The Western Sugar Cooperative 401(k) Review & Grade
The Western Sugar Cooperative Hourly Savings and Investment Plan
Denver, COManufacturing604 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$2,835Employer $ per active participant
$2,025Employee $ saved per active participant
0.24%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$33.4MNet plan assets, end of year
$51,275Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity30.2 / 5060th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost12.0 / 2548th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving1.8 / 1512th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
Total score47 / 100 · Grade C
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Manufacturing plans with 500–2,499 active participants (2,376 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 60th |
| Lower admin cost | 48th |
| Employee saving | 12th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 59% |
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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
- Western Sugar Cooperative put in about $2,835 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($2,320). 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 | $1,712,628 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $1,223,390 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $70,272 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $78,642 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $57,035 |
| Benefits paid out | $4,830,244 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $31.1M / $33.4M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 798 / 410 |
| Participants with account balances | 652 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Brock and Company,cpas P.C. |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Ameriprise Financial Services | $48,140 reported compensation |
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | $21,608 reported compensation |
| Strategic Advisors, Inc. | $8,895 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20250909080517NAL0033417840001, received 2025-09-09, EIN 87-0658226, plan #002, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.