Costco CFO says membership fee hike is ‘question of when, not if’
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Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) is planning to raise membership fees in coming months despite a darkening macroeconomic backdrop, according to CFO Richard Galanti.
During a Q&A session with analysts on Thursday, Galanti noted that while the company is focused on providing a superior value proposition, this does not preclude the company from raising its membership fees. 
âWe have no problem thinking about doing it and doing it ultimately,â he said in relation to a question on the prospects for a membership hike. âSo it's a question of when, not if. But we feel that we're in a very strong competitive position right now. And if we have to wait a few months or several months, that's fine. And I'll be purposely coy on when that might be.â
Historically, the company raises prices by up to $10 at 5 to 6 year intervals. The retailer last raised its Gold Star membership fee $5 to $60 and its executive membership fee $10 to $120 in June 2017. As such, with history as a guide, the next membership hike is most likely to come in the first half of 2023. 
Read more on why analysts remain bullish on Costco.