Powell Industries, Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Powell Industries, Inc. Employees Incentive Savings Plan
Houston, TXManufacturing2,049 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$2,177Employer $ per active participant
$6,106Employee $ saved per active participant
0.03%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$252.3MNet plan assets, end of year
$96,176Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity23.6 / 5047th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost23.5 / 2594th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving9.7 / 1565th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-10 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score57 / 100 · Grade C
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Manufacturing plans with 500–2,499 active participants (2,376 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 47th |
| Lower admin cost | 94th |
| Employee saving | 65th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 59% |
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Red flags from the filing
Late deposits: the filing says some employee contributions were not sent to the plan on time ($106,608 reported). That's money taken from paychecks that sat with the employer longer than the law allows.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Powell Industries put in about $2,177 per active participant, below the typical peer ($2,320). 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.
- 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 | $4,459,905 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $12,511,597 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $890,362 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $61,828 |
| Contract administrator fees | $900 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $50,000 |
| Benefits paid out | $30,547,138 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $227.9M / $252.3M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 1,934 / 2,164 |
| Participants with account balances | 2,623 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Weinstein Spira & Company |
| Employer stock held by plan | $15,562,367 |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC | $50,000 reported compensation |
| Weinstein Spira & Company PC | $21,000 reported compensation |
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | −$9,207 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20250722081716NAL0001130883001, received 2025-07-22, EIN 88-0106100, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.