Industry · Form 5500 business code 444130
Hardware Stores: 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.
46 retirement plans in hardware stores with 100 or more participants filed Form 5500 for plan year 2024 (46 defined contribution, 0 defined benefit). All Form 5500 pension filers in the group reported 51,466 participant records and $2.03B in net assets.
The median defined contribution plan held $36,864 per participant, well below the national median of $53,031, and its employer put in $1,106 per active participant (national: $2,174). Among plans reporting Schedule C compensation the median was $123 per participant against $123 nationally.
Employers contributed $51.2M and participants $119M during the year, and the plans paid out $176M in benefits.
In 2009 the same group numbered 58 plans with $494M; by 2024 it was 46 plans (down 21%) and $2.03B (up 311%). 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 | $36,864 | $53,031 | — | $86,234 |
| Employer contributions per active participant | $1,106 | $2,174 | — | $10,244 |
| Schedule C compensation per participant | $123 | $123 | — | $344 |
| Schedule C compensation, share of net assets | 0.36% | 0.26% | — | 0.42% |
| Administrative expenses per participant | $117 | $116 | — | $527 |
Medians across plans with 100 or more participants (41 DC and 0 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 | $26,549 | $36,864 | $50,367 | 41 |
| Employer contributions per active participant | $765 | $1,106 | $2,411 | 41 |
| Schedule C compensation per participant | $49.05 | $123 | $201 | 37 |
| Administrative expenses per participant | $48.21 | $117 | $203 | 40 |
Trend by plan year
| Plan year | Plans 100+ | Participants | Net assets | Employer contributions | Participant contributions | Median DC assets / participant | Median DC Sch. C / participant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 46 | 51,466 | $2.03B | $51.2M | $119M | $36,864 | $123 |
| 2023 | 47 | 50,891 | $1.80B | $51.6M | $114M | $37,053 | $109 |
| 2022 | 53 | 49,225 | $1.48B | $46.7M | $100M | $29,957 | $97.69 |
| 2021 | 52 | 44,088 | $1.66B | $44.0M | $91.1M | $37,292 | $107 |
| 2020 | 52 | 42,736 | $1.42B | $39.0M | $76.8M | $32,465 | $91.32 |
| 2019 | 50 | 43,311 | $1.19B | $32.9M | $70.6M | $27,610 | $79.77 |
| 2018 | 50 | 42,994 | $965M | $30.9M | $64.0M | $22,447 | $71.18 |
| 2017 | 51 | 44,365 | $1.05B | $30.3M | $56.3M | $24,902 | $67.18 |
| 2016 | 54 | 44,826 | $935M | $27.5M | $49.4M | $22,876 | $61.23 |
| 2015 | 51 | 43,300 | $848M | $33.1M | $46.4M | $23,489 | $56.96 |
| 2014 | 57 | 42,032 | $885M | $28.7M | $43.3M | $23,436 | $63.58 |
| 2013 | 58 | 40,805 | $855M | $27.8M | $39.4M | $24,714 | $41.11 |
| 2012 | 54 | 39,415 | $716M | $25.8M | $36.6M | $20,964 | $56.24 |
| 2011 | 55 | 35,130 | $662M | $22.5M | $33.0M | $18,704 | $50.81 |
| 2010 | 52 | 29,029 | $575M | $18.8M | $28.8M | $19,533 | $64.22 |
| 2009 | 58 | 33,104 | $494M | $19.1M | $28.1M | $15,303 | $52.96 |
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 47 plans on this page's list, by number of plans. A plan usually names several providers.
Largest plans
The 40 largest by participants of 47 plans with a page on this site.
| Plan | Sponsor | State | Type | Participants | Net assets | Per participant | Employer / active | Sch. C / participant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fastenal Company & Subsidiaries 401(k) and Employee Stock Ownership Plan | Fastenal Company & Subsidiaries | MN | DC | 21,772 | $1.23B | $56,442 | $1,211 | $40.93 |
| Blain Supply and Farm & Fleet Profit Sharing 401(k) Plan | Blain Supply, Inc. | WI | DC | 4,202 | $210M | $49,865 | $1,701 | $78.45 |
| Leafhome 401(k) Plan | Leaffilter North, LLC | OH | DC | 3,488 | $44.7M | $12,815 | $467 | $138 |
| Northern Tool & Equipment Company, Inc. 401(k) Plan | Northern Tool & Equipment Company, Inc. | MN | DC | 3,357 | $104M | $30,988 | $922 | $49.05 |
| W. E. Aubuchon Co., Inc. 401(k) Retirement Plan | W. E. Aubuchon Co., Inc. | MA | DC | 2,994 | $64.4M | $21,523 | $867 | $36.09 |
| Running Supply, Inc. 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan | Running Supply, Inc. | MN | DC | 2,131 | $37.1M | $17,403 | $500 | $71.31 |
| Colony Hardware Corp. 401(k) Plan | Colony Hardware Corp. | CT | DC | 1,583 | $73.0M | $46,118 | $2,439 | $82.85 |
| Intermountain Farmers Association Salary Investment Plan and Trust | Intermountain Farmers Association | UT | DC | 975 | $47.6M | $48,862 | $2,402 | $114 |
| Rockler Companies, Inc. 401(k) and Profit Sharing Plan | Rockler Companies, Inc. | MN | DC | 795 | $31.9M | $40,186 | $793 | $74.54 |
| Sunshine Ace Hardware, Inc. 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan and Trust | Sunshine Ace Hardware, Inc. | FL | DC | 565 | $19.1M | $33,789 | $1,161 | $212 |
| Friedman's Home Improvement 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan | Friedman's Home Improvement | CA | DC | 495 | $26.8M | $54,172 | $1,821 | $201 |
| Rocky's Hardware, Inc. 401(k) Plan | Rocky's Hardware, Inc. | MA | DC | 484 | $14.3M | $29,615 | $616 | $6.98 |
| Paul B. Zimmerman, Inc. 401(k) Plan | Paul B. Zimmerman, Inc. | PA | DC | 461 | $21.7M | $47,084 | $2,060 | $123 |
| Ace Hardware of Chattanooga 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan | Ace Hardware of Chattanooga, Inc. | TN | DC | 440 | $12.8M | $29,022 | $765 | $154 |
| Noble 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan and Trust | Noble Supply & Logistics, LLC | MA | DC | 440 | $29.9M | $67,982 | $4,298 | $71.15 |
| The 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan of Tacoma Screw Products, Inc. | Tacoma Screw Products, Inc. | WA | DC | 422 | $18.8M | $44,466 | $897 | $132 |
| Western Building Center 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan | Western Building Center | MT | DC | 404 | $11.5M | $28,427 | $2,330 | $119 |
| Direct Distributors, Inc. 401(k) Plan | Direct Distributors, Inc. | NC | DC | 339 | $13.5M | $39,858 | $1,000 | $278 |
| Twin City Hardware Company 401(k) Savings Plan and Trust | Twin City Hardware Company | MN | DC | 323 | $33.4M | $103,512 | $5,056 | $36.00 |
| Omaha Track, Inc. 401(k) Plan | Omaha Track, Inc. | NE | DC | 318 | $17.7M | $55,505 | $2,411 | $255 |
| Venture Inc. of Beaufort 401(k) Plan | Venture Inc. of Beaufort | SC | DC | 317 | $15.1M | $47,648 | $2,957 | $207 |
| R L Morgan Company Profit Sharing Plan | R L Morgan Company | MI | DC | 317 | $3.7M | $11,672 | $151 | $113 |
| Family Center of Harrisonville 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan | Family Center of Harrisonville | MO | DC | 274 | $5.6M | $20,268 | $898 | $194 |
| The Cool Hardware Company Savings Plan | The Cool Hardware Company, Inc. | DC | DC | 245 | $7.7M | $31,541 | — | $134 |
| Russo Hardware Inc. 401(k) Plan | Russo Hardware Inc. | IL | DC | 231 | $15.5M | $66,917 | $2,269 | $243 |
| M & D Supply, Inc. 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan and Trust | M & D Supply, Inc. | TX | DC | 230 | $5.1M | $22,025 | $489 | $29.03 |
| The Cool Hardware Company, Inc. Employee Stock Ownership Plan and Trust | The Cool Hardware Company, Inc. | DC | DC | 230 | $5.3M | $22,964 | $1,063 | — |
| Von Tobel Corporation Employee Stock Ownership Plan | Von Tobel Corporation | IN | DC | 227 | $24.3M | $106,972 | $16,032 | — |
| Lumber One Profit Sharing Plan | Lumber One Home Center of Stuttgart, Inc. | AR | DC | 216 | $5.7M | $26,549 | $1,255 | $37.55 |
| Employees' Profit Sharing Plan of Ace Hardware Home Center | Ace Hardware Home Center of Round Lake, Inc. | IL | DC | 206 | $7.9M | $38,356 | $659 | $154 |
| Von Tobel Lumber Retirement Savings Plan | Von Tobel Corporation | IN | DC | 203 | $11.9M | $58,390 | $566 | $5.79 |
| HH Holdings, Inc. 401(k) Plan | HH Holdings, Inc. | HI | DC | 194 | $5.6M | $29,012 | $114 | $125 |
| Cole's Hardware, Inc. Retirement Savings Plan | Cole's Hardware, Inc. | PA | DC | 193 | — | — | — | — |
| Todd Arthurs DBA Alpine Home Air Products 401(k) Plan | Todd Arthurs DBA Alpine Home Air Products | KY | DC | 177 | $3.6M | $20,572 | $1,168 | $31.55 |
| Stone's, Inc. 401(k) Plan | Stones, Inc. | GA | DC | 177 | $4.4M | $24,931 | $823 | — |
| CRS Hardware Corporation Employee Stock Ownership Plan | CRS Hardware Corporation | FL | DC | 174 | −$56K | — | $9,768 | — |
| Three Valley Investments 401(k) Plan | Three Valley Investments DBA Alamo Hardware | CA | DC | 169 | $812K | $4,802 | — | $1.72 |
| Ashby Lumber Company 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan | Ashby Lumber Company | CA | DC | 169 | $17.0M | $100,403 | $5,557 | $458 |
| CRS Hardware Corporation D.B.A. Montana Ace Hardware Savings & Profit Sharing Plan | CRS Hardware Corporation | MT | DC | 168 | $5.1M | $30,244 | $0 | $282 |
| Hight Enterprises, Ltd. 401(k) Savings Plan | Hight Enterprises, Ltd. | CO | DC | 166 | — | — | — | — |
By plan size
By state
Questions and answers
How many retirement plans are there in hardware stores?
46 plans with 100 or more participants filed Form 5500 for plan year 2024, out of 183 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 stores?
The median defined contribution plan reported $36,864 in net assets per participant (middle half of plans: $26,549 to $50,367); 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 stores?
The median defined contribution plan received $1,106 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 stores?
Among defined contribution plans that report any Schedule C compensation, the median was $123 per participant and 0.36% 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.