Western Digital Corporation 401(k) Review & Grade
Western Digital Corporation 401(k) Plan
San Jose, CAManufacturing6,578 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$4,015Employer $ per active participant
$15,855Employee $ saved per active participant
0.01%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$2.5BNet plan assets, end of year
$246,078Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity29.7 / 5059th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost24.4 / 2598th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving14.5 / 1597th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score76 / 100 · Grade A
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Manufacturing plans with 2,500–9,999 active participants (566 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 59th |
| Lower admin cost | 98th |
| Employee saving | 97th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 70% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $10,651 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Western Digital put in about $4,015 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($3,452). 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.
- The plan auto-enrolls employees. Check your default contribution rate. Defaults are often lower than what it takes to get the full match.
- 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 | $26,408,521 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $104,296,434 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $16,668,352 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $213,646 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $59,789 |
| Benefits paid out | $267,203,299 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $2.2B / $2.5B |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 6,558 / 6,598 |
| Participants with account balances | 10,063 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Withum Brown and Smith PC |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Empower Annuity Ins Co of America | $340,002 reported compensation |
| Empower Advisory Group, LLC | $158,493 reported compensation |
| Aon Investments USA Inc | $78,703 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251013163438NAL0001604737001, received 2025-10-13, EIN 33-0956711, plan #003, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.