Abb Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Abb Inc. Retirement Savings Plan
Cary, NCManufacturing13,827 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$8,002Employer $ per active participant
$7,974Employee $ saved per active participant
0.04%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$3.3BNet plan assets, end of year
$160,651Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity36.7 / 5073th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost19.7 / 2579th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving6.6 / 1544th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-13 pts2 issues reported on the filing
Total score60 / 100 · Grade B
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Manufacturing plans with 10,000+ active participants (151 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 73th |
| Lower admin cost | 79th |
| Employee saving | 44th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 69% |
Red flags from the filing
Late deposits: the filing says some employee contributions were not sent to the plan on time ($10,056 reported). That's money taken from paychecks that sat with the employer longer than the law allows.
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $93,419 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Abb put in about $8,002 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($5,480). Contribute at least enough to collect the full match. Skipping it leaves part of your pay on the table.
- The filing shows total dollars, not the match formula. Ask HR for the Summary Plan Description so you know the exact match and vesting schedule.
- Fund expense ratios aren't in the filing. Look them up in your 404(a)(5) fee disclosure and favor low-cost index or target-date funds.
- The plan auto-enrolls employees. Check your default contribution rate. Defaults are often lower than what it takes to get the full match.
- The plan reported late deposits of employee contributions. Compare your pay stubs with your account statements, and contact the plan administrator if money shows up late.
- Changing jobs? You can usually leave the money in the plan, move it to your new employer's plan, or roll it into an IRA. Don't cash out: you'd owe taxes and possibly a 10% penalty.
The raw numbers from the filing
| Employer contributions | $110,643,839 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $110,256,847 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $31,296,084 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $1,174,452 |
| Contract administrator fees | $825,121 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $232,828 |
| Benefits paid out | $326,531,861 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $2.9B / $3.3B |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 13,559 / 14,095 |
| Participants with account balances | 20,515 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Grant Thornton LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Principal Life Insurance Company | $819,343 reported compensation |
| Curcio Webb | $232,828 reported compensation |
| Grant Thornton LLP | $87,550 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251010134318NAL0013223360001, received 2025-10-10, EIN 36-3100018, plan #302, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.
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