Palo Alto Networks, Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Palo Alto Networks, Inc. 401(k) Plan
Santa Clara, CAProfessional, Scientific & Technical Services8,484 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$986Employer $ per active participant
$19,297Employee $ saved per active participant
0.01%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$1.3BNet plan assets, end of year
$132,460Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity10.4 / 5021th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost24.2 / 2597th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving14.3 / 1596th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score49 / 100 · Grade C
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Professional, Scientific & Technical Services plans with 2,500–9,999 active participants (231 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 21th |
| Lower admin cost | 97th |
| Employee saving | 96th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 47% |
Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $130,843 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Palo Alto Networks put in about $986 per active participant, below the typical peer ($2,951). 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 | $8,363,481 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $163,714,647 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $52,572,652 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $137,182 |
| Contract administrator fees | $1,200 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $228,895 |
| Benefits paid out | $90,241,892 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $977.9M / $1.3B |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 8,164 / 8,804 |
| Participants with account balances | 9,879 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Weaver & Tidwell, L.L.P. |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Strategic Advisors, Inc. | $202,093 reported compensation |
| Sageview Advisory Group LLC | $26,802 reported compensation |
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | −$82,588 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251009140457NAL0003977571001, received 2025-10-09, EIN 20-2530195, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.
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