Ulta Salon Cosmetics & Fragrance, Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Ulta Salon Cosmetics & Fragrance 401(k) Retirement Plan
Bolingbrook, ILRetail Trade65,045 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$401Employer $ per active participant
$875Employee $ saved per active participant
0.17%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$542.0MNet plan assets, end of year
–Average balance per account (account count looks misreported)
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity12.2 / 5024th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost5.6 / 2522th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving3.2 / 1521th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-10 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score14 / 100 · Grade F
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Retail Trade plans with 10,000+ active participants (124 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 24th |
| Lower admin cost | 22th |
| Employee saving | 21th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 32% |
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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
- Ulta Salon Cosmetics & Fragrance put in about $401 per active participant, below the typical peer ($689). 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.
- Direct plan expenses (0.17% of assets) are well above similar-size plans (0.09%). Check your annual fee disclosure, choose low-cost index funds if you can, and think about whether savings beyond the match belong in an IRA.
- 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 | $26,051,130 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $56,916,993 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $9,185,389 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $847,773 |
| Contract administrator fees | $1,200 |
| Benefits paid out | $49,329,166 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $435.0M / $542.0M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 62,972 / 67,118 |
| Participants with account balances | 13,602 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Forvis Mazars, LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | $847,773 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251015142646NAL0004830161001, received 2025-10-15, EIN 36-3685240, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.