Intuitive Surgical, Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Intuitive Surgical, Inc. 401(k) Plan
Sunnyvale, CAManufacturing8,416 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$1,830Employer $ per active participant
$11,422Employee $ saved per active participant
0.07%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$1.0BNet plan assets, end of year
$121,542Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity12.5 / 5025th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost16.9 / 2568th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving13.3 / 1589th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score43 / 100 · Grade D
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Manufacturing plans with 2,500–9,999 active participants (566 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 25th |
| Lower admin cost | 68th |
| Employee saving | 89th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 70% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $25,051 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Intuitive Surgical put in about $1,830 per active participant, below the typical peer ($3,452). 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 | $15,398,577 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $96,137,380 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $24,341,022 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $671,180 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $268,826 |
| Other admin expenses | $2,550 |
| Benefits paid out | $53,107,689 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $823.2M / $1.0B |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 8,097 / 8,736 |
| Participants with account balances | 8,568 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Moss Adams, LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Empower Annuity Ins Co of America | $399,804 reported compensation |
| Empower Advisory Group, LLC | $268,826 reported compensation |
| Aluman Inc | $6,004 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20250702120650NAL0007298851001, received 2025-07-02, EIN 77-0416458, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.