No. ACS is a publisher for a large number of journals. As a nonprofit, their financials are fully available online. Member dues are a tiny slice of their revenues.
It appears to be more than one company, for starters. They frankly seem more like an investment or holding company in some ways: The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the American Chemical Society and its related entities, which consist of ACS International, Ltd., a wholly owned international marketing services subsidiary, and Hampden Data Services, Ltd., a wholly owned chemical information software company. The consolidated financial statements also include the accounts of the American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund, an endowment fund established to advance scientific education and research in the petroleum field, and the American Chemical Society Insurance Trust, a grantor trust established to enable members of the Society to purchase insurance coverage through group insurance policies. All significant interorganizational transactions have been eliminated. The accounts of the Society’s chapters, referred to as local sections and divisions, are not included in the Society’s consolidated financial statements because the Society does not have a financial controlling interest in its chapters.
Given it is a professional association, can its members pressure it to get out of the publishing business?
Its expenses are huge too, which seems odd; where is 384 million dollars going?