Lee Enterprises 401(k) and pension plans

Lee Enterprises, Inc., Davenport, IA. EIN 42-0823980. Annual reports 2009–2024. Also filed as The Buffalo News, Inc.; The Buffalo News.

Lee Enterprises, Inc. has 2 active retirement plans on file. The largest is the Lee Enterprises, Inc. Employees Retirement Account Plan, with 5,939 participants and $442 million in assets in 2024. Empower has been its recordkeeper since 2014.

Active plans: 2
Participants: 7,808
Plan assets: $623 million
401(k) recordkeeper: Empower
Plans on file: 4
Industry: Information and media

All 4 plans

Active plans first

Lee Enterprises, Inc. Employees Retirement Account Plan

401(k)Active

Active. The plan filed its annual report for the 2024 plan year.

Plan number: 018Employer EIN 42-0823980
Participants (2024): 5,939
Net assets (2024): $442 million
Recordkeeper: EmpowerEarlier: J.P. Morgan (2009–2013)
Plan administrator: Lee Enterprises, Inc.
4600 E 53RD ST.
Davenport, IA 52807
(563) 383-2182As filed for 2024
In effect since: January 1, 2014

Plans merged into this one: The Buffalo News Office 401K Plan (2022).

Year by year, 2009 to 2024

Plan year	Participants	Net assets	Recordkeeper
2024	5,939	$442 million	Empower
2023	6,381	$447 million	Empower
2022	6,886	$448 million	Empower
2021	7,571	$533 million	Empower
2020	5,240	$523 million	Empower
2019	5,006	$377 million	Empower
2018	5,295	$353 million	Empower
2017	5,771	$410 million	Empower
2016	6,784	$395 million	Empower
2015	8,601	$400 million	Empower
2014	8,585	$434 million	Empower
2013	8,486	$432 million	J.P. Morgan
2012	8,908	$402 million	J.P. Morgan
2011	9,649	$388 million	J.P. Morgan
2010	10,005	$423 million	J.P. Morgan
2009	14,534	$400 million	J.P. Morgan

Lee Enterprises, Incorporated Pension Plan

Pension (defined benefit)Active

Active. The plan filed its annual report for the 2023 plan year.

Plan number: 003Employer EIN 42-0823980
Participants (2023): 1,869
Net assets (2023): $182 million
Plan administrator: Lee Enterprises, Inc.
4600 E 53RD Street
Davenport, IA 52807
(563) 383-2182As filed for 2023
In effect since: December 29, 1954

Plans merged into this one: Lee Enterprises, Inc. Consolidated Retirement Plan (2021); The Buffalo News Inc Mechanical Pension Plan (2020); The Joseph Pulitzer Pension Plan (2021); Pension Plan for Employees of Sioux City Newspapers, Inc. (2022); The Buffalo News Drivers and Distributors Pension (2021).

Earlier sponsor: The Buffalo News, Inc. (2009–2020).

Earlier plan names: The Buffalo News, Inc. Office Pension Plan.

Year by year, 2009 to 2023

Plan year	Participants	Net assets	Recordkeeper
2023	1,869	$182 million	not listed
2022	1,948	$193 million	not listed
2021	2,502	$211 million	not listed
2020	477	$99.5 million	not listed
2019	476	$63.4 million	not listed
2018	492	$59.4 million	not listed
2017	494	$52.8 million	not listed
2016	481	$69.5 million	not listed
2015	467	$62.7 million	not listed
2014	470	$59.4 million	not listed
2013	456	$65.2 million	not listed
2012	462	$63.0 million	not listed
2011	457	$51.8 million	not listed
2010	524	$49.8 million	not listed
2009	522	$50.3 million	not listed

Pension Plan for Employees of Sioux City Newspapers, Inc.

Pension (defined benefit)Merged

Merged. In 2022 its assets moved to the Lee Enterprises, Incorporated Pension Plan, sponsored by Lee Enterprises, Inc. (EIN 42-0823980, plan 003). Accounts moved with them, so that plan is the one to contact.

Plan number: 004Employer EIN 42-0823980
Participants (2021): 94
Net assets (2021): $2.5 million
Plan administrator: Lee Enterprises, Inc.
4600 E. 53RD Street
Davenport, IA 52807
(563) 383-2100As filed for 2022
In effect since: January 1, 1961

Year by year, 2009 to 2022

Plan year	Participants	Net assets	Recordkeeper
2022	0	$0	not listed
2021	94	$2.5 million	not listed
2020	95	$2.4 million	not listed
2019	92	$2.1 million	not listed
2018	97	$1.9 million	not listed
2017	99	$2.1 million	not listed
2016	99	$1.8 million	not listed
2015	99	$1.8 million	not listed
2014	97	$1.9 million	not listed
2013	94	$1.8 million	not listed
2012	96	$1.5 million	not listed
2011	115	$1.5 million	not listed
2010	116	$1.6 million	not listed
2009	113	$1.5 million	not listed

Lee Enterprises, Inc. Consolidated Retirement Plan

Cash balance pension, frozenMerged

Merged. In 2021 its assets moved to the The Buffalo News, Inc. Office Pension Plan, sponsored by Lee Enterprises, Inc. (EIN 27-1529305, plan 003). Accounts moved with them, so that plan is the one to contact.

Plan number: 022Employer EIN 42-0823980
Participants (2020): 1,347
Net assets (2020): $75.2 million
Last listed administrator: John Hancock2017
Plan administrator: Administrative Committee
4600 E. 53RD Street
Davenport, IA 52807
(563) 383-2100As filed for 2021
In effect since: December 31, 2008

Year by year, 2009 to 2021

Plan year	Participants	Net assets	Recordkeeper
2021	0	$0	not listed
2020	1,347	$75.2 million	not listed
2019	1,375	$70.8 million	not listed
2018	1,407	$61.8 million	not listed
2017	1,444	$70.0 million	John Hancock
2016	1,499	$65.4 million	not listed
2015	1,881	$67.2 million	not listed
2014	2,000	$69.8 million	not listed
2013	2,053	$68.5 million	not listed
2012	2,104	$61.1 million	not listed
2011	2,158	$54.2 million	not listed
2010	2,216	$54.7 million	not listed
2009	2,296	$51.4 million	not listed

If you had money in one of these plans

Call Empower (empower.com), which runs the Lee Enterprises, Inc. Employees Retirement Account Plan. With your Social Security number and the plan name, it can tell you whether you still have a balance and, if not, where it went.
Or call the plan administrator listed on the plan below ((563) 383-2182). That number was filed for 2024; ask for the benefits or retirement plan office.
If your plan was merged, your account moved with it. Follow the link on the plan to the plan it went into, and contact that one.
Still stuck? The Department of Labor's benefits advisers help for free: askebsa.dol.gov or 1-866-444-3272. Never pay anyone to find your own money.

What these numbers are

They come from the Form 5500 annual reports each plan files with the Department of Labor, as the plan filed them. A plan year is usually a calendar year.
Participants counts everyone in the plan at year end: current employees, former employees who still have a balance or a pension coming, and retirees or beneficiaries being paid.
The recordkeeper is the service provider whose Schedule C entry says it keeps the plan's records. Small plans do not file Schedule C, so some plans show none.
We cannot see anyone's account. Only the plan or its recordkeeper can tell you your balance.

Sources: U.S. Department of Labor, Form 5500 datasets and PBGC trusteed plans. How we read them.