Barry-Wehmiller Companies, Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Barry-Wehmiller Companies' 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan
ST. Louis, MOManufacturing5,788 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$3,474Employer $ per active participant
$9,437Employee $ saved per active participant
0.07%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$1.0BNet plan assets, end of year
$148,901Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity25.4 / 5051th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost16.8 / 2567th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving11.5 / 1576th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-13 pts2 issues reported on the filing
Total score51 / 100 · Grade C
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Manufacturing plans with 2,500–9,999 active participants (566 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 51th |
| Lower admin cost | 67th |
| Employee saving | 76th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 70% |
Get the monthly 401(k) report card
The best and worst plans, new grades as filings post. One email a month, no spam.
Red flags from the filing
Late deposits: the filing says some employee contributions were not sent to the plan on time ($4,045,802 reported). That's money taken from paychecks that sat with the employer longer than the law allows.
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $53,080 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Barry-Wehmiller Companies put in about $3,474 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($3,452). 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 | $20,104,151 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $54,615,760 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $12,403,731 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $706,004 |
| Contract administrator fees | $524,679 |
| Other admin expenses | $42,625 |
| Benefits paid out | $95,328,449 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $907.6M / $1.0B |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 5,944 / 5,631 |
| Participants with account balances | 6,904 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Anders, Minkler, Huber & Helm LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Principal Life Insurance Company | $524,679 reported compensation |
| Creative Planning | $114,000 reported compensation |
| Anders Minkler Huber & Helm LLP | $24,700 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251015131747NAL0002352003001, received 2025-10-15, EIN 43-0172560, plan #002, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.