Albemarle Corporation 401(k) Review & Grade
Albemarle Corporation Retirement Savings Plan
Charlotte, NCManufacturing2,336 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$16,415Employer $ per active participant
$19,151Employee $ saved per active participant
0.05%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$956.9MNet plan assets, end of year
$253,221Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity49.8 / 50100th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost22.1 / 2589th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving14.9 / 1599th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
Total score97 / 100 · Grade A
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Manufacturing plans with 500–2,499 active participants (2,376 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 100th |
| Lower admin cost | 89th |
| Employee saving | 99th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 59% |
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Red flags from the filing
No red flags were reported on this filing's compliance questions.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Albemarle put in about $16,415 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($2,320). 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.
- 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 | $38,336,129 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $44,727,942 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $0 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $426,794 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $118,314 |
| Other admin expenses | $33,035 |
| Benefits paid out | $99,220,700 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $898.2M / $956.9M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 2,532 / 2,139 |
| Participants with account balances | 3,779 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Pricewaterhousecoopers LLP |
| Employer stock held by plan | $67,906,537 |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner and S | $275,445 reported compensation |
| Rocaton Investment Advisor, LLC | $110,927 reported compensation |
| Kelley Drye & Warren LLP | $7,387 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251006100701NAL0006186240001, received 2025-10-06, EIN 54-1692118, plan #002, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.