Mueller Industries 401(k) Plan

Mueller Industries, Inc. 401(k) Plan is a defined contribution retirement plan serving 2,360 active participants and 462 additional retired or separated participants entitled to future benefits at year-end 2024. Total plan assets reached $179.8 million as of December 31, 2024. The plan is administered by Mueller Industries, Inc. with Principal Life Insurance Company and Principal Trust Company serving as trustee and recordkeeper.

Participants: 2,655 Plan assets: $180,012,339 Plan number: 015 Form 5500 plan year: 2024 Last verified: Jun 16, 2026 View Form 5500
Match
100% + 50% Match
Vesting
Participants are immediately vested in their elective deferral contributions and all safe harbor company contributions, plus earnings thereon.
Investment Options
29 funds
Auto-Enrollment
Automatic enrollment at 3% default deferral rate into target maturity fund based on date of birth on the first day of the month following 60 consecutive days of full-time employment.
Plan Size
$180,012,339

By Zac Murphy, CFA charterholder and CFP professional. Published June 16, 2026. Verified against Form 5500 plan year 2024.

Get a personalized look at your Mueller Industries 401(k) options

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Fund lineup

Fund Asset Class Type
Vanguard Growth Index Fund US Large Cap Index
Neuberger & Berman Genesis Trust Fund US Large Cap Active
Fidelity® 500 Index Fund US Large Cap Index
Vanguard Target Retirement 2025 Fund Target-date Index
Janus Henderson Enterprise Fund US Mid Cap Active
Vanguard Target Retirement 2035 Fund Target-date Index
Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund US Large Cap Active
Vanguard Target Retirement 2045 Fund Target-date Index
Vanguard Target Retirement 2030 Fund Target-date Index
Vanguard Target Retirement 2050 Fund Target-date Index
Vanguard Target Retirement 2040 Fund Target-date Index
Vanguard Target Retirement Fund Target-date Other
Vanguard Target Retirement 2020 Fund Target-date Index
PIMCO Total Return Advisor Fund US Bonds Active
Vanguard Target Retirement 2060 Fund Target-date Index
Fidelity US Bond Index Fund US Bonds Index
Columbia Total Return Bond Fund US Bonds Active
Vanguard Target Retirement 2055 Fund Target-date Index
American Funds EuroPacific Growth Fund International Equity Active
American Century Equity Income Fund US Large Cap Active
Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund Real Estate Index
Vanguard Developed Markets Index Admiral Fund International Developed Index
Fidelity Mid Cap Index Fund US Mid Cap Index
Fidelity Small Cap Index Fund US Small Cap Index
Vanguard Target Retirement 2065 Fund Target-date Index
Artisan Mid Cap Value Fund US Mid Cap Active
Vanguard Target Retirement 2070 Fund Target-date Index
Principal Fixed Income Guaranteed Option Stable Value Other
Principal Capital Appreciation Separate Account US Large Cap Active

Why our allocations use only index funds

The actively managed funds in this plan cost more per year than the plan's index funds, which run roughly 0.02% to 0.06%. Decades of research on long-term active fund performance do not support reliable outperformance net of fees, which is why the allocation ideas below may consider using only the low-cost index options.

Employer match

Match summary
100% match on the first 3% of eligible compensation, plus 50% match on the next 2% of eligible compensation
Match cap 100% of pay
Effective match rate 5%
Vesting Participants are immediately vested in their elective deferral contributions and all safe harbor company contributions, plus earnings thereon.
Waiting period Eligible employees are enrolled automatically on the first day of the month following 60 consecutive days of full-time e
$
Contribute this much to capture the full match
100% of your eligible pay, every paycheck.

100% match on the first 3% of eligible compensation, plus 50% match on the next 2% of eligible compensation Contributing less than 100% of your eligible pay leaves part of Mueller Industries's match unclaimed.

What the match is worth at your pay After 1 year of service, contributing 100%
Annual pay Your contribution Employer match Total to 401(k)

Estimates assume a constant salary and the match formula shown above. Your actual match depends on your plan's exact terms.

The cost of contributing only --%

On a $60,000 salary, contributing just half the match threshold would leave about -- in employer match unclaimed each year. Invested over 20 years at a hypothetical 7% annual return, that forgone match could have grown to roughly -- (a hypothetical illustration, not a projection). The match is the highest-return contribution you will make all year.

Sources

  • Plan metadata (employer, participants, assets, plan year): Form 5500 annual return/report, plan year 2024 -- view filing
  • Summary Plan Description (SPD) and fee disclosure (404a-5), where available from the plan administrator.

This page is for educational purposes only and does not constitute investment, tax, or legal advice, nor a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Information is drawn from public Form 5500 filings and plan documents and may be incomplete or out of date. You may consider consulting a qualified professional and confirming all details with your plan administrator before making decisions. Waterfall Planning is not affiliated with Mueller Industries.

Find your risk profile

Answer 13 questions to see which allocation fits your situation.

Question 1 of 13

Risk assessment methodology based on Grable, J. E., & Lytton, R. H. (1999). Financial risk tolerance revisited: The development of a risk assessment instrument. Financial Services Review, 8, 163-181.

Allocation ideas

Five sample mixes built from this plan's funds, from conservative to growth. Take the assessment above to see which one fits your risk profile.

Recommended for you (based on your risk profile)
Conservative
Conservative

Capital preservation with minimal market exposure, built from bonds and stable value.

US equity   International   Bonds   Stable value
Fidelity US Bond Index Fund 70%
Principal Fixed Income Guaranteed Option 30%
0% stocks / 100% bonds
Recommended for you (based on your risk profile)
Income & A Little Growth
Income & A Little Growth

Mostly bonds with a small stock sleeve for modest growth.

US equity   International   Bonds   Stable value
Fidelity US Bond Index Fund 49%
Principal Fixed Income Guaranteed Option 21%
Vanguard Growth Index Fund 19%
Vanguard Developed Markets Index Admiral Fund 8%
Fidelity Mid Cap Index Fund 3%
30% stocks / 70% bonds
Recommended for you (based on your risk profile)
Balanced
Balanced

A classic 60/40 split of stocks and bonds.

US equity   International   Bonds   Stable value
Vanguard Growth Index Fund 39%
Fidelity US Bond Index Fund 28%
Vanguard Developed Markets Index Admiral Fund 15%
Principal Fixed Income Guaranteed Option 12%
Fidelity Mid Cap Index Fund 6%
60% stocks / 40% bonds
Recommended for you (based on your risk profile)
Growth & Income
Growth & Income

Stock-heavy with a bond cushion for a long horizon.

US equity   International   Bonds   Stable value
Vanguard Growth Index Fund 52%
Vanguard Developed Markets Index Admiral Fund 20%
Fidelity US Bond Index Fund 14%
Fidelity Mid Cap Index Fund 8%
Principal Fixed Income Guaranteed Option 6%
80% stocks / 20% bonds
Recommended for you (based on your risk profile)
Growth
Growth

All stocks for maximum long-term growth potential, with higher short-term volatility.

US equity   International   Bonds   Stable value
Vanguard Growth Index Fund 65%
Vanguard Developed Markets Index Admiral Fund 25%
Fidelity Mid Cap Index Fund 10%
100% stocks / 0% bonds
Stay on track

Get a plain-English breakdown of your plan

Occasional, no-jargon guidance on getting the most from your workplace retirement plan.

  • What your match is really worth
  • How to keep costs low with index funds
  • Plan updates when your filing changes

We send only what's useful. No advisor pitches, no data sales.

These allocation ideas are educational illustrations built from this plan's available funds and a standard risk-tolerance assessment. They are not personalized investment advice or a recommendation, and risk tolerance is only one factor in an investment decision. You may consider consulting a qualified professional before making changes to your account.