The Shaw Group, LLC 401(k) Review & Grade
The Shaw Group 401(k) Plan
Houston, TXManufacturing690 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$2,164Employer $ per active participant
$4,256Employee $ saved per active participant
0.64%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$20.2MNet plan assets, end of year
$56,546Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity23.4 / 5047th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost3.9 / 2516th 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 score23 / 100 · Grade F
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Manufacturing plans with 500–2,499 active participants (2,376 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 47th |
| Lower admin cost | 16th |
| Employee saving | 40th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 59% |
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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 ($48,908 reported). That's money taken from paychecks that sat with the employer longer than the law allows.
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $18,686 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Shaw Group put in about $2,164 per active participant, below the typical peer ($2,320). 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 (0.64% 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.
- 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 | $1,494,029 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $2,939,005 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $424,081 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $117,036 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $59,996 |
| Benefits paid out | $3,618,386 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $16.6M / $20.2M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 796 / 585 |
| Participants with account balances | 357 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Weaver and Tidwell, LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | $57,040 reported compensation |
| Thirtynorth Investments LLC | $43,822 reported compensation |
| Strategic Advisors, Inc. | $16,174 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251014211839NAL0007408978001, received 2025-10-14, EIN 85-0914759, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.