Applied Aerospace Structures Corp. 401(k) Review & Grade
Applied Aerospace 401(k) Savings Plan
Stockton, CAManufacturing507 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$1,874Employer $ per active participant
$4,992Employee $ saved per active participant
0.17%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$59.0MNet plan assets, end of year
$143,798Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity20.0 / 5040th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost14.8 / 2559th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving7.7 / 1551th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score50 / 100 · Grade C
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Manufacturing plans with 500–2,499 active participants (2,376 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 40th |
| Lower admin cost | 59th |
| Employee saving | 51th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 59% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $68 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Applied Aerospace Structures put in about $1,874 per active participant, below the typical peer ($2,320). Any match is still an instant return, so contribute enough to get all of it.
- 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 | $949,982 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $2,530,806 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $184,833 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $99,033 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $49,967 |
| Benefits paid out | $7,874,575 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $56.4M / $59.0M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 495 / 519 |
| Participants with account balances | 410 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Baker Tilly US, LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Empower Annuity Insurance Company | $49,066 reported compensation |
| Gallagher Benefit Services Inc DBA | $38,000 reported compensation |
| Empower Advisory Group, LLC | $11,967 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251014111417NAL0001289491001, received 2025-10-14, EIN 36-4004211, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.