Prudential Financial 401k (ESP) PSDS Scan 12-31-2009

The Prudential plan 5yr performance improved compared to last year and the Balanced portfolio now has 8 investment options instead of only 3 last year. Company stock PRU still does not have a positive 5yr Sharpe ratio and is still very volatile. The employee portfolio invested 8.0% of their money in company stock which reduced their 5yr return to APR = 3.01% compared to the Balanced portfolio APR = 4.94% and increased their volatlity risk. Their largest holding is a money market fund PBMXX in the scan while the core bond enhanced index fund PRU.pim in the scan is the largest holding of the Balanced portfolio.

RALCORP HOLDINGS 401k (SIP) PSDS Scan 12-31-2009

This plan was helped by company stock RAH but not as much as last year. The Balanced portfolio has 5.6% invested in the stock and the employee portfolio has 17.5% in the stock. In both portfolios the stable value fund VRST in the scan is the largest holding with the money market funds VMMXX and VMRXX a close second. While still a lifeboat portfolio The 3D scan has a few more funds with positive Sharpe ratios in the Balanced portfolio as the market slowly recovers.

USG Corp. 401k (IP) Plan PSDS Scan 12-31-2009

The USG plan was not helped by company stock which has a 5yr APR = -18.99% with high volatility. The Balanced portfolio of this small plan invested almost everything in three plan options; the GIC = 69.7%, the bond fund PTTRX = 19.6% and the short term investment options 8.3% STIF in the scan. The employee portfolio had less than 1% in company stock USG.

ConAgra 401k (RISP) Plan PSDS Scan 12-31-2009

This plan was not helped by company stock CAG which has a negative 5yr APR. The Balanced portfolio for the plan has a below average 5yr return of 3.99% with a Sharpe ratio of 0.79. The 11-k report has no data on the employee portfolio and a uniform portfolio is shown in the scan. The Alliance Bernstein target date funds do not yet have 5yr data and a Fidelity fund FFFAX was used in the scan. The plan allows only one of the 12 target date funds to be selected by each plan participant as I read the 11-k report and I selected FFFAX which has the highest return. T

TD AMERITRADE 401k (PSPT) PSDS Scan 12-31-2009

This plan was helped by company stock AMTD which is an Omaha based invesment services company. The Balanced portfolio invested 5.9% of the plan in AMTD and the largest holding is a money market fund VMRXX. The employee portfolio invested 24.7% of the plan in company stock which has a 5yr APR = 13.3% and a positive 5yr Sharpe ratio of 0.279. The plan is of special interest because they are a financial services company that has many IRA customers.

Iron Mountain 401k Plan PSDS Scan 12-31-2009

The Iron Mountain plan was not helped by company stock IRM which has been down 3 of the last 5 years. The plan Balanced portfolio however has a nice 5yr return APR = 5.31% with a Sharpe ratio of 1.44 thanks to the stable value fund and PTTRX. The employee portfolio does not have much money in company stock only 1.1% but their asset allocation produced much more volatility than the Balanced portfolio.

Questar 401k (EIP) Plan PSDS Scan 12-31-2009

Another energy company plan helped by company stock STR. The Balanced portfolio invested 5.7% of the plan in the stock and the employee portfolio had 58.5% of that portfolio in the stock. Compared to last year the plan has improved incrementally and the 3D scan shows the performance improvement. As usual I think 58.5% in company stock is way to much for a retiree but with the stock up 20.5% YTD that will not be very popular.