New York, February 13, 2026, 17:53 EST — After-hours
- Danaher stock slipped roughly 1.2%, holding close to $212.58 in after-hours trading.
- Heading into the long weekend, the stock trades ahead of a U.S. market closure Monday for Presidents Day.
- After a softer CPI print, traders are dialed in on rate-cut expectations. More inflation data lands next week.
Danaher Corporation shares slipped around 1.2% to $212.58 in Friday’s after-hours trade, having bounced between $210.80 and $218.48 during the session. Volume came in at roughly 5.3 million shares.
U.S. equities are heading into a long weekend, with the New York Stock Exchange shuttered Monday for Washington’s Birthday. Trading picks up again Tuesday. (New York Stock Exchange)
Why it matters now: Mixed data has traders recalibrating where rates move next. Over in life science tools, names in the group keep running into rocky demand and nagging valuation doubts.
Danaher shares dropped over 2% Thursday, ending a four-session run, according to MarketWatch data. Trading volume was higher than usual. (MarketWatch)
The stock slipped Friday, lagging behind gains in the wider market and staying far off its 52-week high. Thermo Fisher Scientific and Medtronic shares also dropped. Abbott, though, managed to post a gain, MarketWatch reported. (MarketWatch)
Earlier in the session, the mood shifted after January’s U.S. consumer price report landed softer than forecasts, but underlying services inflation stayed sticky. “Price pressures remain a little too hot for comfort,” wrote James McCann, senior economist at Edward Jones. He doesn’t expect the numbers to alter the Federal Reserve’s current stance. Next week, attention turns to December’s personal consumption expenditures (PCE) inflation data—the Fed’s preferred gauge. (Reuters)
Danaher’s most recent major catalyst came with its late January earnings release. The company projected 2026 adjusted earnings in a range of $8.35 to $8.50 per share—basically matching Street expectations—and highlighted better trends in bioprocessing, plus more stable growth in diagnostics and life sciences. CEO Rainer Blair called it “a strong finish to the year” but also cautioned about lingering weak spots, particularly around academic research funding. (Reuters)
The stock now moves on a mix of cross-currents—think rates, research budgets, and the question of whether life sciences demand rebounds as drugmakers start spending again.
Still, there’s a risk on the table. Sticky inflation and delayed rate cuts could see investors pulling back further from the pricier healthcare stocks. If lab and academic demand doesn’t rebound quickly, that’s more headwind—even if pharma spending remains steady.
Danaher traders break for the holiday, back on Tuesday. Next week’s PCE inflation numbers are in focus, especially after Friday’s CPI surprise threw a wrench into rate-cut bets.
