With over $200 billion in trailing-12-month sales, Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ: COST) is one of the largest retailers in the world. More than just a huge retailer, it has also provided its investors with huge returns.

If you had bought just $10,000 when Costco went public in 1985, you'd have nearly $8 million today -- and over $12 million had you reinvested dividends along the way. I wish I could go back almost 40 years and pick up some Costco shares, and I'm sure you do too.

But investors can't fixate on the past. They have to live in the present with an eye toward the future. And in that regard, here are three things investors need to know if they buy Costco stock today.

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Source Fool.com