Ecolab Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Ecolab Savings Plan and Esop
ST. Paul, MNManufacturing19,698 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$4,651Employer $ per active participant
$8,044Employee $ saved per active participant
0.03%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$4.2BNet plan assets, end of year
$199,986Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity20.0 / 5040th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost21.3 / 2585th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving6.8 / 1545th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-13 pts2 issues reported on the filing
Total score38 / 100 · Grade D
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Manufacturing plans with 10,000+ active participants (151 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 40th |
| Lower admin cost | 85th |
| Employee saving | 45th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 69% |
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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 $23,373 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Ecolab put in about $4,651 per active participant, below the typical peer ($5,480). 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.
- 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.
- 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 | $91,621,823 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $158,441,824 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $18,138,482 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $1,112,240 |
| Contract administrator fees | $13,800 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $781,572 |
| Benefits paid out | $450,693,116 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $3.8B / $4.2B |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 19,691 / 19,704 |
| Participants with account balances | 20,901 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Olsen Thielen & Co., LTD |
| Employer stock held by plan | $595,958,006 |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Strategic Advisors, Inc. | $781,572 reported compensation |
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | $330,668 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251014150106NAL0001547955001, received 2025-10-14, EIN 41-0231510, plan #003, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.