Compass Group USA, Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Compass Group Retirement Plan
Charlotte, NCAccommodation & Food Services268,456 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$226Employer $ per active participant
$933Employee $ saved per active participant
0.22%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$2.5BNet plan assets, end of year
–Average balance per account (account count looks misreported)
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity15.0 / 5030th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost3.7 / 2515th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving7.1 / 1548th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-13 pts2 issues reported on the filing
Total score16 / 100 · Grade F
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Accommodation & Food Services plans with 10,000+ active participants (41 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 30th |
| Lower admin cost | 15th |
| Employee saving | 48th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 24% |
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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 $55,002 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Compass Group USA put in about $226 per active participant, below the typical peer ($393). 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 (0.22% of assets) are well above similar-size plans (0.09%). 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.
- 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 | $60,546,813 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $250,420,862 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $42,435,377 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $4,968,037 |
| Contract administrator fees | $8,100 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $306,065 |
| Other admin expenses | $405,733 |
| Benefits paid out | $227,892,483 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $2.1B / $2.5B |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 244,875 / 292,038 |
| Participants with account balances | 86,625 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Forvis Mazars LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | $4,171,184 reported compensation |
| Aon | $102,250 reported compensation |
| Strategic Advisors, Inc. | $78,579 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251008095017NAL0005364081001, received 2025-10-08, EIN 56-1874931, plan #007, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.