Conestoga Wood Specialties Corp. 401(k) Review & Grade
Conestoga Wood Employees' 401(k) Plan
East Earl, PAManufacturing966 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$1,382Employer $ per active participant
$3,890Employee $ saved per active participant
0.18%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$98.0MNet plan assets, end of year
$83,405Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity13.7 / 5027th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost14.3 / 2557th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving5.2 / 1535th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-10 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score33 / 100 · Grade D
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Manufacturing plans with 500–2,499 active participants (2,376 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 27th |
| Lower admin cost | 57th |
| Employee saving | 35th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 59% |
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Red flags from the filing
Benefits not paid when due: the plan reported failing to pay some benefits on time.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Conestoga Wood Specialties put in about $1,382 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 | $1,334,578 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $3,758,079 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $745,269 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $170,663 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $74,873 |
| Benefits paid out | $7,392,860 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $88.4M / $98.0M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 925 / 1,007 |
| Participants with account balances | 1,175 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Mckonly & Asbury, LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | $95,790 reported compensation |
| Sterling Investment Advisors LTD | $62,474 reported compensation |
| Strategic Advisors, Inc. | $12,399 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20250916091338NAL0001088403001, received 2025-09-16, EIN 23-2861388, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.