Waters Technologies Corporation 401(k) Review & Grade
The Waters Employee Investment Plan
Milford, MAManufacturing2,936 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$6,813Employer $ per active participant
$11,881Employee $ saved per active participant
0.05%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$1.2BNet plan assets, end of year
$296,823Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity41.3 / 5083th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost20.1 / 2580th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving13.5 / 1590th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score82 / 100 · Grade A
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Manufacturing plans with 2,500–9,999 active participants (566 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 83th |
| Lower admin cost | 80th |
| Employee saving | 90th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 70% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $22,232 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Waters Technologies put in about $6,813 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 | $20,005,412 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $34,888,524 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $3,860,855 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $546,507 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $129,946 |
| Other admin expenses | $223,621 |
| Benefits paid out | $126,686,819 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $1.1B / $1.2B |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 2,979 / 2,894 |
| Participants with account balances | 4,210 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Grant Thornton LLP |
| Employer stock held by plan | $68,446,867 |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | $416,561 reported compensation |
| Strategic Advisors, Inc. | $129,946 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251009162423NAL0016632914001, received 2025-10-09, EIN 04-3234558, plan #002, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.