Danaher Corporation 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. (http://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 http://www.danaher.com/

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


                             Three Months Ended       Nine Months Ended
                        September 30,   October 1,  September 30, October 1,
                               2005        2004          2005         2004

  Sales                    $1,966,375   $1,745,285  $5,720,950    $4,909,721
  Operating costs and
   expenses:
       Cost of sales        1,118,504    1,005,292   3,248,292     2,852,758
       Selling, general
        and administrative
        expenses              523,612      452,126   1,569,452     1,273,934
       Gain (loss) on sales
        of real estate and
        other assets, net     (4,577)        4,054       9,334         6,100

       Total operating
        expenses            1,646,693    1,453,364   4,808,410     4,120,592

  Operating profit            319,682      291,921     912,540       789,129
       Interest expense       (9,203)     (13,619)    (35,506)      (40,785)
       Interest income          3,050        2,530      12,049         4,857
  Earnings before income
   taxes                      313,529      280,832     889,083       753,201
       Income taxes          (84,708)     (80,039)   (242,986)     (224,931)

  Net earnings               $228,821     $200,793    $646,097      $528,270

  Basic earnings per share      $0.74        $0.65       $2.09         $1.71

  Diluted earnings per share    $0.70        $0.62       $1.98         $1.63

  Average common stock and
   common equivalent shares
   outstanding

            Basic             309,590      309,126     309,703       308,787
            Diluted           328,627      327,967     328,914       327,241

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

SOURCE: Danaher Corporation