Watco Companies, L.L.C. 401(k) Review & Grade
Watco Companies, L.L.C. 401(k) Plan
Pittsburg, KSTransportation & Warehousing4,317 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$1,397Employer $ per active participant
$3,145Employee $ saved per active participant
0.23%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$187.8MNet plan assets, end of year
$59,802Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity22.1 / 5044th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost7.4 / 2530th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving5.5 / 1537th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-13 pts2 issues reported on the filing
Total score25 / 100 · Grade F
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Transportation & Warehousing plans with 2,500–9,999 active participants (123 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 44th |
| Lower admin cost | 30th |
| Employee saving | 37th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 46% |
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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 ($673,742 reported). That's money taken from paychecks that sat with the employer longer than the law allows.
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $166,713 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Watco Companies put in about $1,397 per active participant, below the typical peer ($1,834). 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 (0.23% of assets) are well above similar-size plans (0.12%). 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.
- 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 | $6,032,890 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $13,578,096 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $2,202,276 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $404,546 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $44,814 |
| Other admin expenses | $30,901 |
| Benefits paid out | $12,530,754 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $156.6M / $187.8M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 4,350 / 4,284 |
| Participants with account balances | 3,140 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Hogantaylor LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Bokf, NA | $404,546 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20250702135125NAL0013037201001, received 2025-07-02, EIN 48-1199475, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.