Danaher is a holding company of more than 15 operating companies that make tools for biotechnology, life sciences research and medical diagnostics. Its customers include drug makers, biotech firms, hospitals, laboratories, universities and research institutions. A large share of its sales are products that customers reorder, such as consumables, and it sells mostly through its own sales staff, plus distributors.
It reports three segments. Biotechnology, built around the Cytiva and Pall brands, sells equipment, supplies and services used to develop and make biological medicines, including vaccines and cell and gene therapies. Life Sciences sells instruments and supplies for studying DNA, proteins and cells, such as microscopes (Leica), mass spectrometers (Sciex), centrifuges (Beckman Coulter) and custom DNA products (IDT), plus filters for industrial uses. Diagnostics sells testing instruments and supplies (Beckman Coulter, Cepheid, Radiometer) to hospitals, doctors' offices and laboratories.
Danaher's growth has come from acquisitions, and it says it keeps looking for more. Its sales in the United States are 41% of the total. It had about 60,000 employees at the end of 2025, with operations in approximately 50 countries. It says its competitors range from regional specialists to large companies and that competition is increasing.