Hot Topic, Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Hot Topic 401(k) Plan
City of Industry, CARetail Trade5,798 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$195Employer $ per active participant
$805Employee $ saved per active participant
0.54%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$41.9MNet plan assets, end of year
–Average balance per account (account count looks misreported)
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity7.4 / 5015th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost2.8 / 2511th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving1.9 / 1513th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-13 pts2 issues reported on the filing
Total score2 / 100 · Grade F
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Retail Trade plans with 2,500–9,999 active participants (183 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 15th |
| Lower admin cost | 11th |
| Employee saving | 13th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 42% |
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 ($605 reported). That's money taken from paychecks that sat with the employer longer than the law allows.
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $535,175 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Hot Topic put in about $195 per active participant, below the typical peer ($650). 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 (0.54% of assets) are well above similar-size plans (0.12%). 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.
- 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 | $1,129,964 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $4,667,067 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $1,089,232 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $210,011 |
| Contract administrator fees | $142,714 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $53,297 |
| Benefits paid out | $5,270,314 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $35.3M / $41.9M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 5,670 / 5,926 |
| Participants with account balances | 1,160 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Holthouse Carlin & Van Trigt LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| John Hancock | $149,833 reported compensation |
| Global Retirement Partners, LLC | $34,589 reported compensation |
| Holthouse Carlin & Van Trigt LLP | $14,000 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251010183125NAL0004860227001, received 2025-10-10, EIN 77-0198182, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.