Compass Minerals International, Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Compass Minerals International, Inc. 401(k) Savings Plan
Overland Park, KSMining, Oil & Gas1,003 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$5,627Employer $ per active participant
$8,353Employee $ saved per active participant
0.12%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$168.9MNet plan assets, end of year
$124,843Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity30.5 / 5061th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost17.6 / 2570th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving9.4 / 1562th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-10 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score58 / 100 · Grade C
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Mining, Oil & Gas plans with 500–2,499 active participants (129 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 61th |
| Lower admin cost | 70th |
| Employee saving | 62th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 60% |
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Red flags from the filing
Benefits not paid when due: the plan reported failing to pay some benefits on time.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Compass Minerals International put in about $5,627 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($4,357). 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 | $5,644,210 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $8,377,832 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $592,711 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $187,391 |
| Contract administrator fees | $900 |
| Other admin expenses | $60,000 |
| Benefits paid out | $19,968,735 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $152.5M / $168.9M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 1,023 / 983 |
| Participants with account balances | 1,353 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | KPMG, LLP |
| Employer stock held by plan | $1,004,200 |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | $127,390 reported compensation |
| Creative Planning Holdco, LLC | $60,000 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20250707112730NAL0003717537001, received 2025-07-07, EIN 36-3972986, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.