Books-A-Million, Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Books-A-Million, Inc. 401(k) Plan
Birmingham, ALRetail Trade3,494 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$247Employer $ per active participant
$712Employee $ saved per active participant
0.42%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$40.2MNet plan assets, end of year
–Average balance per account (account count looks misreported)
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity9.3 / 5019th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost3.9 / 2516th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving1.6 / 1510th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-13 pts2 issues reported on the filing
Total score5 / 100 · Grade F
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Retail Trade plans with 2,500–9,999 active participants (183 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 19th |
| Lower admin cost | 16th |
| Employee saving | 10th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 42% |
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Red flags from the filing
Late deposits: the filing says some employee contributions were not sent to the plan on time ($591,831 reported). That's money taken from paychecks that sat with the employer longer than the law allows.
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $62,582 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Books-A-Million put in about $247 per active participant, below the typical peer ($650). 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.
- Direct plan expenses (0.42% of assets) are well above similar-size plans (0.12%). Check your annual fee disclosure, choose low-cost index funds if you can, and think about whether savings beyond the match belong in an IRA.
- 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 | $863,730 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $2,487,674 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $323,169 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $159,700 |
| Benefits paid out | $3,993,957 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $35.2M / $40.2M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 3,020 / 3,968 |
| Participants with account balances | 1,235 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Deloitte & Touche LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner and S | $159,675 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20250904163200NAL0016305633001, received 2025-09-04, EIN 63-0798460, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.