Ariel Corporation 401(k) Review & Grade
Ariel Corporation Employee Retirement Plan
Mount Vernon, OHManufacturing1,588 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$11,304Employer $ per active participant
$6,989Employee $ saved per active participant
0.05%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$390.7MNet plan assets, end of year
$229,303Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity49.0 / 5098th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost21.9 / 2587th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving11.0 / 1573th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-13 pts2 issues reported on the filing
Total score79 / 100 · Grade A
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Manufacturing plans with 500–2,499 active participants (2,376 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 98th |
| Lower admin cost | 87th |
| Employee saving | 73th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 59% |
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Red flags from the filing
Benefits not paid when due: the plan reported failing to pay some benefits on time.
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $19,458 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Ariel put in about $11,304 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.
- 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 | $17,945,577 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $11,094,275 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $380,177 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $185,166 |
| Other admin expenses | $35,000 |
| Benefits paid out | $34,864,811 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $354.4M / $390.7M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 1,482 / 1,693 |
| Participants with account balances | 1,704 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Rea & Associates, Inc. |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | $90,166 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20250916152317NAL0002101777001, received 2025-09-16, EIN 31-0721681, plan #002, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.