Nordson Corporation 401(k) Review & Grade
Nordson Employees' Savings Trust Plan
Westlake, OHManufacturing3,212 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$3,704Employer $ per active participant
$8,329Employee $ saved per active participant
0.04%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$732.9MNet plan assets, end of year
$166,496Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity27.1 / 5054th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost20.6 / 2583th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving10.6 / 1570th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
Total score68 / 100 · Grade B
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Manufacturing plans with 2,500–9,999 active participants (566 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 54th |
| Lower admin cost | 83th |
| Employee saving | 70th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 70% |
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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
- Nordson put in about $3,704 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($3,452). 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.
- 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 | $11,897,246 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $26,753,912 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $2,846,392 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $316,486 |
| Contract administrator fees | $2,700 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $72,675 |
| Other admin expenses | $82,264 |
| Benefits paid out | $156,558,661 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $761.4M / $732.9M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 3,291 / 3,133 |
| Participants with account balances | 4,402 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Meaden & Moore, LTD. |
| Employer stock held by plan | $102,308,860 |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| John Hancock Trust Company, LLC | $135,015 reported compensation |
| Nordson Corporation | $82,264 reported compensation |
| Mercer Investments | $72,675 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251013114154NAL0000547395003, received 2025-10-13, EIN 34-0590250, plan #002, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.