Equinix 401(k) Review & Grade
Equinix, Inc. 401(k) Plan
Redwood City, CAProfessional, Scientific & Technical Services4,154 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$4,987Employer $ per active participant
$16,758Employee $ saved per active participant
0.05%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$878.1MNet plan assets, end of year
$167,123Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity38.7 / 5077th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost20.2 / 2581th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving13.2 / 1588th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-13 pts2 issues reported on the filing
Total score69 / 100 · Grade B
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Professional, Scientific & Technical Services plans with 2,500–9,999 active participants (231 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 77th |
| Lower admin cost | 81th |
| Employee saving | 88th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 47% |
Get the monthly 401(k) report card
The best and worst plans, new grades as filings post. One email a month, no spam.
Red flags from the filing
Late deposits: the filing says some employee contributions were not sent to the plan on time ($288 reported). That's money taken from paychecks that sat with the employer longer than the law allows.
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $21,191 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Equinix put in about $4,987 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 auto-enrolls employees. Check your default contribution rate. Defaults are often lower than what it takes to get the full match.
- 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 | $20,719,809 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $69,620,352 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $9,205,742 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $364,269 |
| Contract administrator fees | $1,200 |
| Other admin expenses | $123,260 |
| Benefits paid out | $73,262,072 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $739.6M / $878.1M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 4,278 / 4,031 |
| Participants with account balances | 5,254 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Baker Tilly US, LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | $241,009 reported compensation |
| NWK | $75,000 reported compensation |
| Moss Adams | $34,650 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251001161140NAL0018041507001, received 2025-10-01, EIN 77-0487526, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.