NEW YORK, Jan 30, 2026, 15:18 EST — Regular session
Danaher (DHR) shares edged up 0.1% to $219.83 Friday afternoon, recovering from a steep drop earlier this week. The stock fluctuated between $217.60 and $221.00 during the session.
But beneath the surface, investors remain wary of the company’s 2026 outlook after two straight days of selling. Danaher dropped 4.76% Wednesday and another 2.19% Thursday, trading roughly 7.8 million and 7.5 million shares on those days. (Investing)
This matters beyond a single earnings report. The Washington, D.C.-based firm offers a snapshot of lab spending and diagnostic demand, with its outlook influencing other tools makers amid earnings season. Danaher projected adjusted 2026 earnings between $8.35 and $8.50 per share, lining up with the $8.42 analyst consensus from LSEG. The company cited improving pharma market conditions and reduced policy uncertainty, even as academic research funding remains sluggish. (Reuters)
Chief executive Rainer Blair said the company “delivered a strong finish to the year,” highlighting strength in bioprocessing alongside improved momentum in diagnostics and life sciences. Danaher posted fourth-quarter revenue of $6.84 billion and an adjusted profit of $2.23 per share. (PR Newswire)
Danaher, in an 8-K filing, said it anticipates total-company core sales—excluding currency shifts and acquisition or divestiture impacts—to climb in the low single digits this March quarter, with growth of 3% to 6% expected in 2026. Its segment forecast points to high-single-digit core sales gains in biotech for Q1. Life sciences are projected to stay flat or dip slightly, while diagnostics may fall by low single digits before bouncing back to low-single-digit growth over the full year. (QuoteMedia)
Life-science tools stocks showed a mixed bag on Friday. Thermo Fisher Scientific slid roughly 2.6%, Waters Corporation dipped about 1.4%, and Agilent Technologies managed a slight gain.
Thermo Fisher flagged that softening demand linked to U.S. academic research funding might extend into 2026. CEO Mark Casper told analysts the company is factoring in “a level of customer caution” expected to ease as the year progresses. (Reuters)
A Schedule 13G/A filed Friday revealed The Vanguard Group holds 60.97 million shares of Danaher, representing an 8.63% stake as of Dec. 31. (QuoteMedia)
But the road ahead isn’t smooth. Danaher’s earnings release flagged risks from tariffs, currency fluctuations, and changes in laws or policies, plus broader economic and geopolitical uncertainties that might derail its targets. (Danaher Corporation Investors)
Traders are gearing up for the January U.S. jobs report, set for Feb. 6, which could shake up rate forecasts and risk appetite. Danaher remains in focus, with investors keen on fresh clues about pharma and biotech spending, as well as demand in China. This comes as more healthcare and tools companies roll out updated guidance during earnings season. (Bls)
