Seaboard Corporation 401(k) Review & Grade
Retirement Savings Plan for Production Employees of Seaboard Corporation
Merriam, KSManufacturing2,973 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$630Employer $ per active participant
$819Employee $ saved per active participant
$0 reportedDirect admin cost, % of plan assets
$33.3MNet plan assets, end of year
$10,809Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity3.5 / 507th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost12.5 / 25No direct expenses reported, scored neutral
- Employee saving0.3 / 152th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-10 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score9 / 100 · Grade F
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Manufacturing plans with 2,500–9,999 active participants (566 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 7th |
| Lower admin cost | neutral |
| Employee saving | 2th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 70% |
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 ($88,939 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
- Seaboard put in about $630 per active participant, below the typical peer ($3,452). 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.
- The plan reported no administrative expenses paid from plan assets. The employer may pay them, or the costs may be built into fund fees. Check your 404(a)(5) fee disclosure for each fund's expense ratio.
- 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 | $1,871,710 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $2,435,451 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $72,415 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $0 |
| Benefits paid out | $3,934,739 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $29.3M / $33.3M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 2,907 / 3,039 |
| Participants with account balances | 3,081 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Forvis Mazars, LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner and S | $85,982 reported compensation |
| Cbiz Investment Advisory Servics LL | $7,562 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251014135217NAL0001456019001, received 2025-10-14, EIN 04-2260388, plan #015, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.