Ariens Company 401(k) Review & Grade
Ariens Company Retirement Savings Plan
Brillion, WIManufacturing1,096 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$617Employer $ per active participant
$6,033Employee $ saved per active participant
0.04%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$141.1MNet plan assets, end of year
$85,283Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity4.5 / 509th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost22.6 / 2590th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving9.6 / 1564th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-10 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score37 / 100 · Grade D
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Manufacturing plans with 500–2,499 active participants (2,376 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 9th |
| Lower admin cost | 90th |
| Employee saving | 64th |
| 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.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Ariens put in about $617 per active participant, below the typical peer ($2,320). 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.
- 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 | $676,069 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $6,609,555 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $956,030 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $54,810 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $34,255 |
| Other admin expenses | $85,000 |
| Benefits paid out | $20,518,106 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $136.1M / $141.1M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 1,136 / 1,055 |
| Participants with account balances | 1,655 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Wipfli |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Associated Trust Company | $85,000 reported compensation |
| Strategic Advisors, Inc. | $34,255 reported compensation |
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | −$64,445 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20260202120313NAL0001503408001, received 2026-02-02, EIN 39-0135100, plan #001, plan year 2024-07-01 to 2025-06-30. Verify at efast.dol.gov.