West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. 401(k) Plan
Exton, PAManufacturing4,500 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$5,172Employer $ per active participant
$5,851Employee $ saved per active participant
0.03%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$520.8MNet plan assets, end of year
$98,735Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity35.6 / 5071th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost21.9 / 2588th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving7.1 / 1547th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score72 / 100 · Grade B
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Manufacturing plans with 2,500–9,999 active participants (566 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 71th |
| Lower admin cost | 88th |
| Employee saving | 47th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 70% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $3,421 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- West Pharmaceutical Services put in about $5,172 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 | $23,275,031 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $26,328,009 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $4,579,177 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $173,037 |
| Contract administrator fees | $1,200 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $21,915 |
| Benefits paid out | $58,860,538 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $470.9M / $520.8M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 4,527 / 4,473 |
| Participants with account balances | 5,275 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Fischer Cunnane & Associates, LTD |
| Employer stock held by plan | $51,335,334 |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | $148,978 reported compensation |
| Strategic Advisors, Inc. | $21,915 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251014124544NAL0001364547001, received 2025-10-14, EIN 23-1210010, plan #008, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.