NEW YORK — Medical- and industrial-instruments-maker Danaher Corp. said Monday it agreed to buy medical-testing instrument-maker Beckman Coulter for about $5.87 billion.
Beckman Coulter Inc. makes products that simplify and automate biomedical testing. It will become part of Danaher’s life- sciences and diagnostics business if the deal goes through. That would make the life-sciences unit Danaher’s largest.
Beckman Coulter, based in Brea, Calif., had reportedly put itself up for sale in December.
Danaher has agreed to pay $83.50 per Beckman Coulter share, a 45 percent premium over Beckman’s share price Dec. 9 — the day before the acquisition rumors first surfaced. Danaher valued the purchase at $6.8 billion, including Beckman Coulter’s debt and its cash on hand.
The deal is expected to be completed in the first half of the year. Closing depends on a majority of Beckman Coulter shareholders tendering their shares in favor of the deal.
