Gilead Sciences, Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Gilead Sciences 401(k) Plan
Foster City, CAManufacturing11,104 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$13,768Employer $ per active participant
$23,065Employee $ saved per active participant
0.00%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$4.3BNet plan assets, end of year
$284,329Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity46.0 / 5092th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost24.7 / 2599th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving14.9 / 1599th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-13 pts2 issues reported on the filing
Total score76 / 100 · Grade A
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Manufacturing plans with 10,000+ active participants (151 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 92th |
| Lower admin cost | 99th |
| Employee saving | 99th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 69% |
Red flags from the filing
Benefits not paid when due: the plan reported failing to pay some benefits on time.
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $138,238 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Gilead Sciences put in about $13,768 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($5,480). 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 | $152,873,951 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $256,106,791 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $52,563,701 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $139,840 |
| Contract administrator fees | $6,300 |
| Benefits paid out | $281,982,255 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $3.5B / $4.3B |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 11,304 / 10,903 |
| Participants with account balances | 15,072 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Moss Adams LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | $107,665 reported compensation |
| Moss Adams | $34,000 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20250606160409NAL0021488048001, received 2025-06-06, EIN 94-3047598, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.
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