There is no doubt that Danaher Corporation (NYSE: DHR )
is one of the highest-quality names in the industrial sector, but with
the stock underperforming the S&P 500 by around 7.7% year to date,
there is a sense that the market is losing a little patience with
Danaher. In addition, the company is facing a significant amount of
unpredictability about its future prospects -- an unusual situation for
Danaher. It's time to look at three reasons Danaher could fall in 2014.
Temporary or structural weakness?
Danaher's second-quarter results disappointed the market, and Fools already know that it was mainly due to softness in two product lines. Communications (the test and measurement segment) and dental consumables both disappointed in the quarter, and Danaher CEO Larry Culp said he expected "negative growth" for the communications platform for the rest of the year. Fools can read about the other main conclusions from the conference call here.
While there's a case to be made for a bounce-back in both of these product lines in future quarters, the following chart of segmental sales reveals that these problems may be something structural.
Clearly, the dental and test and measurement segments haven't grown over the past three years, and it's not clear whether the current weakness is merely part of a deteriorating end market.
READ THE FULL ARTICLE LINKED HERE
Temporary or structural weakness?
Danaher's second-quarter results disappointed the market, and Fools already know that it was mainly due to softness in two product lines. Communications (the test and measurement segment) and dental consumables both disappointed in the quarter, and Danaher CEO Larry Culp said he expected "negative growth" for the communications platform for the rest of the year. Fools can read about the other main conclusions from the conference call here.
While there's a case to be made for a bounce-back in both of these product lines in future quarters, the following chart of segmental sales reveals that these problems may be something structural.
Clearly, the dental and test and measurement segments haven't grown over the past three years, and it's not clear whether the current weakness is merely part of a deteriorating end market.
READ THE FULL ARTICLE LINKED HERE