The Hearst Corporation 401(k) Review & Grade
Hearst Television, Inc. Union 401(k) Plan
Charlotte, NCInformation630 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$1,177Employer $ per active participant
$4,083Employee $ saved per active participant
$0 reportedDirect admin cost, % of plan assets
$58.6MNet plan assets, end of year
$83,869Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity10.7 / 5021th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost12.5 / 25No direct expenses reported, scored neutral
- Employee saving2.2 / 1515th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features0 / 10No auto-enrollment or default investment reported
Total score25 / 100 · Grade F
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Information plans with 500–2,499 active participants (310 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 21th |
| Lower admin cost | neutral |
| Employee saving | 15th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 59% |
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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
- Hearst put in about $1,177 per active participant, below the typical peer ($2,829). 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.
- The plan reported no administrative expenses paid from plan assets. The employer may pay them, or the costs may be built into fund fees. Check your 404(a)(5) fee disclosure for each fund's expense ratio.
- 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 | $742,060 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $2,574,090 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $449,445 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $0 |
| Benefits paid out | $2,681,878 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $50.2M / $58.6M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 617 / 644 |
| Participants with account balances | 699 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Crowe LLP |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251013172700NAL0000869779001, received 2025-10-13, EIN 74-2717523, plan #021, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.