Clarins USA, Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Clarins USA, Inc. 401(k) Plan
Orangeburg, NYWholesale Trade814 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$1,628Employer $ per active participant
$2,601Employee $ saved per active participant
0.19%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$46.5MNet plan assets, end of year
$92,733Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity22.4 / 5045th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost14.1 / 2557th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving2.6 / 1517th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
Total score42 / 100 · Grade D
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Wholesale Trade plans with 500–2,499 active participants (603 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 45th |
| Lower admin cost | 57th |
| Employee saving | 17th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 53% |
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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
- Clarins USA put in about $1,628 per active participant, below the typical peer ($1,792). 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.
- 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 | $1,325,387 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $2,116,921 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $107,004 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $83,584 |
| Benefits paid out | $5,911,606 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $43.6M / $46.5M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 777 / 851 |
| Participants with account balances | 501 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | PKF O'connor Davies, LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner and S | $83,584 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20250729152645NAL0001439235001, received 2025-07-29, EIN 13-3054298, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.