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OTHER FINANCIAL INFORMATION | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2019
OTHER FINANCIAL INFORMATION |
OTHER FINANCIAL INFORMATION | (12) OTHER FINANCIAL INFORMATION Items reported in earnings include the following:
|  | December 31, |  | December 31, |  | December 31,
|  | 2019 |  | 2018 |  | 2017
Research and development expense |  | $ | 198.5 |  | $ | 165.3 |  | $ | 166.5
Depreciation expense |  |  | 57.1 |  |  | 60.4 |  |  | 61.2
Rent expense |  |  | 81.4 |  |  | 80.4 |  |  | 61.1
Advertising expense |  |  | 30.3 |  |  | 35.2 |  |  | 32.6
Items reported in accrued expenses include the following:
|  | December 31, |  | December 31,
|  | 2019 |  | 2018
Deferred revenue |  | $ | 160.9 |  | $ | 170.5
Accrued payroll and other employee compensation |  |  | 145.4 |  |  | 133.6
Product warranty |  |  | 43.2 |  |  | 44.9
Litigation reserve (see Note 18) |  |  | 92.9 |  |  | 60.0
Other (includes liabilities related to lease obligations, see note 8) |  |  | 425.3 |  |  | 395.3
Total |  | $ | 867.7 |  | $ | 804.3
In March 2017, Vertiv adopted the Vertiv Holding Corporation 2017 Transaction Exit Bonus Plan (the "Transaction Exit Bonus Plan"), under which participants may be entitled to receive compensation upon the occurrence of certain qualifying events. No qualifying events have occurred or were deemed probable of occurring as of December 31, 2019 because such events would be contingent and considered to be outside the grantee’s control. Therefore, the event is not probable until it occurs and no amounts were paid or accrued under the Plan as of December 31, 2019. The change in the sales returns and allowances and allowance for doubtful accounts is as follows:
|  | Year Ended
|  | December 31, |  | December 31, |  | December 31,
|  | 2019 |  | 2018 |  | 2017
Beginning balance |  | $ | 36.0 |  | $ | 28.3 |  | $ | 18.0
Provision charged to expense |  |  | 59.6 |  |  | 55.3 |  |  | 55.3
Deductions |  |  | (43.6) |  |  | (47.6) |  |  | (45.0)
Ending balance |  | $ | 52.0 |  | $ | 36.0 |  | $ | 28.3
The change in inventory obsolescence is as follows:
|  | December 31, |  | December 31, |  | December 31,
|  | 2019 |  | 2018 |  | 2017
Beginning balance |  | $ | 30.6 |  | $ | 15.3 |  | $ | 1.2
Provision charged to expense |  |  | 21.3 |  |  | 20.9 |  |  | 14.4
Write-offs and other |  |  | 7.8 |  |  | (5.6) |  |  | (0.3)
Ending balance |  | $ | 59.7 |  | $ | 30.6 |  | $ | 15.3
The change in the income tax valuation allowance is as follows:
|  | December 31, |  | December 31, |  | December 31,
|  | 2019 |  | 2018 |  | 2017
Beginning balance |  | $ | 208.0 |  | $ | 108.5 |  | $ | 89.0
Additions (reductions) charged to expense |  |  | 17.0 |  |  | 105.1 |  |  | 1.9
Additions (reductions) charged to other accounts |  |  | (19.3) |  |  | (5.6) |  |  | 17.6
Ending balance |  | $ | 205.7 |  | $ | 208.0 |  | $ | 108.5

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