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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2020
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract] |
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies | SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (as restated) Description of Business Vertiv Holdings Co ("Holdings Co", and together with its majority-owned subsidiaries, “Vertiv”, "we", "our", or "the Company"), formerly known as GS Acquisition Holdings Corp ("GSAH"), provides mission-critical infrastructure technologies and life cycle services for data centers, communication networks, and commercial and industrial environments. Vertiv’s offerings include power conditioning and uninterruptible power systems, thermal management, integrated data center control devices, software, monitoring, and service. Vertiv manages and reports results of operations for three business segments: Americas; Asia Pacific; and Europe, Middle East & Africa ("EMEA"). Vertiv Holdings Co was originally incorporated in Delaware on April 25, 2016 as a special purpose acquisition company formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses. On June 12, 2018, GSAH consummated its initial public offering (the “IPO”) of 69,000,000 units, including 9,000,000 units issued pursuant to the exercise by the underwriters of their option to purchase additional units in full, at a price of $10.00 per unit, generating proceeds to GSAH of $690.0 before underwriting discounts and expenses. Simultaneously with the closing of the IPO, GSAH closed the private placement of an aggregate of 10,533,333 Warrants, each exercisable to purchase one share of Class A common stock at an exercise price of $11.50 per share (the “Private Placement Warrants” and, together with the Public Warrants, the “Warrants”), initially issued to GS DC Sponsor I LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, at a price of $1.50 per Private Placement Warrant, generating proceeds of $15.8. On February 7, 2020 (the “Closing Date”), Vertiv Holdings Co consummated its previously announced business combination pursuant to that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of December 10, 2019 (the “Merger Agreement”), by and among GSAH, Vertiv Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Vertiv Holdings”), VPE Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Vertiv Stockholder”), Crew Merger Sub I LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and a direct, wholly-owned subsidiary of GSAH (“First Merger Sub”), and Crew Merger Sub II LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and a direct, wholly-owned subsidiary of GSAH (“Second Merger Sub”). As contemplated by the Merger Agreement, (1) First Merger Sub merged with and into Vertiv Holdings, with Vertiv Holdings continuing as the surviving entity (the “First Merger”) and (2) immediately following the First Merger and as part of the same overall transaction as the First Merger, Vertiv Holdings merged with and into Second Merger Sub, with Second Merger Sub continuing as the surviving entity and renamed “Vertiv Holdings, LLC” (collectively with the First Merger and the other transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, the “Business Combination”). The aggregate merger consideration paid by GSAH in connection with the consummation of the Business Combination was approximately $1,526.2 (the “Merger Consideration”). The Merger Consideration was paid in a combination of cash and stock. The amount of cash consideration paid to the Vertiv Stockholder upon the consummation of the Business Combination was $341.6. The remainder of the consideration paid to the Vertiv Stockholder upon the consummation of the Business Combination was stock consideration (“Stock Consideration”), consisting of 118,261,955 newly-issued shares of our Class A common stock (the “Stock Consideration Shares”), which shares were valued at $10.00 per share for purposes of determining the aggregate number of shares of our Class A common stock payable to the Vertiv Stockholder as part of the Merger Consideration. In addition, the Vertiv Stockholder is entitled to receive additional future cash consideration with respect to the Business Combination in the form of amounts payable under a Tax Receivable Agreement, dated as of the Closing Date, by and between the Company and the Vertiv Stockholder (the “Tax Receivable Agreement”). See Note 11 – “Financial Instruments and Risk Management” to the consolidated financial statements for additional information Concurrently with the execution of the Merger Agreement, Vertiv Holdings Co entered into subscription agreements with certain investors and executive officers ("PIPE Investors"). The PIPE Investors subscribed for 123,900,000 shares of Class A common stock for an aggregate purchase price equal to $1,239.0 (the "PIPE Investment"). The Company used $1,464.0 of the proceeds from the Business Combination to pay down its existing debt. Acquisition-related transaction costs and related charges are not included as a component of consideration transferred but were charged against the proceeds from the PIPE Investment and the trust account. In connection with the Business Combination, GS Acquisition Holdings Corp changed its name to Vertiv Holdings Co and changed the trading symbols for its units, each unit representing one share of Class A common stock and one-third of one redeemable Warrant to acquire one share of Class A common stock, that were issued in the IPO (less the number of units that have been separated into the underlying shares of Class A common stock and underlying Warrants (the “Public Warrants”) upon the request of the holder thereof) (the “units”). Class A common stock and Public Warrants on the NYSE were changed from “GSAH.U,” “GSAH” and “GSAH WS,” to “VERT.U,” “VRT” and “VRT WS,” respectively. As a result of the Business Combination, Vertiv Holdings Co became the owner, directly or indirectly, of all of the assets of Vertiv and its subsidiaries, and the Vertiv Stockholder holds a portion of the Company’s Class A common stock. The Business Combination was accounted for as a reverse recapitalization, with no goodwill or other intangible assets recorded, in accordance with US GAAP. This determination was primarily based on post Business Combination relative voting rights, composition of the governing board, management, and intent of the Business Combination. Under this method of accounting, GSAH was treated as the “acquired” company for financial reporting purposes. Accordingly, for accounting purposes, the Business Combination was treated as the equivalent of Vertiv issuing stock for the net assets of GSAH, which primarily consisted of cash held in its trust account, accompanied by a recapitalization. The net assets of the Company were stated at historical cost, with no goodwill or other intangible assets recorded. Reported amounts from operations included herein prior to the Business Combination are those of Vertiv. Basis of Presentation The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries in which it has a controlling interest. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. Certain prior year amounts have been reclassed to conform with current year presentation. The Company's consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. The preparation of these financial statements requires the Company to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses as well as related disclosures. On an ongoing basis, the company evaluates its estimates and assumptions based on historical experience and various other factors that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions due to among other reasons, the continued uncertainty of general economic conditions due to the Covid-19 pandemic that has impacted, and may continue to impact, our sales channels, supply chain, manufacturing operations, workforce, or other key aspects of our operations. Restatement of Previously Issued Financial Statements On April 12, 2021, the Acting Director of the Division of Corporation Finance and Acting Chief Accountant of the Securities and Exchange Commission together issued a statement regarding the accounting and reporting considerations for warrants issued by special purpose acquisition companies entitled “Staff Statement on Accounting and Reporting Considerations for Warrants Issued by Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (“SPACs”)” (the “SEC Statement”). Specifically, the SEC Statement focused in part on provisions in warrant agreements that provide for potential changes to the settlement amounts dependent upon the characteristics of the warrant holder and because the holder of a warrant is not an input into the pricing of a fixed-for-fixed option on equity shares, such provision would preclude the warrant from being classified in equity and thus the warrant should be classified as a liability. As a result of the SEC Statement, the Company reevaluated the accounting treatment of the Warrants issued in connection with the IPO of GSAH and recorded in equity to the Company’s consolidated balance sheet as a result of the merger and reverse recapitalization occurring on February 7, 2020. Because the Company’s Warrants contain provisions whereby the settlement amount varies depending upon the characteristics of the warrant holder, the Warrants should have been recorded at fair value as a liability in the Company’s consolidated balance sheet. Accordingly, due to this restatement, the Warrants are now classified as a liability at fair value on the Company’s consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2020, and the change in the fair value of such liability in each period is recognized as a gain or loss in the Company’s consolidated statements of earnings (loss) and comprehensive income (loss). The Warrants are deemed equity instruments for income tax purposes, and accordingly, there is no tax accounting relating to changes in the fair value of the Warrants recognized. When presenting diluted earnings (loss) per share in the Company’s Form 10-K/A for the year ended December 31, 2020, the shares issuable under the Warrants were considered for inclusion in the diluted share count in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). Since the shares issuable under the Warrants are issuable shares when exercised by the holders, they are included when computing diluted earnings (loss) per share to the extend such exercise is dilutive to EPS. Upon exercise, these shares are included in Class A common stock in the Company’s basic EPS share count from the date of issuance. Also, upon exercise, the liability would be extinguished and the fair value of the shares issued in settlement would be recorded as an increase in equity. The impact of this correction to the applicable reporting periods for the financial statement line items impacted is as follows (in millions, except per share data):
|  | Twelve Months Ended
|  | December 31, 2020
|  | As Reported |  | Restatement Impact |  | As Restated
Consolidated Statements of Earnings (Loss) and Comprehensive Income (Loss): |  |  |  |  |  |
Change in fair value of warrant liabilities |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 143.7 |  |  | $ | 143.7 |
Income (loss) from Continuing Operations before income taxes |  | $ | (110.9) |  |  | $ | (143.7) |  |  | $ | (254.6) |
Income (loss) from Continuing Operations |  | $ | (183.6) |  |  | $ | (143.7) |  |  | $ | (327.3) |
Net income (loss) |  | $ | (183.6) |  |  | $ | (143.7) |  |  | $ | (327.3) |
Comprehensive income (loss) |  | $ | (150.2) |  |  | $ | (143.7) |  |  | $ | (293.9) |
Earnings (loss) per share: |  |  |  |  |  |
Basic and diluted |  | $ | (0.60) |  |  | $ | (0.47) |  |  | $ | (1.07) |
|  | Twelve Months Ended
|  | December 31, 2020
|  | As Reported |  | Restatement Impact |  | As Restated
Consolidated Balance Sheets: |  |  |  |  |  |
Current portion of warrant liabilities |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 68.5 |  |  | $ | 68.5 |
Total current liabilities |  | $ | 1,673.1 |  |  | $ | 68.5 |  |  | $ | 1,741.6 |
Warrant liabilities |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 87.7 |  |  | $ | 87.7 |
Total liabilities |  | $ | 4,405.5 |  |  | $ | 156.2 |  |  | $ | 4,561.7 |
Additional paid-in-capital |  | $ | 1,804.3 |  |  | $ | (12.5) |  |  | $ | 1,791.8 |
Accumulated deficit |  | $ | (1,187.5) |  |  | $ | (143.7) |  |  | $ | (1,331.2) |
Total equity (deficit) |  | $ | 668.3 |  |  | $ | (156.2) |  |  | $ | 512.1 |
These errors had a non-cash impact, as such, the statement of cash flows for the interim and annual periods during the year ended December 31, 2020 reflect an adjustment to net income (loss) and a corresponding adjustment for the (gain) loss on the change in fair value of Warrants. Revenue recognition The Company recognizes revenue from the sale of manufactured products and services when control of promised goods or services are transferred to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration the Company expects to be entitled to in exchange for those goods or services. Control is transferred when the customer has the ability to direct the use of and obtain benefits from the goods or services. The majority of the Company’s sales agreements contain performance obligations satisfied at a point in time when control is transferred to the customer. Sales for service contracts, including installation, inventory with no alternative use and an enforceable right of payment upon customer termination and other discrete services, generally are recognized over time as the services are provided. Payments received in advance for service arrangements are recorded as deferred revenue and recognized in net sales when the revenue recognition criteria are met. Contract liabilities are recorded when customers remit contractual cash payments in advance of the Company satisfying performance obligations under contractual arrangements. Unbilled revenue is recorded when performance obligations have been satisfied, but the Company does not have present right to payment. For agreements with multiple performance obligations, judgment is required to determine whether performance obligations specified in these agreements are distinct and should be accounted for as separate revenue transactions for recognition purposes. In these types of agreements we allocate sales price to each distinct obligation on a relative stand-alone selling price basis. The majority of revenue from arrangements with multiple performance obligations is recognized when tangible products are delivered, with smaller portions for associated installation and commissioning recognized shortly thereafter. Generally, contract duration is short term, and cancellation, termination or refund provisions apply only in the event of contract breach. These provisions have historically not been invoked. Payment terms vary by the type and location of the customer and the products or services offered. Revenue from our sales have not been adjusted for the effects of a financing component as we expect that the period between when we transfer control of the product and when we receive payment to be one year or less. Sales, value add, and other taxes collected concurrent with revenue are excluded from sales. The Company records amounts billed to customers for shipping and handling in a sales transaction as revenue. Shipping and handling costs are treated as fulfillment costs and are included in costs of sales. The Company records reductions to sales for prompt payment discounts, customer and distributor incentives including rebates, and returns at the time of the initial sale. Rebates are estimated based on sales terms, historical experience, trend analysis, and projected market conditions in the various markets served. Returns are estimated at the time of the sale primarily based on historical experience and recorded gross on the consolidated balance sheet. Sales commissions are expensed when the amortization period is less than a year and are generally not capitalized as they are typically earned at the completion of the contract when the customer is invoiced or when the customer pays Vertiv. We typically offer warranties that are consistent with standard warranties in the jurisdictions where we sell our goods and services. Our warranties are generally assurance type warranties for which we promise that our goods and services meet contract specifications. In limited circumstances, we sell warranties that extend the warranty coverage beyond the standard coverage offered on specific products. Sales for these separately-priced warranties are recorded based on their stand-alone selling price and are recognized as revenue over the length of the warranty period. Foreign Currency Translation The functional currency for substantially all of the Company’s non-U.S. subsidiaries is the local currency. Adjustments resulting from translating local currency financial statements into U.S. dollars are reflected in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss). Transactions denominated in currencies other than the subsidiaries’ functional currencies are subject to changes in exchange rates with resulting gains/losses recorded in net earnings (loss). Cash and Cash Equivalents Cash and cash equivalents are reflected on the consolidated balance sheets and consist of highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less. The following table provides a reconciliation of the amount of cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash reported within the consolidated balance sheets. Restricted cash represents amounts held in an escrow account related to payment of specific tax indemnities.
| December 31, 2020 |  | December 31, 2019 |  | December 31, 2018
Cash and cash equivalents | $ | 534.6 |  |  | $ | 223.5 |  |  | $ | 215.1 |
Restricted cash included in other current assets | 8.0 |  |  | 10.2 |  |  | 10.2 |
Total cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash | $ | 542.6 |  |  | $ | 233.7 |  |  | $ | 225.3 |
Accounts Receivable and Allowance for Doubtful Accounts The Company’s accounts receivable are derived from customers located in the U.S. and numerous foreign jurisdictions. The Company performs ongoing credit evaluations of its customers’ financial condition and generally requires no collateral from its customers. The Company establishes an allowance for uncollectible accounts receivable based on historical experience and any specific customer collection issues that the Company has identified. Write-offs are recorded against the allowance for doubtful accounts when all reasonable efforts for collection have been exhausted. Inventories Inventories are stated at the lower of cost, using the first-in, first-out method, or net realizable value and the majority is valued based on standard costs. The remainder is valued based on average actual costs. Standard costs are revised at the beginning of each fiscal year. The impact from annually resetting standards, as well as operating variances incurred throughout the year, are allocated to inventories and recognized in cost of sales as product is sold. The following are the components of inventory:
| December 31, 2020 |  | December 31, 2019
Inventories |  |  |
Finished products | $ | 201.0 |  |  | $ | 180.2 |
Raw materials | 155.7 |  |  | 162.6 |
Work in process | 89.9 |  |  | 58.2 |
Total inventories | $ | 446.6 |  |  | $ | 401.0 |
Fair Value Measurement Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 820, Fair Value Measurement, establishes a formal hierarchy and framework for measuring certain financial statement items at fair value, and requires disclosures about fair value measurements and the reliability of valuation inputs. Under ASC 820, measurement assumes the transaction to sell an asset or transfer a liability occurs in the principal or at least the most advantageous market for that asset or liability. Within the hierarchy, Level 1 instruments use observable market prices for the identical item in active markets and have the most reliable valuations. Level 2 instruments are valued through broker/dealer quotation or through market-observable inputs for similar items in active markets, including forward and spot prices, interest rates and volatilities. Level 3 instruments are valued using inputs not observable in an active market, such as company-developed future cash flow estimates, and are considered the least reliable. The carrying value approximates fair value for cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable and accounts payable because of the relatively short-term maturity of these instruments. Debt Issuance Costs, Premiums and Discounts Debt issuance costs, premiums and discounts are amortized into interest expense over the terms of the related loan agreements using the effective interest method or other methods which approximate the effective interest method. Debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability are presented on the balance sheets as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability, consistent with discounts. Property, Plant and Equipment and Definite Lived Intangible Assets The Company records investments in land, buildings, and machinery and equipment at cost, which includes the then fair values of assets acquired in business combinations. Depreciation is computed principally using the straight-line method over estimated service lives, which are 30 to 40 years for buildings and 10 to 12 years for machinery and equipment. The Company’s definite lived identifiable intangible assets that are subject to amortization are amortized on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives. Definite lived identifiable intangibles consist of intellectual property such as patented and unpatented technology and trademarks, customer relationships and capitalized software. Definite lived identifiable intangible assets are also subject to evaluation for potential impairment if events or circumstances indicate the carrying value may not be recoverable. Long-lived tangible and intangible assets are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in business circumstances indicate the carrying value of the assets may not be recoverable. Impairment losses are recognized based on estimated fair values if the sum of expected future undiscounted cash flows of the related assets is less than the carrying values. Following are the components of property, plant and equipment:
| December 31, 2020 |  | December 31, 2019
Property, plant and equipment, net |  |  |
Machinery and equipment | $ | 322.4 |  |  | $ | 280.7 |
Buildings | 255.5 |  |  | 243.2 |
Land | 47.4 |  |  | 46.7 |
Construction in progress | 23.1 |  |  | 21.9 |
Property, plant and equipment, at cost | 648.4 |  |  | 592.5 |
Less: Accumulated depreciation | (220.8) |  |  | (164.3) |
Property, plant and equipment, net | $ | 427.6 |  |  | $ | 428.2 |
Goodwill and Other Indefinite Lived Intangible Assets Assets and liabilities acquired in business combinations are accounted for using the acquisition method and recorded at their respective fair values. Goodwill represents the excess of consideration paid over the net assets acquired and is assigned to the reporting unit that acquires the business. A reporting unit is an operating segment as defined in ASC 280, Segment Reporting, or a business one level below an operating segment if discrete financial information for that business is prepared and regularly reviewed by segment management. The Company conducts annual impairment tests of goodwill in the fourth quarter or more frequently if events or circumstances indicate a reporting unit’s fair value may be less than its carrying value. If an initial assessment indicates it is more likely than not goodwill may be impaired, it is evaluated by comparing the reporting unit’s estimated fair value to its carrying value. If its carrying value exceeds its estimated fair value, goodwill impairment is recognized to the extent that recorded goodwill exceeds the fair value of goodwill. Estimated fair values of the reporting unit are Level 3 measures and are developed under an income approach that discounts estimated future cash flows using risk-adjusted interest rates and also the market approach. Indefinite lived intangible assets consist of certain trademarks which are also evaluated annually for impairment or upon the occurrence of a triggering event. Impairment is determined to exist when the fair value is less than the carrying value of the assets being tested. Product Warranties Warranties generally extend for one to two years from the date of sale. Provisions for warranty are determined primarily based on historical warranty cost as a percentage of sales, adjusted for specific issues that may arise. Product warranty expense is approximately one percent of sales and the product warranty accrual is reflected in accrued expenses in the consolidated balance sheets. The change in product warranty accrual is as follows:
| December 31, 2020 |  | December 31, 2019 |  | December 31, 2018
Beginning balance | $ | 43.3 |  |  | $ | 44.9 |  |  | $ | 40.0 |
Provision charge to expense | 27.8 |  |  | 48.7 |  |  | 41.0 |
Paid/utilized | (34.6) |  |  | (50.3) |  |  | (36.1) |
Ending balance | $ | 36.5 |  |  | $ | 43.3 |  |  | $ | 44.9 |
Public and Private Placement Warrants As part of GS Acquisition Holdings Corp initial public offering on June 12, 2018, GS Acquisition Holdings Corp issued to third party investors 69,000,000 units, consisting of one share of Class A common stock and one-third of one redeemable Warrant, at a price of $10.00 per unit. Each whole Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one share of Class A common stock at an exercise price of $11.50 per share (the “Public Warrants”). Simultaneously with the closing of the IPO, GSAH closed the private placement of an aggregate of 10,533,333 Warrants, each exercisable to purchase one share of Class A common stock at an exercise price of $11.50 per share (the “Private Placement Warrants” and, together with the Public Warrants, the “Warrants”), initially issued to GS DC Sponsor I LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (our “Sponsor”), at a price of $1.50 per Private Placement Warrant, generating proceeds of $15.8. Each Private Placement Warrant allows the sponsor to purchase one share of Class A common stock at $11.50 per share. Subsequent to the Business Combination, 9,387,093 Public Warrants and 10,533,333 Private Placement Warrants remained outstanding as of December 31, 2020. On January 19, 2021, the Company redeemed the outstanding Public Warrants in full and the units and the Public Warrants were subsequently delisted from NYSE. The Private Placement Warrants and the shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of the Private Placement Warrants are not transferable, assignable or salable until after the completion of a Business Combination, subject to certain limited exceptions. Additionally, the Private Placement Warrants are exercisable on a cashless basis, at the holder’s option, and are non-redeemable so long as they are held by the initial purchasers or their permitted transferees. If the Private Placement Warrants are held by someone other than the initial purchasers or their permitted transferees, the Private Placement Warrants will be redeemable by us and exercisable by such holders on the same basis as the Public Warrant. We evaluated the Public and Private Placement Warrants under ASC 815-40, Derivatives and Hedging—Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity, and concluded that they do not meet the criteria to be classified in stockholders’ equity. Specifically, the SEC Statement focused in part on provisions in warrant agreements that provide for potential changes to the settlement amounts dependent upon the characteristics of the warrant holder and because the holder of a Warrant is not an input into the pricing of a fixed-for-fixed option on equity shares, such provision would preclude the Warrant from being classified in equity and thus the Warrant should be classified as a liability. Accordingly, due to this restatement, the Warrants are now classified as a liability at fair value on the Company’s consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2020, and the change in the fair value of such liability in each period is recognized as a gain or loss in the Company’s consolidated statements of earnings (loss) and comprehensive income (loss). The Warrants are deemed equity instruments for income tax purposes, and accordingly, there is no tax accounting relating to changes in the fair value of the Warrants recognized. Because the Public Warrants were publicly traded and thus had an observable market price, fair value adjustments were determined by utilizing the market prices whereas the Private Placement Warrants were valued using a Black-Sholes-Merton pricing model as described in Note 11, Financial Instruments and Risk Management, to the consolidated financial statements. The changes in the fair value of the Warrants may be material to our future operating results. Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities In the normal course of business, the Company is exposed to changes in foreign currency exchange rates and commodity prices due to its worldwide presence and business profile. The Company’s foreign currency exposures relate to transactions denominated in currencies that differ from the functional currencies of its subsidiaries. Primary commodity exposures are price fluctuations on forecasted purchases of copper and aluminum and related products. As part of the Company’s risk management strategy, derivative instruments are selectively used in an effort to minimize the impact of these exposures. All derivatives are associated with specific underlying exposures and the Company does not hold derivatives for trading or speculative purposes. The duration of hedge positions is less than one year. All derivatives are accounted for under ASC 815, Derivatives and Hedging, and recognized at fair value. For derivatives hedging variability in future cash flows, the effective portion of any gain or loss is deferred in equity and recognized when the underlying transaction impacts earnings. For derivatives hedging the fair value of existing assets or liabilities, both the gain or loss on the derivative and the offsetting loss or gain on the hedged item are recognized in earnings each period. To the extent that any hedge is not fully effective at offsetting changes in the underlying hedged item, there could be a net earnings impact. The Company also uses derivatives to hedge economic exposures that do not receive deferral accounting under ASC 815. The underlying exposures for these hedges relate primarily to the revaluation of certain foreign-currency denominated assets and liabilities. Gains or losses from the ineffective portion of any hedge, as well as any gains or losses on derivative instruments not designated as hedges, are recognized in the consolidated statements of earnings (loss) immediately. Concurrent with the refinancing on March 2, 2020, the Company designated certain interest rate swaps with an initial notional amount of $1,200.0 as cash flow hedges. The Company uses interest rate swaps to manage the interest rate mix of our total debt portfolio and related overall cost of borrowing. At December 31, 2020 interest rate swap agreements designated as cash flow hedges effectively swapped an initial amount of $1,200.0 of LIBOR based floating rate debt for fixed rate debt. See Note 11 – “Financial instruments and Risk Management” for additional information. As of December 31, 2020, 2019, and 2018 no outstanding currency and commodity hedges received deferral accounting treatment. Accordingly, the Company recognized mark-to-market gains/(losses) of $0.9, $(0.4), and $1.2, during the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019, and 2018 respectively, within other deductions, net in the consolidated statements of earnings (loss). The fair values of the outstanding hedge instruments were measured using valuations based upon quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets (Level 2) and are valued by reference to similar financial instruments, adjusted for terms specific to the contracts. Income Taxes The provision for income taxes is determined using the asset and liability approach of ASC 740 by jurisdiction on a legal entity by legal entity basis. Under this approach, deferred taxes represent the future tax consequences expected to occur when the reported amounts of assets and liabilities are recovered or paid. Deferred taxes result from differences between the financial and tax basis of the Company’s assets and liabilities and are measured using enacted rates in effect for the year in which the temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The impact of a change in income tax rates on deferred tax assets and liabilities is recognized in earnings in the period that includes the enactment date. Valuation allowances are recorded to reduce deferred tax assets when it is more likely than not that a tax benefit will not be realized. The tax carryforwards reflected in the Company’s consolidated financial statements have been determined using the separate return method. The tax carryforwards include net operating losses and tax credits. The Company’s extensive operations and the complexity of global tax regulations require assessments of uncertainties in estimating the taxes the Company will ultimately pay. The Company recognizes liabilities for anticipated tax audit uncertainties in the U.S. and other tax jurisdictions based on its estimate of whether, and the extent to which, additional taxes will be due. ASC 740-30-25-18 provides guidance that U.S. companies do not need to recognize tax effects on outside basis differences that are indefinitely reinvested. As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, the Company has provided for U.S. federal income taxes, foreign withholding and other taxes on outside basis differences in certain foreign subsidiaries that are not indefinitely reinvested. Certain earnings in certain foreign affiliates are indefinitely reinvested, but determining the impact of such amounts was not practicable. Commitments and Contingencies Certain conditions may exist as of the date of the financial statements which may result in a loss to the Company, but will only be resolved when one or more future events occur or fail to occur. Such liabilities for loss contingencies arising from claims, assessments, litigation, fines, penalties, and other sources are recorded when the Company assesses that it is probable that a future liability has been incurred and the amount can be reasonably estimated. Recoveries of costs from third parties, which the Company assesses as being probable of realization, are recorded to the extent of related contingent liabilities accrued. Legal costs incurred in connection with matters relating to contingencies are expensed in the period incurred. The Company records gain contingencies when realized. Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements Effective January 1, 2020 we adopted the Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2018-15, Intangibles — Goodwill and Other — Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40), which aligns the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred in a service contract hosting arrangement with those of developing or obtaining internal-use software. The guidance was adopted prospectively to all implementation costs incurred after the date of adoption, which are now recorded in other assets in the current year compared to intangible assets in the prior year on the consolidated balance sheets and payments are recorded in cash flows from operating activities in the current year compared to investing activities in the prior year on the consolidated statement of cash flows. Effective January 1, 2020, we adopted ASU 2016-13 — Financial Instruments — Credit Losses (Topic 326), a new standard to replace the incurred loss impairment methodology under current U.S. GAAP with a methodology that reflects expected credit losses and requires consideration of a broader range of reasonable and supportable information to inform credit loss estimates. The adoption of the standard did not have a significant impact on the consolidated financial statements. Dividends On October 28, 2020, Vertiv announced that the Board of Directors declared the Company’s first-ever annual dividend of $0.01 per share. The dividend was payable to the Company’s shareholders of record, including holders of record of the Company’s units, as of December 2, 2020, and $3.3 was paid on December 17, 2020.

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