Darling Ingredients Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Darling Ingredients Inc. Hourly and Bargaining 401(k) Savings Plan
Irving, TXManufacturing3,820 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$535Employer $ per active participant
$2,139Employee $ saved per active participant
0.28%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$126.1MNet plan assets, end of year
$32,505Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity2.8 / 506th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost6.2 / 2525th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving1.3 / 159th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-10 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score10 / 100 · Grade F
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Manufacturing plans with 2,500–9,999 active participants (566 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 6th |
| Lower admin cost | 25th |
| Employee saving | 9th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 70% |
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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 ($1,613,700 reported). That's money taken from paychecks that sat with the employer longer than the law allows.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Darling Ingredients put in about $535 per active participant, below the typical peer ($3,452). 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.
- Direct plan expenses (0.28% of assets) are well above similar-size plans (0.12%). Check your annual fee disclosure, choose low-cost index funds if you can, and think about whether savings beyond the match belong in an IRA.
- 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 | $2,044,646 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $8,169,379 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $475,211 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $349,867 |
| Contract administrator fees | $259,544 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $90,323 |
| Benefits paid out | $17,370,563 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $121.2M / $126.1M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 3,779 / 3,861 |
| Participants with account balances | 3,880 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | The CJ CPA Group, PLLC |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Principal Life Insurance Company | $259,544 reported compensation |
| Cfo4life | $85,418 reported compensation |
| Raymond James & Associates Inc | $5,000 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251015192005NAL0010921970001, received 2025-10-15, EIN 36-2495346, plan #004, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.