factors” in this Annual Report.

Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from the results, developments and business decisions contemplated by our forward-looking statements. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of the report, document, press release, webcast, call, materials or other communication in which they are made. Except to the extent required by applicable law, we do not assume any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events and developments or otherwise.

Below is a summary of material risks and uncertainties we face, some of which we have experienced and any of which may occur in the future. These risks are discussed more fully in “Item 1A. Risk Factors”:

Business and Strategic Risks

  • Conditions in the global economy, the particular markets we serve and the financial markets can adversely affect our business and financial statements.

  • We face intense competition and if we are unable to compete effectively, we may experience decreased demand and decreased market share. Even if we compete effectively, we may be required to reduce the prices we charge.

  • Our growth depends on the timely development and commercialization, and customer acceptance, of new and enhanced products and services based on technological innovation. Our growth can also suffer if the markets into which we sell our products and services decline, do not grow as anticipated or experience cyclicality.

  • The healthcare industry and related industries that we serve are undergoing significant changes in an effort to reduce (and increase the predictability of) costs, which can adversely affect our business and financial statements.

  • Economic, political, geopolitical, legal, compliance, social and business factors (including the impact of military conflicts), both in the U.S. and outside the U.S., can negatively affect our business and financial statements. For example, elections in the U.S. and other countries may result in significant political shifts and/or disruptions, including changes in the regulatory environment, and recent Supreme Court decisions in the U.S. may also result in regulatory uncertainty.

  • Uncertainties with respect to the development, deployment, and use of artificial intelligence in our business and products may result in harm to our business and reputation.

  • Global heath crises, pandemics, epidemics or other outbreaks can adversely impact certain elements of our business and financial statements.

  • Business partners and other third-parties we rely on for development, supply and/or marketing of certain products, potential products and technologies could fail to perform sufficiently.

Acquisitions, Divestitures and Investment Risks

  • Any inability to consummate acquisitions at our historical rate and appropriate prices, realize the economic benefits of consummated acquisitions or, to make appropriate investments that support our long-term strategy, could negatively impact our business. Our acquisition of businesses, investments, joint ventures and other strategic relationships could also negatively impact our business and financial statements and our indemnification rights may not fully protect us from liabilities related thereto.

  • Divestitures or other dispositions could negatively impact our business, and contingent liabilities from businesses that we or our predecessors have previously disposed could adversely affect our business and financial statements. For example, we could incur significant liability if any of the split-off or spin-off transactions we have previously consummated are determined to be a taxable transaction or otherwise pursuant to our indemnification obligations with respect to such transactions.

Operational Risks

  • Significant disruptions in, or breaches in security of, our information technology (“IT”) systems or data; data privacy violations; other losses or disruptions to facilities, supply chains, distribution systems or IT systems due to catastrophe; and labor disputes can all adversely affect our business and financial statements.

  • Defects, manufacturing problems and unanticipated use or inadequate disclosure with respect to our products or services, or allegations thereof, can adversely affect our business and financial statements.

  • Climate change, legal or regulatory measures to address climate change and other sustainability topics and any inability to address regulatory requirements or stakeholder expectations with respect to climate change and other sustainability topics, may negatively affect our business and financial statements.

  • Our financial results are subject to fluctuations in the cost and availability of the supplies we use in, and the labor we need for, our operations, as well as adverse changes with respect to key distributors and channel partners.

  • Our success depends on our ability to recruit, retain and motivate talented employees representing diverse backgrounds, experiences and skill sets.

  • Our restructuring actions can have long-term adverse effects on our business and financial statements.

Intellectual Property Risks

  • Any inability to adequately protect or avoid third-party infringement of our intellectual property, and third-party claims we are infringing intellectual property rights, can adversely affect our business and financial statements.

  • The U.S. government has certain rights with respect to incremental production capacity attributable to, and/or the intellectual property we have developed using, government financing. In addition, in times of national emergency the U.S. government could also control our allocation of manufacturing capacity.

Financial and Tax Risks

  • From time to time our outstanding debt has increased significantly as a result of acquisitions, and we may incur additional debt. Such indebtedness may limit our operations and use of cash flow and negatively impact our credit ratings; and failure to comply with our indebtedness-related covenants could adversely affect our business and financial statements.

  • Our business and financial statements can be adversely affected by foreign currency exchange rates, changes in our tax rates (including as a result of changes in tax laws) or income tax liabilities/assessments, the outcome of tax audits, recognition of impairment charges for our goodwill or other intangible assets and fluctuations in the cost and availability of commodities.

Legal, Regulatory, Compliance and Reputational Risks

  • Significant developments or changes in national laws or policies to protect or promote domestic interests and/or address foreign competition can have an adverse effect on our business and financial statements.

  • Our businesses are subject to extensive regulation (including those applicable to the healthcare industry). Failure to comply with those regulations (including by our employees, agents or business partners) or significant developments or changes in U.S. or non-U.S. laws or policies can adversely affect our business and financial statements.

  • We are subject to, or otherwise responsible for, a variety of litigation and other legal and regulatory proceedings in the course of our business that can adversely affect our business and financial statements.

  • With respect to the regulated medical devices we offer, product introductions or modifications can require regulatory clearance or authorizations and we can be required to recall or cease marketing such products; off-label marketing can result in penalties; and clinical trials can have results that are unexpected or are perceived unfavorably by the market, all of which can adversely affect our business and financial statements.

  • Our operations, products and services also expose us to the risk of environmental, health and safety liabilities, costs and violations that can adversely affect our business and financial statements.

  • Our By-law exclusive forum provisions could limit our stockholders’ ability to choose their preferred judicial forum for disputes.

PART I

Next: Item 1. BUSINESS