Giant Eagle, Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Giant Eagle, Inc. and Affiliates 401(k) Plan for Union Represented Employees
Cranberry TWP, PARetail Trade6,086 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$964Employer $ per active participant
$1,378Employee $ saved per active participant
0.04%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$212.5MNet plan assets, end of year
$60,065Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity31.3 / 5063th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost21.4 / 2586th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving5.4 / 1536th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score58 / 100 · Grade C
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Retail Trade plans with 2,500–9,999 active participants (183 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 63th |
| Lower admin cost | 86th |
| Employee saving | 36th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 42% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $2,873 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Giant Eagle put in about $964 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($650). 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.
- 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 | $5,869,278 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $8,383,493 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $491,335 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $75,945 |
| Contract administrator fees | $75,945 |
| Benefits paid out | $20,001,650 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $191.2M / $212.5M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 6,089 / 6,083 |
| Participants with account balances | 3,538 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Sisterson & Co., LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Principal Life Insurance Company | $75,945 reported compensation |
| Morningstar Investment Management L | $0 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251015151211NAL0005254929001, received 2025-10-15, EIN 25-0698270, plan #017, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.