Charles River Laboratories, Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Charles River Laboratories, Inc. Savings/plus Plan
Wilmington, MAProfessional, Scientific & Technical Services10,208 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$3,135Employer $ per active participant
$7,482Employee $ saved per active participant
0.12%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$1.1BNet plan assets, end of year
$79,922Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity29.0 / 5058th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost9.2 / 2537th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving6.7 / 1545th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-13 pts2 issues reported on the filing
Total score42 / 100 · Grade D
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Professional, Scientific & Technical Services plans with 10,000+ active participants (70 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 58th |
| Lower admin cost | 37th |
| Employee saving | 45th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 39% |
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Red flags from the filing
Benefits not paid when due: the plan reported failing to pay some benefits on time.
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $3,791 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Charles River Laboratories put in about $3,135 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($2,932). 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 | $32,006,226 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $76,384,072 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $3,546,132 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $1,188,253 |
| Contract administrator fees | $2,700 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $346,175 |
| Other admin expenses | $83,500 |
| Benefits paid out | $115,869,649 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $943.5M / $1.1B |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 10,833 / 9,584 |
| Participants with account balances | 13,435 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Pricewaterhousecoopers, LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | $758,578 reported compensation |
| Strategic Advisors, Inc. | $346,175 reported compensation |
| Ubs Financial Services | $83,500 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20250821110018NAL0007263968001, received 2025-08-21, EIN 76-0509980, plan #004, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.