Pioneer Natural Resources USA, Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Pioneer Natural Resources USA, Inc. 401(k) and Matching Plan
Irving, TXMining, Oil & Gas2,058 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$15,044Employer $ per active participant
$13,459Employee $ saved per active participant
0.07%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$848.6MNet plan assets, end of year
$255,596Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity46.9 / 5094th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost20.2 / 2581th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving13.8 / 1592th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score88 / 100 · Grade A
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Mining, Oil & Gas plans with 500–2,499 active participants (129 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 94th |
| Lower admin cost | 81th |
| Employee saving | 92th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 60% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $23,487 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Pioneer Natural Resources USA put in about $15,044 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($4,357). 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.
- 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 | $30,953,512 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $27,691,163 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $1,025,567 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $595,603 |
| Other admin expenses | $595,603 |
| Benefits paid out | $114,073,952 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $791.7M / $848.6M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 2,198 / 1,917 |
| Participants with account balances | 3,320 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Whitley Penn LLP |
| Employer stock held by plan | $23,030,864 |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| The Vanguard Group, Inc. | $266,077 reported compensation |
| Vanguard Advisers Inc. | $155,667 reported compensation |
| Creative PL Dept Lockton Retire SVC | $88,661 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251006150612NAL0001985731001, received 2025-10-06, EIN 75-2516853, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.