Booking Holdings Inc 401(k) Review & Grade
The Booking Holdings Inc, 401(k) Plan
Norwalk, CTRetail Trade3,132 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$4,315Employer $ per active participant
$12,052Employee $ saved per active participant
0.10%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$519.2MNet plan assets, end of year
$104,717Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity48.4 / 5097th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost14.3 / 2557th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving14.9 / 1599th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features7 / 10Auto-enrollment
- Red-flag deductions-13 pts2 issues reported on the filing
Total score72 / 100 · Grade B
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Retail Trade plans with 2,500–9,999 active participants (183 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 97th |
| Lower admin cost | 57th |
| Employee saving | 99th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 42% |
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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 ($2,822 reported). That's money taken from paychecks that sat with the employer longer than the law allows.
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $517 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Booking Holdings put in about $4,315 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($650). 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.
- 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 | $13,516,235 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $37,752,266 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $6,122,068 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $484,177 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $185,198 |
| Other admin expenses | $300 |
| Benefits paid out | $44,259,394 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $439.1M / $519.2M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 3,146 / 3,119 |
| Participants with account balances | 4,958 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Deloitte & Touche LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Empower Annuity Ins Co of America | $298,679 reported compensation |
| Empower Advisory Group, LLC | $117,698 reported compensation |
| Cook Street Consulting Inc | $67,500 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251008150935NAL0003100595001, received 2025-10-08, EIN 06-1528493, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.