Niagara Bottling, LLC 401(k) Review & Grade
Niagara Water Retirement Plan
Diamond Bar, CAManufacturing7,324 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$1,078Employer $ per active participant
$5,249Employee $ saved per active participant
0.10%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$272.3MNet plan assets, end of year
$49,331Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity6.0 / 5012th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost14.4 / 2558th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving6.0 / 1540th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-13 pts2 issues reported on the filing
Total score16 / 100 · Grade F
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Manufacturing plans with 2,500–9,999 active participants (566 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 12th |
| Lower admin cost | 58th |
| Employee saving | 40th |
| 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 ($6,064 reported). That's money taken from paychecks that sat with the employer longer than the law allows.
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $39,728 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Niagara Bottling put in about $1,078 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.
- 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 | $7,894,937 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $38,445,190 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $7,824,342 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $238,414 |
| Contract administrator fees | $300 |
| Benefits paid out | $23,998,157 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $208.0M / $272.3M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 6,701 / 7,947 |
| Participants with account balances | 5,519 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Wright Ford Young & Co. |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | $238,414 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251006161639NAL0009869026001, received 2025-10-06, EIN 33-0843510, plan #003, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.