James Hardie Building Products, Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
James Hardie Building Products, Inc. Retirement Plan
Chicago, ILManufacturing3,740 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$4,860Employer $ per active participant
$7,408Employee $ saved per active participant
0.04%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$458.8MNet plan assets, end of year
$100,308Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity34.3 / 5069th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost21.6 / 2586th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving9.5 / 1563th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-10 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score65 / 100 · Grade B
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Manufacturing plans with 2,500–9,999 active participants (566 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 69th |
| Lower admin cost | 86th |
| Employee saving | 63th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 70% |
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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
- James Hardie Building Products put in about $4,860 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($3,452). 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 | $18,175,004 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $27,706,375 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $6,906,447 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $156,266 |
| Contract administrator fees | $1,800 |
| Benefits paid out | $36,420,857 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $386.4M / $458.8M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 3,533 / 3,947 |
| Participants with account balances | 4,574 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Baker Tilly US, LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | $156,266 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20260316130345NAL0001075907001, received 2026-03-16, EIN 88-0351165, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.