The Branch Group Inc 401(k) Review & Grade
The Branch Group Inc and Affiliates Employee Stock Ownership Plan
Roanoke, VAConstruction1,248 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$10,148Employer $ per active participant
$2,886Employee $ saved per active participant
0.12%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$121.7MNet plan assets, end of year
$74,109Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity48.8 / 5098th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost17.6 / 2571th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving5.2 / 1535th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
Total score75 / 100 · Grade A
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Construction plans with 500–2,499 active participants (498 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 98th |
| Lower admin cost | 71th |
| Employee saving | 35th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 44% |
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
No red flags were reported on this filing's compliance questions.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Branch Group put in about $10,148 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($1,672). 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.
- 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 | $12,669,714 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $3,603,288 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $1,520,350 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $127,291 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $127,291 |
| Benefits paid out | $12,477,663 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $99.5M / $121.7M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 1,179 / 1,318 |
| Participants with account balances | 1,642 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Forvis Mazars, LLP |
| Employer stock held by plan | $88,941,789 |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Principal Life Insurance Company | $127,291 reported compensation |
| Ti Trust Services | $0 reported compensation |
| Wilshire Associates Incorporated | $0 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20250731100557NAL0006882864001, received 2025-07-31, EIN 54-6047677, plan #003, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.