Le Creuset of America, Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Le Creuset of America, Inc. 401(k) Savings Plan
Early Branch, SCWholesale Trade762 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$1,299Employer $ per active participant
$3,142Employee $ saved per active participant
0.58%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$27.2MNet plan assets, end of year
$24,879Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity16.9 / 5034th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost4.7 / 2519th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving3.6 / 1524th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
Total score28 / 100 · Grade F
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Wholesale Trade plans with 500–2,499 active participants (603 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 34th |
| Lower admin cost | 19th |
| Employee saving | 24th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 53% |
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Red flags from the filing
No red flags were reported on this filing's compliance questions.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Le Creuset of America put in about $1,299 per active participant, below the typical peer ($1,792). 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 (0.58% of assets) are well above similar-size plans (0.23%). 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.
- 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 | $989,293 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $2,392,301 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $325,887 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $144,371 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $144,371 |
| Benefits paid out | $2,002,145 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $22.9M / $27.2M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 746 / 777 |
| Participants with account balances | 1,092 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Bauknight Pietras & Stormer, P.A. |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Empower Annuity Insurance Company | $66,266 reported compensation |
| Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith | $37,771 reported compensation |
| First Party Administrator, LLC | $31,210 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251014143223NAL0001549683001, received 2025-10-14, EIN 57-0649852, plan #002, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.