Danaher Corporation announced today that net earnings for the first quarter ended March 31, 2006 were $216 million, or $0.67 per diluted share, 15% higher than its 2005 first quarter net earnings of $188 million, or $0.58 per diluted share. Included in the 2006 first quarter earnings per share was $0.025 per share related to the expensing of stock options as well as the benefit of $0.01 per share resulting from the reversal of approximately $3 million of tax reserves related to prior years. Additionally, earnings per share in the first quarter of 2005 were positively impacted by a $0.01 per share gain related to the sale of real estate. On a pro forma basis, absent these special items but including option expensing in both years, earnings per share for the first quarter of 2006 improved approximately 20%. For a reconciliation of this non- GAAP measure to earnings per share calculated according to GAAP, see the attached table.

Sales for the 2006 first quarter were $2.14 billion, 17.5% higher than the $1.83 billion reported for the 2005 first quarter.

H. Lawrence Culp, Jr., President and Chief Executive Officer, stated, "We are very pleased to announce another record quarter. Growth from existing businesses, also known as core revenues, was 7.5%. Total sales growth for the quarter also included acquisition growth of 12.5% and a negative currency impact of 2.5%. Operating cash flow for the first quarter of 2006 was a record $337 million, 8% higher than the record first quarter of 2005. The broad-based strength we continue to see across our businesses reinforces our confidence in our ability to deliver positive results for the remainder of 2006."

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

Statements in this release that are not strictly historical, including statements regarding events or developments that we believe or anticipate will or may occur in the future, 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, cost reductions, sales growth and earnings, 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, regulatory approvals and the Company's ability to consummate announced acquisitions, 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 2005 Annual Report on Form 10-K and First Quarter 2006 Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release and the Company disclaims any duty to update any forward-looking statement.

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

                           DANAHER CORPORATION
              CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF EARNINGS
                (000's omitted, except per share amounts)
                               (unaudited)

                                                       Three Months
                                                          Ended

                                                 March 31,        April 1,
                                                   2006             2005

  Sales                                         $2,143,661      $1,825,948
  Operating costs and expenses:
     Cost of sales                               1,226,972       1,050,764
     Selling, general and administrative
      expenses                                     619,618         508,682
     Other expense (income), net                         -          (5,335)
  Total operating expenses                       1,846,590       1,554,111
  Operating profit                                 297,071         271,837
     Interest expense                               (9,794)        (13,488)
     Interest income                                 1,836           1,315
  Earnings before income taxes                     289,113         259,664
      Income taxes                                  73,394          71,408

  Net earnings                                    $215,719        $188,256


  Earnings Per Share:

  Basic                                              $0.70           $0.61

  Diluted                                            $0.67           $0.58

  Average common stock and common equivalent
   shares outstanding:
            Basic                                  306,838         309,880
            Diluted                                324,045         329,390



See the accompanying Notes to Consolidated Condensed Financial Statements.


 A complete copy of Danaher's Form 10-Q financial statements is available
           on the Company's web site (http://www.danaher.com/).



  Danaher Corporation
  Supplemental Reconciliation of
  Earnings Per Share
  Three Months Ended March 31, 2006 and
  April 1, 2005

                                               Three Months Ended

                                            March 31,    April 1,   %
                                              2006        2005    Change

  Diluted Earnings Per Share, as reported  $  0.67     $  0.58    15.5%

    Pro Forma Adjustment - Option Expense                (0.02)

    Gain on Sale of Real Estate                  -       (0.01)

    Impact of Tax Reserves Reversal          (0.01)

  Diluted Earnings per Share - pro forma   $  0.66     $  0.55    20.0%

In addition to the results provided in this release in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ("GAAP"), the Company has provided a non-GAAP measure (the "non-GAAP measure") which compares earnings per share for the first quarter of 2005 to earnings per share for the first quarter of 2006 on a basis which includes stock option expense in both periods and excludes special items relating to a lower effective tax rate in the 2006 period and a sale of real estate in the 2005 period. The non-GAAP measure should not be considered a replacement for earnings per share calculated according to GAAP. The attached table provides a reconciliation of the non- GAAP measure to earnings per share calculated according to GAAP.

The non-GAAP measure is a financial measure we use to evaluate the underlying results and operating performance of our business. The limitation of this measure is that it excludes items that impacted the company's earnings in the relevant periods, and includes an item that was not included in the Company's earnings in the first quarter of 2005. We believe however that the non-GAAP measure helps investors to draw comparisons between operating results reported in different periods and identify underlying trends that might otherwise be masked by earnings per share calculated according to GAAP.

SOURCE: Danaher Corporation