Circana, LLC 401(k) Review & Grade
Circana 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan
Chicago, ILProfessional, Scientific & Technical Services3,026 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$3,553Employer $ per active participant
$13,292Employee $ saved per active participant
0.04%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$891.6MNet plan assets, end of year
$211,432Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity30.2 / 5060th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost21.5 / 2586th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving11.5 / 1577th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-13 pts2 issues reported on the filing
Total score53 / 100 · Grade C
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Professional, Scientific & Technical Services plans with 2,500–9,999 active participants (231 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 60th |
| Lower admin cost | 86th |
| Employee saving | 77th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 47% |
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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 ($45,235 reported). That's money taken from paychecks that sat with the employer longer than the law allows.
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $69,092 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Circana put in about $3,553 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($2,951). 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 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 | $10,751,336 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $40,221,930 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $5,635,369 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $261,601 |
| Contract administrator fees | $300 |
| Other admin expenses | $168,586 |
| Benefits paid out | $59,869,402 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $519.4M / $891.6M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 2,392 / 3,660 |
| Participants with account balances | 4,217 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Grant Thornton LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | $93,015 reported compensation |
| Fiducient | $76,250 reported compensation |
| Grant Thornton LLP | $57,060 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251015163940NAL0005444321001, received 2025-10-15, EIN 36-2947987, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.