“The most important item we sell is the membership card,” Costco CEO Ron Vachris told Fortune in an April interview Costco has steadily added to its membership base. "Revenue from membership fees increased 5% to $4.8 billion, and our membership base grew to nearly 137 million cardholders, with a 90% renewal rate," the chain shared in its 2024 annual report. The chain raised its membership fees in September, 2024. "In July, we announced our first membership fee increase in seven years, increasing our G ...