Central Garden & Pet Company 401(k) Review & Grade
Central Garden & Pet Company Investment Growth
Walnut Creek, CARetail Trade4,037 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$2,035Employer $ per active participant
$4,305Employee $ saved per active participant
0.07%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$434.6MNet plan assets, end of year
$72,716Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity44.8 / 5090th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost17.6 / 2570th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving12.4 / 1582th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features0 / 10No auto-enrollment or default investment reported
- Red-flag deductions-13 pts2 issues reported on the filing
Total score62 / 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 | 90th |
| Lower admin cost | 70th |
| Employee saving | 82th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 42% |
Get the monthly 401(k) report card
The best and worst plans, new grades as filings post. One email a month, no spam.
Red flags from the filing
Late deposits: the filing says some employee contributions were not sent to the plan on time ($531 reported). That's money taken from paychecks that sat with the employer longer than the law allows.
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $359,847 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Central Garden & Pet put in about $2,035 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 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 | $8,213,791 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $17,381,193 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $1,908,750 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $274,325 |
| Contract administrator fees | $34,595 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $77,908 |
| Other admin expenses | $161,822 |
| Benefits paid out | $45,453,523 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $408.0M / $434.6M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 4,014 / 4,060 |
| Participants with account balances | 5,977 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Moss Adams |
| Employer stock held by plan | $46,518,028 |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Voya Retirement Insurance & Annuity | $125,050 reported compensation |
| Voya Retirement Advisors, LLC | $77,466 reported compensation |
| Moss Adams | $63,000 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251014110712NAL0005612034001, received 2025-10-14, EIN 68-0275553, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.