<ARTICLE> 5 <LEGEND> THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM THERMO ELECTRON CORPORATION'S QUARTERLY REPORT ON FORM 10-Q FOR THE PERIOD ENDED JULY 3, 1999 AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. </LEGEND> <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> 6-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> JAN-01-2000 <PERIOD-END> JUL-03-1999 <CASH> 386,864 <SECURITIES> 681,197 <RECEIVABLES> 993,500 <ALLOWANCES> 63,272 <INVENTORY> 645,992 <CURRENT-ASSETS> 2,941,764 <PP&E> 1,153,583 <DEPRECIATION> 442,735 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 5,934,991 <CURRENT-LIABILITIES> 1,239,543 <BONDS> 1,983,760 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <COMMON> 167,253 <OTHER-SE> 1,785,882 <TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY> 5,934,991 <SALES> 2,006,466 <TOTAL-REVENUES> 2,101,878 <CGS> 1,224,548 <TOTAL-COSTS> 1,308,924 <F1> <OTHER-EXPENSES> 517,188 <F2> <LOSS-PROVISION> 9,348 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 55,474 <INCOME-PRETAX> (307,020) <INCOME-TAX> (56,733) <INCOME-CONTINUING> (206,889) <DISCONTINUED> 0 <EXTRAORDINARY> 0 <CHANGES> 0 <NET-INCOME> (206,889) <EPS-BASIC> (1.31) <EPS-DILUTED> (1.32) <FN> <F1> THIS LINE IS MADE UP OF THE FOLLOWING INCOME STATEMENT ACCOUNTS: "COST OF PRODUCT AND SERVICE REVENUES" AND "COST OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CONTRACTS". <F2> THIS LINE IS MADE UP OF THE FOLLOWING INCOME STATEMENT ACCOUNTS: "RESTRUCTURING AND OTHER NONRECURRING INCOME, NET" AND "INTERNALLY FUNDED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT". </FN>