Industry · Form 5500 business code 423700
Hardware, Plumbing, & Heating Equipment & Supplies: retirement plans
Plans whose sponsor entered this principal business activity code on Form 5500.
Form 5500 information is as filed by the plan administrator with the Department of Labor and may be amended. Figures reflect the plan year shown, not current balances. The business code is chosen by the filer from the list in the Form 5500 instructions.
248 retirement plans in hardware, plumbing, & heating equipment & supplies with 100 or more participants filed Form 5500 for plan year 2024 (242 defined contribution, 6 defined benefit). All Form 5500 pension filers in the group reported 222,352 participant records and $17.2B in net assets.
The median defined contribution plan held $74,677 per participant, well above the national median of $53,031, and its employer put in $2,255 per active participant (national: $2,174). Among plans reporting Schedule C compensation the median was $179 per participant against $123 nationally.
Employers contributed $493M and participants $788M during the year, and the plans paid out $1.73B in benefits.
In 2009 the same group numbered 257 plans with $4.60B; by 2024 it was 248 plans (down 4%) and $17.2B (up 275%). From plan year 2023 the 100-participant line counts participants with account balances, which moved many plans to the short form.
Medians compared with all US plans
| Median plan, plan year 2024 | Industry: DC | US: DC | Industry: DB | US: DB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net assets per participant | $74,677 | $53,031 | $54,060 | $86,234 |
| Employer contributions per active participant | $2,255 | $2,174 | $14,184 | $10,244 |
| Schedule C compensation per participant | $179 | $123 | $332 | $344 |
| Schedule C compensation, share of net assets | 0.25% | 0.26% | 0.48% | 0.42% |
| Administrative expenses per participant | $173 | $116 | $577 | $527 |
Medians across plans with 100 or more participants (228 DC and 6 DB plans with a Schedule H here). Fee medians cover plans reporting an amount. DC: defined contribution, such as 401(k) and 403(b). DB: defined benefit pension.
Distribution of DC plans
| Measure | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile | Plans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net assets per participant | $50,080 | $74,677 | $106,652 | 228 |
| Employer contributions per active participant | $1,332 | $2,255 | $3,838 | 217 |
| Schedule C compensation per participant | $73.95 | $179 | $287 | 196 |
| Administrative expenses per participant | $69.65 | $173 | $269 | 204 |
Trend by plan year
| Plan year | Plans 100+ | Participants | Net assets | Employer contributions | Participant contributions | Median DC assets / participant | Median DC Sch. C / participant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025partial | 38 | 21,460 | $1.50B | $60.7M | $72.2M | $76,003 | $232 |
| 2024 | 248 | 222,352 | $17.2B | $493M | $788M | $74,677 | $179 |
| 2023 | 243 | 209,310 | $15.0B | $462M | $723M | $71,675 | $170 |
| 2022 | 261 | 205,407 | $13.1B | $439M | $689M | $62,605 | $170 |
| 2021 | 255 | 191,933 | $14.8B | $381M | $613M | $76,031 | $186 |
| 2020 | 258 | 174,260 | $12.8B | $351M | $530M | $72,717 | $158 |
| 2019 | 260 | 175,556 | $11.1B | $335M | $511M | $60,127 | $134 |
| 2018 | 246 | 168,205 | $9.40B | $324M | $464M | $54,596 | $126 |
| 2017 | 246 | 156,685 | $9.26B | $261M | $411M | $60,167 | $104 |
| 2016 | 250 | 152,002 | $8.00B | $230M | $367M | $52,714 | $82.80 |
| 2015 | 242 | 142,832 | $7.16B | $224M | $331M | $48,480 | $79.94 |
| 2014 | 250 | 144,776 | $7.31B | $195M | $300M | $50,445 | $70.53 |
| 2013 | 242 | 141,655 | $6.89B | $177M | $272M | $49,396 | $51.13 |
| 2012 | 239 | 135,481 | $5.90B | $165M | $251M | $45,139 | $57.11 |
| 2011 | 238 | 134,678 | $5.14B | $177M | $230M | $40,541 | $64.66 |
| 2010 | 241 | 133,372 | $5.05B | $120M | $211M | $40,902 | $64.74 |
| 2009 | 257 | 144,976 | $4.60B | $131M | $227M | $35,312 | $48.49 |
Plan year is the year in which the plan year began. The drop in large plans from 2023 follows a rule change: the 100-participant line now counts participants with account balances, so many plans moved to the short form.
Provider share
Service provider organisations named most often on the Schedule C of the 250 plans on this page's list, by number of plans. A plan usually names several providers.
Largest plans
The 40 largest by participants of 250 plans with a page on this site.
| Plan | Sponsor | State | Type | Participants | Net assets | Per participant | Employer / active | Sch. C / participant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ferguson Enterprises, LLC, 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan | Ferguson Enterprises, LLC | VA | DC | 38,897 | $3.58B | $92,164 | $2,479 | $70.12 |
| Ace Hardware Corporation 401(k) Savings and Retirement Plan | Ace Hardware Corporation | IL | DC | 10,783 | $1.15B | $106,872 | $5,851 | $14.76 |
| Watsco, Inc. Profit Sharing Retirement Plan and Trust | Watsco, Inc. | FL | DC | 8,100 | $562M | $69,392 | $1,588 | $16.26 |
| Hajoca Corporation Employees 401(k) Plan | Hajoca Corporation | PA | DC | 7,334 | $352M | $48,035 | — | $46.70 |
| Orgill, Inc. 401(k) Plan | Orgill, Inc. | TN | DC | 6,552 | $275M | $42,015 | $1,222 | $50.25 |
| Wurth 401(k) Plan | Wurth Group of North America Inc. | NJ | DC | 5,478 | $357M | $65,119 | $1,750 | $63.99 |
| Hilti Retirement Savings Plan | Hilti, Inc. | OK | DC | 5,297 | $686M | $129,431 | $4,928 | $13.05 |
| Zurn Pension Plan | Zurn LLC | WI | DB | 5,087 | $200M | $39,288 | $194,175 | $135 |
| Reece USA 401(k) Plan | Reece Inc. | TX | DC | 4,569 | $222M | $48,639 | $2,526 | $31.22 |
| Reece USA 401(k) Plan | Reece Inc. | TX | DC | 4,367 | $182M | $41,589 | $2,377 | $23.66 |
| The Hillman Group, Inc. Retirement Savings and Profit Sharing Plan | The Hillman Group, Inc. | OH | DC | 4,358 | $191M | $43,828 | $1,232 | $59.17 |
| The F.W. Webb Company Savings & Profit Sharing Plan | F.W. Webb Company | MA | DC | 3,949 | $499M | $126,389 | $8,148 | $138 |
| Distribution Solutions Group Retirement Plan | Distribution Solutions Group, Inc. | IL | DC | 3,866 | $305M | $78,774 | $1,285 | $36.24 |
| Do IT Best Corp. Restated Employees' Savings & Profit Sharing | Do IT Best Corp. | IN | DC | 3,690 | $219M | $59,251 | $4,944 | $38.12 |
| Shopmen's Iron Workers Retirement Fund of Southern California | JT Board of Trustees, Shopmen's Iron Workers Retirement Fund | CA | DC | 3,385 | $89.3M | $26,371 | $2,774 | $97.64 |
| True Value Company, L.L.C. Savings and Compensation Deferral Plan | True Value Company | IL | DC | 2,878 | $223M | $77,528 | $0 | $61.14 |
| MRC Global Retirement Plan | MRC Global (US) Inc. | CO | DC | 2,844 | $258M | $90,628 | $2,422 | $99.63 |
| R.E. Michel Company, LLC 401(k) Profit Sharing and Savings Plan | R.E. Michel Company, LLC | MD | DC | 2,452 | $92.8M | $37,860 | $813 | $116 |
| Incora Savings and Investment Plan | Wesco Aircraft Hardware Corp. | TX | DC | 1,985 | $92.3M | $46,508 | $2,048 | $116 |
| United Refrigeration and Affiliates Retirement and 401(k) Plan | United Refrigeration Inc. | PA | DC | 1,978 | $210M | $106,194 | $1,211 | $150 |
| Ewing Irrigation Products, Inc. Profit Sharing Plan | Ewing Irrigation Products, Inc. | AZ | DC | 1,805 | $150M | $82,938 | $4,362 | $84.98 |
| Pace Supply Corp. 401(k) Plan | Pace Supply Corporation | CA | DC | 1,676 | $113M | $67,457 | $2,841 | $196 |
| Moen Incorporated Pension Plan | Moen Incorporated | OH | DB | 1,574 | $127M | $80,947 | — | $777 |
| Locke Supply Co. 401(k) Plan | Locke Supply Co. | OK | DC | 1,566 | $37.3M | $23,791 | $1,071 | $74.51 |
| Climatec Employee Savings Plan | Climatec, LLC | AZ | DC | 1,507 | $118M | $78,552 | $2,691 | $89.39 |
| Pace Supply Corporation Employee Stock Ownership Plan | Pace Supply Corporation | CA | DC | 1,506 | $249M | $165,449 | $17,548 | — |
| Venturi Supply 401(k) Plan | Venturi Supply, LLC | TX | DC | 1,480 | $46.9M | $31,712 | $1,362 | $108 |
| Locke Supply Co. Employee Stock Ownership Plan | Locke Supply Co. | OK | DC | 1,465 | $218M | $148,875 | $10,230 | — |
| Keller Supply Company Profit Sharing 401(k) Plan | Keller Supply Company | WA | DC | 1,404 | $67.6M | $48,166 | $1,042 | $434 |
| Heritage Distribution Holdings 401(k) Plan | Heritage Distribution Holdings Opco LLC | GA | DC | 1,389 | $106M | $76,003 | $2,497 | $210 |
| Employees 401(k) Plan of Coburn Supply Company, Inc. | Coburn Supply Company, Inc. | TX | DC | 1,359 | $84.9M | $62,485 | $1,304 | $129 |
| Ace Retirement Savings Plan | Ace Hardware Corporation | IL | DC | 1,322 | $51.0M | $38,553 | $1,995 | $20.64 |
| Southern Pipe & Supply Co., Inc. 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan | Southern Pipe & Supply Co., Inc. | MS | DC | 1,309 | $101M | $77,072 | $1,981 | $333 |
| Famous Enterprises, Inc. Employee Savings 401(k) Plan | Famous Enterprises, Inc. | OH | DC | 1,292 | $44.3M | $34,278 | $807 | $187 |
| Johnstone Supply, LLC. Employee Retirement Plan | Johnstone Supply, LLC. | OR | DC | 1,194 | $83.4M | $69,830 | $3,263 | $92.60 |
| Fusionsite Services LLC 401(k) Plan | Fusionsite Services LLC | TN | DC | 1,138 | $6.1M | $5,350 | $1,462 | $42.34 |
| Harrington Industrial Plastics 401(k) Plan | Harrington Industrial Plastics, LLC | CA | DC | 1,136 | $78.5M | $69,139 | $2,192 | $270 |
| MLSC Holding Co., Inc. Employees' Retirement Plan | MLSC Holding Co. Inc. | UT | DC | 1,105 | $43.2M | $39,113 | $2,756 | $290 |
| FDH 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan | Fastener Distribution Holdings, LLC | CA | DC | 1,071 | $40.2M | $37,535 | $1,370 | $98.60 |
| Cregger Co., Inc. 401(k) | Cregger Company, Inc. | SC | DC | 1,038 | $53.6M | $51,674 | $1,252 | $53.40 |
By plan size
By state
Questions and answers
How many retirement plans are there in hardware, plumbing, & heating equipment & supplies?
248 plans with 100 or more participants filed Form 5500 for plan year 2024, out of 406 pension plans on the full form. Smaller plans file Form 5500-SF and are counted separately where shown.
What is the typical 401(k) balance in hardware, plumbing, & heating equipment & supplies?
The median defined contribution plan reported $74,677 in net assets per participant (middle half of plans: $50,080 to $106,652); nationally it was $53,031. This is a plan-level average that includes former employees, not a typical person's balance.
What do employers contribute in hardware, plumbing, & heating equipment & supplies?
The median defined contribution plan received $2,255 in employer contributions per active participant, against $2,174 nationally. Plans with no employer contribution are included at zero.
What are average 401(k) fees in hardware, plumbing, & heating equipment & supplies?
Among defined contribution plans that report any Schedule C compensation, the median was $179 per participant and 0.25% of net assets (nationally $123 and 0.26%). Schedule C leaves out fund expense ratios and fees the employer pays, so it understates total cost.
Where does this come from?
Form 5500 annual reports in the EBSA research files, with filings received through 24 Aug 2026. Medians are computed by this site across plans with 100 or more participants.
Provenance
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, Form 5500 research files, public domain, with filings received through 24 Aug 2026. Totals count every pension plan on the full form; medians and the plan list cover plans with 100 or more participants. See the methodology.