Cadence, Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Cadence, Inc. 401(k) Plan
Staunton, VAManufacturing692 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$1,960Employer $ per active participant
$5,198Employee $ saved per active participant
0.09%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$60.4MNet plan assets, end of year
$77,388Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity21.1 / 5042th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost19.0 / 2576th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving8.1 / 1554th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score55 / 100 · Grade C
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Manufacturing plans with 500–2,499 active participants (2,376 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 42th |
| Lower admin cost | 76th |
| Employee saving | 54th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 59% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $2,178 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Cadence put in about $1,960 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.
- 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 | $1,356,530 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $3,596,900 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $994,605 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $53,652 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $92,157 |
| Benefits paid out | $8,084,222 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $55.6M / $60.4M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 705 / 679 |
| Participants with account balances | 781 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Elmore, Hupp & Company, PLC |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Capfinancial Partners LLC | $92,157 reported compensation |
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | −$38,505 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251015110317NAL0008875330001, received 2025-10-15, EIN 54-1332357, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.