Danaher Corporation: 10-K Risk Factor Changes

We continually assess the strategic fit of our existing businesses and may divest, spin-off, split-off or otherwise dispose of businesses for strategic, financial or other reasons. Over the last several years, Danaher has separated and disposed of multiple businesses using a combination of sale, spin-off, split-off, initial public offering and other transactions (collectively, the “Dispositions”), including most recently the spin-off of Danaher’s former Environmental & Applied Solutions segment in 2023, now known as Veralto Corporation. The Dispositions and any future, similar transactions pose risks and challenges that could negatively impact our business and financial statements. For example, divestitures or other dispositions can dilute the Company’s earnings per share, have other adverse financial, tax and accounting impacts and distract management, disputes can arise with the new owners of the divested/disposed business, we may not realize some or all of the anticipated benefits from the transaction and the transaction may not yield greater net benefits to Danaher and its shareholders than if it had not occurred. In addition, we have retained responsibility for and/or have agreed to indemnify buyers against some known and unknown contingent liabilities related to a number of businesses we or our predecessors have sold or disposed. The resolution of these contingencies has not had a material effect on our business or financial statements but there can be no assurance that this favorable pattern will continue.

We continually assess the strategic fit of our existing businesses and may divest, spin-off, split-off or otherwise dispose of businesses for strategic, financial or other reasons. For example, in 2015 Danaher separated and split-off to Danaher shareholders the majority of its former communications business in a Reverse Morris Trust transaction with NetScout Systems, Inc. (the “Communications Disposition”), in 2016 Danaher separated and spun-off to Danaher shareholders its former Test & Measurement segment, Industrial Technologies segment (excluding the product identification businesses) and retail/commercial petroleum business (collectively known as “Fortive Corporation”) (the “Fortive Disposition”), in 2019 Danaher consummated the separation and initial public offering (“IPO”) and subsequent split-off of its Dental segment, known as Envista Holdings Corporation (the “Envista Disposition”), and in 2022 Danaher announced the anticipated EAS Separation. Transactions such as these pose risks and challenges that could negatively impact our business and financial statements. For example, divestitures or other dispositions can dilute the Company’s earnings per share, have other adverse financial, tax and accounting impacts and distract management, and disputes can arise with the new owners of the divested/disposed business. In addition, we have retained responsibility for and/or have agreed to indemnify buyers against some known and unknown contingent liabilities related to a number of businesses we or our predecessors have sold or disposed. The resolution of these contingencies has not had a material effect on our business or financial statements but there can be no assurance that this favorable pattern will continue.

We have received opinions from outside tax counsel to the effect that the Dispositions of Fortive Corporation in 2016, Envista Holdings Corporation in 2019 and Veralto Corporation in 2023 each qualifies as a transaction that is described in Sections 355(a) and 368(a)(1)(D) of the Internal Revenue Code. These opinions rely on certain facts, assumptions, representations and undertakings regarding the past and future conduct of the companies’ respective businesses and other matters. If any of these facts, assumptions, representations or undertakings are incorrect or not satisfied, our stockholders and we may not be able to rely on the respective opinion of tax counsel and could be subject to significant tax liabilities. Notwithstanding the opinion of tax counsel, the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) could determine on audit that any such transactions are taxable if it determines that any of these facts, assumptions, representations or undertakings are not correct or have been violated or if it disagrees with the conclusions in the respective opinion. If any such transaction is determined to be taxable for U.S. federal income tax purposes, our stockholders that are subject to U.S. federal income tax and we could incur significant U.S. federal income tax liabilities.

We have received opinions from outside tax counsel to the effect that each of the Fortive Disposition and the Envista Disposition qualifies as a transaction that is described in Sections 355(a) and 368(a)(1)(D) of the Internal Revenue Code, and we anticipate obtaining a similar opinion with respect to the EAS Separation. These opinions rely on certain facts, assumptions, representations and undertakings regarding the past and future conduct of the companies’ respective businesses and other matters. If any of these facts, assumptions, representations or undertakings are incorrect or not satisfied, our stockholders and we may not be able to rely on the respective opinion of tax counsel and could be subject to significant tax liabilities. Notwithstanding the opinion of tax counsel, the IRS could determine on audit that any such transactions are taxable if it determines that any of these facts, assumptions, representations or undertakings are not correct or have been violated or if it disagrees with the conclusions in the respective opinion. If any such transaction is determined to be taxable for U.S. federal income tax purposes, our stockholders that are subject to U.S. federal income tax and we could incur significant U.S. federal income tax liabilities.

In the past, we have implemented significant restructuring and other cost reduction activities across our businesses to adjust our cost structure, and we may engage in similar activities in the future. These activities could diminish our resources and competitiveness, and delays or failures in implementing planned restructuring and other cost reduction activities may diminish the expected operational or financial benefits from such actions. Any of the circumstances described above could adversely impact our business and financial statements. 24 24 24

We have implemented significant restructuring activities across our businesses to adjust our cost structure, and we may engage in similar restructuring activities in the future. These restructuring activities and our regular ongoing cost reduction activities could diminish our resources and competitiveness, and delays or failures in implementing planned restructuring activities may diminish the expected operational or financial benefits from such actions. Any of the circumstances described above could adversely impact our business and financial statements. 26 26 26

With respect to each of the Dispositions, we entered into a separation agreement and related agreements to govern the separation and related transactions and the relationship between the respective companies going forward. These agreements provide for specific indemnity and liability obligations of each party that can lead to disputes between us and the respective counterparty. If we are required to indemnify any of the other parties under the circumstances set forth in these agreements, we may be subject to substantial liabilities. In addition, with respect to the liabilities for which the other parties have agreed to indemnify us under these agreements, there can be no assurance that the indemnity rights we have against such other parties will be sufficient to protect us against the full amount of the liabilities, or that such other parties will be able to fully satisfy their respective indemnification obligations. It is also possible that a court could disregard the allocation of assets and liabilities agreed to between Danaher and such other parties and require Danaher to assume responsibility for obligations allocated to such other parties. Each of these risks could negatively affect our business and financial statements.

With respect to each of the Communications Disposition, the Fortive Disposition and the Envista Disposition, we entered into a separation agreement and related agreements to govern the separation and related transactions and the relationship between the respective companies going forward (and we expect to enter into similar agreements in connection with the EAS Separation). These agreements provide for specific indemnity and liability obligations of each party that can lead to disputes between us and the respective counterparty. If we are required to indemnify any of the other parties under the circumstances set forth in these agreements, we may be subject to substantial liabilities. In addition, with respect to the liabilities for which the other parties have agreed to indemnify us under these agreements, there can be no assurance that the indemnity rights we have against such other parties will be sufficient to protect us against the full amount of the liabilities, or that such other parties will be able to fully satisfy their respective indemnification obligations. It is also possible that a court could disregard the allocation of assets and liabilities agreed to between Danaher and such other parties and require Danaher to assume responsibility for obligations allocated to such other parties. Each of these risks could negatively affect our business and financial statements.

Military conflicts (such as the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and the conflict in Israel and surrounding areas) can adversely affect our business and financial statements. For example, consequences of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine have included sanctions, embargoes, regional instability, geopolitical shifts and adverse impacts on energy supplies and prices, and such conflict or other conflicts may cause similar adverse effects in the future. In addition to suspending sales prohibited by sanctions, the Company has suspended the shipment of products to Russia with the exception of products for the purposes of diagnosing and treating patients and producing vaccines and therapeutics. Military conflicts also heighten other risks disclosed in this Annual Report, any of which can adversely affect our business and financial statements. Such risks include, but are not limited to, adverse effects on macroeconomic conditions, including increased inflation, constraints on the availability of commodities, supply chain disruption and decreased business spending; disruptions to our or our business partners’ global technology infrastructure, including through cyber-attack or cyber-intrusion; adverse changes in international trade policies and relations; claims, litigation and regulatory enforcement; potential retaliatory actions by governments against companies, such as nationalization of foreign 27 27 27 businesses; adverse impacts on our ability to implement and execute our business strategy; terrorist activities; our exposure to foreign currency fluctuations; reputational risk; and constraints, volatility, or disruption in the capital markets. In 2023, Russia, Ukraine and Israel sales combined accounted for less than 1% of the Company’s sales.

The military conflict between Russia and Ukraine has adversely affected and may further adversely affect our business and financial statements. In light of the situation in Ukraine, in addition to suspending sales prohibited by sanctions, the Company has suspended the shipment of products to Russia with the exception of products for the purposes of diagnosing and treating patients and producing vaccines and therapeutics. We incurred a pretax charge of $43 million in 2022 as a result of Russia-related asset impairments, accruals for contractual obligations and similar items and we may incur additional charges in the future. In 2021, approximately 1% of the Company’s sales were derived from customers based in Russia and a de minimis percentage of sales were derived from customers based in Ukraine, and in 2022 Russia and Ukraine sales accounted for less than 1% of the Company’s sales. The conflict in Ukraine may escalate and/or expand in scope and the broader consequences of this conflict, which have included and/or may in the future include sanctions, embargoes, regional instability, geopolitical shifts and adverse impacts on energy supplies and prices; potential retaliatory action by the Russian government against companies, 29 29 29 including the Company, such as nationalization of foreign businesses in Russia. Further, increased tensions between the United States and countries in which we operate cannot be predicted, nor can we predict the conflict’s future impact on the global economy and on our business and financial statements. The Russia and Ukraine conflict also heightens many other risks disclosed in this Annual Report, any of which can adversely affect our business and financial statements. Such risks include, but are not limited to, adverse effects on macroeconomic conditions, including increased inflation, constraints on the availability of commodities, supply chain disruption and decreased business spending; disruptions to our or our business partners’ global technology infrastructure, including through cyber-attack or cyber-intrusion; adverse changes in international trade policies and relations; claims, litigation and regulatory enforcement; our ability to implement and execute our business strategy; terrorist activities; our exposure to foreign currency fluctuations; reputational risk; and constraints, volatility, or disruption in the capital markets.

As COVID-19 and the preventive measures related thereto have moderated, demand for the Company’s COVID-19 related products has moderated as well. Further declines in demand for our COVID-19 related products that are unanticipated in timing or magnitude could adversely affect our business and financial statements. In addition, our global operations expose us to risks associated with public health crises, including epidemics and pandemics such as COVID-19. The global spread of COVID-19 led to unprecedented restrictions on, and disruptions in, business and personal activities, including as a result of preventive and precautionary measures that we, other businesses, our communities and governments undertook to mitigate the spread. Any resurgence of COVID-19 (or the outbreak of any other epidemic or pandemic) or the reinstatement of similar preventive measures in the future could negatively impact the economies and financial markets of the world and our business and financial statements. To the extent we develop and sell products to help address epidemics or pandemics in the future, as such epidemics/pandemics evolve we may experience declines in demand that are unanticipated in timing or magnitude, which could adversely affect our business and financial statements.

Our global operations expose us to risks associated with public health crises, including epidemics and pandemics such as COVID-19. The global spread of COVID-19 led to unprecedented restrictions on, and disruptions in, business and personal activities, including as a result of preventive and precautionary measures that we, other businesses, our communities and governments undertook to mitigate the spread. The direct impact of COVID-19 and the preventive measures implemented as a result thereof adversely affected certain elements of our Company (including to a different degree our operations, commercial organizations, supply chains and distribution systems). Please see “Item 7 - MD&A” for a discussion of how COVID-19 impacted our results of operations in 2022. While the direct impact of COVID-19 and many of the preventive measures moderated in 2022, any resurgence of COVID-19 (or the outbreak of any other epidemic or pandemic) or the reinstatement of similar preventive measures in the future could negatively impact the economies and financial markets of the world and our businesses and financial statements. The Company deployed its capabilities, expertise and scale to address critical health needs related to COVID-19, including developing and making available diagnostic tests for the rapid detection of COVID-19 as well as providing critical support to firms developing and producing vaccines and therapies for COVID-19. Please see “Item 7. MD&A” for a discussion of the Company products used in the fight against COVID-19. As COVID-19 and the preventive measures related thereto have moderated, demand for the Company’s COVID-19 related products has moderated as well. The duration and extent of future demand for our products supporting COVID-19 testing and for our products related to developing and producing vaccines and therapies for COVID-19 is uncertain and depends on multiple factors, including the extent to which COVID-19 persists in endemic form. Declines in demand for our COVID-19 related products that are unanticipated in timing or magnitude could adversely affect our business and financial statements.