Wal-Mart’s (NYSE:WMT) quest to establish a retail outlet in one of the five borough of New York City has been described in quixotic-like terms since its quest for a location in Brooklyn hit a wall last September. Still, the big-box retailer is forging ahead with plans to find a new location, according to prominent New York brokers, who told The Commercial Observer that the company is currently negotiating for a spot in the five boroughs.

The retailer’s most recent bid failed in East New York after a coalition of labor unions, community defenders, and politicians, including Christine Quinn, launched an assault on the proposed new store. Furthermore, Wal-Mart’s widely condemned employment practices and its perennial disagreements with labor unions had painted a negative picture of how one of its stores would change the neighborhood. The site that the company had its eye on — known as Gateway II — will now house a unionized ShopRite.

Since talks between the owner of the property — Related Companies — and Wal-Mart regarding a location in southeast Brooklyn fell apart last fall, the company appeared to retreat from its plans for New York. But that may not be the case; several brokers told the industry publication that Wal-Mart is shopping for property on the Queens-Brooklyn border. Faith Hope Consolo, chairman of Douglas Elliman’s retail leasing and sales division, said that “an industrial building over there with vacant lots next to it” could be a possibility. Another industry source familiar with Wal-Mart’s real estate aspirations said the company was in active negotiations for a “very substantial,” approximately 300,000-square-foot site in the outer boroughs.

“They just want to be here,” Consolo said, adding that Wal-Mart might try to work its way into New York City with smaller format stores. “They’ve done that with their express stores and locations near college towns.” In 2010, the Associate Press reported that Wal-Mart was attempting to enter urban markets like New York, San Francisco, and Chicago, with stores as small as 20,000-square feet. A typical big-box store covers 150,000 square feet.

Of prospective store locations, Consolo noted that Wal-Mart will always have community problems, “which is so old hat” for the company. “There are a lot of stupid people here. New Yorkers should have access to products at good prices,” she added. Walmart’s senior director of communications, Steven Restivo made a similar assessment, writing in an email to The Commercial Observer that there was “nothing new regarding Walmart in NYC.” He added, “Two things haven’t changed: New Yorkers want us here, and residents continue to go out of their way to shop at our stores outside of the city.” New Yorkers, he said, spent more than $215 million at Wal-Mart’s locations in the area.

Restivo gave no specifics regarding Wal-Mart’s future plans, but Consolo said the company is negotiating with developers, including Related Companies and Vornado Realty Trust (NYSE:VNO). “They’re going back to the old well to try and sow new seeds,” she said. “They have their eyes on New York and aren’t blinking.”

Follow Meghan on Twitter @MFoley_WSCS

Don’t Miss: Are Americans Faulting Obama for the IRS Controversy?

Though the grounding on January 16 was a considerable and expensive setback, United Airlines CEO Jeff Smisek remains optimistic: “Every new airplane has issues … We’ve worked with Boeing to fix them. We’re very confident.” He and Boeing CEO Jim McNerney were among the passengers on the flight Monday, which is reported to have flown without any incidents. Upon the plane’s safe landing, United Airlines (NYSE:UAL) said it expected to have its fleet of 787 Dreamliners back in service this week, allowing United to operate additional flights between Houston and other domestic hub cities.

The Dreamliner 787 made history yesterday as it was the first commercial flight in the U.S. with more than 250 passengers on board. What else is attractive about the aviation supermodel? Not only is it expected to burn 20 percent less fuel and offer more cabin comfort, but Reuters explains that it is “the first aircraft to use an extensive electrical system to replace hydraulics and to use a carbon fiber composite structure.” Though it’s not purposed for short flights, it is more fuel efficient for long rides, and noticeably smoother.

As long as passengers are not too fearful of flying on the plane, the Dreamliner promises to transform the flying experience, as it advertises in its promotional video at the beginning of every United flight. Smisek plans to ramp up production and deliver 60 787 planes this year, if not more.

Don’t Miss: What Is McDonald’s Doing to Its Menu?

Additionally, plaintiffs want information about the internal investigation into allegations that bribes were used to speed building permits and gain other favors. The investigation was to be conducted by Bentonville, Ark.-based Wal-Mart.

The New York Times reported last year that instead of expanding an investigation that was started in 2005 after Wal-Mart executives at the company’s largest foreign subsidiary, Wal-Mart de Mexico, were accused of “[orchestrating] a campaign of bribery to win market dominance … [paying] bribes to obtain permits in virtually every corner of the country” — Wal-Mart’s leaders shut it down. Senior Wal-Mart officials halted the investigation in 2006, despite having found evidence that supported the allegations.

Wal-Mart continues to be under the investigation of the U.S. government, but on Monday, the U.S. judge contends that the company’s lawyers are not cooperating, as they continue to take fastidious approaches to what documents they choose to hand over, leading to allegations that they are are breaching their fiduciary duties by allowing and covering up the alleged payments.

Investing Insights: Is Tiffany a Dangerous Investment Here?

GM will spend $44.5 million at a Lansing, Michigan, factory, creating 200 new jobs in the process. The iconic automaker says that it will construct a 400,000-square-foot building adjacent to the Lansing Grand River factory at which parts will be assembled and put in the proper order for manufacturing. Presently, the factory employs over 1,500 hourly and salaried workers who build the Cadillac ATS and CTS luxury sports sedans.

Are these stocks a buy or sell? Let us help you decide.

eBay (NASDAQ:EBAY): Closing price $54.95

On Tuesday, PayPal reported a new partnership with RadioShack Corporation (NYSE:RSH) that will bring PayPal into all of the electronics retailer’s stores beginning in May. PayPal has been testing a method through which customers of the smoothy store Jamba Juice may order ahead, using PayPal’s smartphone application and then pick up their drinks at a separate line. PayPal has been testing this procedure at seven Jamba stores in the San Francisco Bay area, but will launch it at more Jamba stores throughout the country. President David Marcus told reporters the his company expects to announce similar line-skipping arrangements with other firms in the near-term.

Are these stocks a buy or sell? Let us help you decide.

Alaska Air Group (NYSE:ALK): Closing price $58.54

Chief Operating Officer Ben Minicucci of Alaska Airlines has said that few Alaska Airlines flights have been affected by volcanic activity from Mount Cleveland, lying west of Dutch Harbor, and Mount Pavlof, near Cold Bay, and that no Alaska Airlines operated flights have been canceled at this time. On Monday, PenAir, which operates an average of three flights per day for Alaska Airlines between Anchorage and Dutch Harbor, canceled six flights, and two flights Tuesday following a number of low-level eruptions of Mount Pavlof. Minicucci commented further, “While the impact these volcanoes have had on Alaska Airlines has been minimal, we will continue to closely monitor Mount Cleveland and Mount Pavlof for any changes that could affect service to Bethel, Adak or Dutch Harbor.”

Are these stocks a buy or sell? Let us help you decide.

Canadian Pacific Railway Limited (NYSE:CP): Closing price $136.42

The Railway has said that five tankers containing oil derailed on Tuesday morning near Jansen, Saskatchewan, and that one of the cars is leaking crude, marking the third spill for Canadian Pacific in two months. Spokesman Ed Greenberg said the cars containing Western Canadian crude were on an eastbound mixed-freight train, adding that the company does not yet know he quantity spilled from the leaking tanker, but he said that the oil has been contained at the site of the derailment.

Are these stocks a buy or sell? Let us help you decide. Check out our Stock Picker Newsletter now.

Investing Insights: Is Tiffany a Dangerous Investment Here?

Despite a report Thursday that detailed a greater-than-expected fiscal first-quarter-loss, major players on Wall Street are remaining optimistic about the company’s ability to turn it around. Following the departure of former Chief Executive Ron Johnson and the return of CEO Mike Ullman, firms are expressing more confidence in the retailer, as reflected by its 2.4 percent in shares Monday to 18.45, remaining the most actively traded major retail stock.

Ullman’s recent strategy change is largely to blame for this rise in confidence. While Johnson failed to conduct tests before removing sales, coupons, and popular merchandise last year, Ullman encourages consumer feedback. He explained to the investment community last week that his two recent advertising campaigns were launched only after conducting thorough consumer tests. The return to this traditional sales and promotional strategy is believed to increase sales and return the company to a cash flow positive position in 2014 for the first time since 2010.

Maxim Group Analyst Rick Snyder explains, “CEO Mike Ullman has recently returned to couponing, promoting, and returning popular private brands to the stores. We believe the abandonment of these strategies and brands was a major reason for the steep decline in 2012. Our recent channel checks indicate that store traffic has increased since its company has returned to these strategies,” reported StreetInsider.com.

J.C. Penney recently arranged a loan of $1.75 billion through Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS), and although analysts see the company’s higher accounts payable as a reason for concern, Snyder maintained his belief that suppliers would be supportive and ”willing to be paid late rather than to force the issue with J.C. Penney.”

Investing Insights: Is Tiffany a Dangerous Investment Here?

Herbalife’s former accounting firm, KPMG, resigned in the wake of a scandal involving a former KPMG partner, Scott London, who admitted to giving secret information about Herbalife and Skechers (NYSE:SKX), two clients of the firm, to a friend in return for gifts. London was fired in April. His friend, Bryan Shaw, plead guilty to federal insider-trading charges. Shaw was able to make $1 million in profitable stock trades with the information from London.

Herbalife was already under scrutiny at the time after hedge fund manager William A. Ackman claimed that the company was a pyramid scheme. The Los Angeles based company sells nutritional products and supplements through a network of distributors. The company has denied Ackman’s accusations, saying it is a retail company that sells unique supplements, diet products, and cosmetics. Herbalife made a statement saying that KPMG resigned solely because of London’s crime, not because of, “Herbalife’s financial statements, its accounting practices [or] the integrity of Herbalife’s management.”

PricewaterhouseCoopers will immediately re-audit financial statements from 2010 through 2012, statements that KPMG withdrew following the scandal. Despite Ackman’s allegations, analysts say Herbalife stock is looking good. It is hoped that the re-auditing process will squash rumors that the company is a pyramid scheme. Hedge fund manager Carl Icahn took a rival position to Ackman, and since Herbalife stock is on the rise, it looks like Icahn’s prediction that Ackman would become victim of “the mother of all short squeezes” is coming true. Icahn has amassed stake in the company and two seats on the board following Ackman’s comments.

A spokeswoman for the firm said that PricewaterhouseCoopers is “well-positioned to perform an objective and quality audit for a company of Herbalife’s global reach and scale.”

Don’t Miss: Will Consumers Be Hurt By Obamacare?

The big expectation is that the fast-food giant is considering the possibility of condensing its ever-growing 145-item menu. The company has expressed an interest in the revival of better food quality and service, according to a franchisee email obtained by Bloomberg Businessweek, with concerns that McDonald’s new labor-intensive items are taking away from the food’s quality and not honoring the promise of “fast” in “fast food.”

Richard Adams, a San Diego-based restaurant franchisee consultant and former McDonald’s store owner, explains: “It’s gotten to the point where the operation has kind of broken down, and that’s all a symptom of the complication of the menu … They can’t make the food fast enough.”

A streamlining of the menu is not the only kind of rumor circulating about the company. While on one hand there is talk of evaluating the number of offerings, there is also buzz that the company will continue to innovate and add new items in an attempt to keep up with its competitors. The article cites the company’s annual report, which says that it plans to “enhance our Dollar Menu and introduce new products to highlight McDonald’s value at every price point, across all menu categories” in 2013.

Only time will tell what McDonald’s new game plan is. Will customers keep coming back if the company attempts to remove some of the redundancy from its menu, or will they revolt if the Double Cheeseburger is removed, just because they need those twice slices of American cheese with their two beef patties?

Don’t Miss: J. C. Penney: Inspections Required to be a Supplier from Bangladesh.

Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) is requesting that airlines reverse their recent decisions to hike flight change fees. On Sunday, Shumer said that higher fees recently implemented by Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, United Airlines, and U.S. Airways cause difficulties for families on budgets to travel, reported the Associated Press. Recently, those four carriers raised fees on ticket changes from $150 to $200.

Are these stocks a buy or sell? Let us help you decide. Check out our Stock Picker Newsletter now.

DISH Network Corporation (NASDAQ:DISH): Closing price $38.70

Chairman Charlie Ergen of Dish Network Corp. has made a $2-billion offer for spectrum from the bankrupt wireless-broadband firm LightSquared, which is owned by Philip Falcone’s hedge fund firm, say inside sources. The Federal Communications Commission has not yet okayed its use, but Ergen has offered to buy the spectrum anyway, according to the sources. LightSquared filed for bankruptcy in 2012 following regulators blocking approval to build its network on fears that it would interfere with global-positioning system signals.

Are these stocks a buy or sell? Let us help you decide. Check out our Stock Picker Newsletter now.

Kellogg Co. (NYSE:K): Closing price $64.88

Special K first debuted back in 1955 as a no-frills breakfast alternative to flakes, but is now popular with dieters who view its lighter chips and pastries as a method  to suppress cravings and lose weight. This coming summer, Kellogg is going a step farther with a “hot cereal” to be named Special K Nourish, made with quinoa and other grains. This new line, promises to fill people up with 8 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber, and is part Special K’s drive to move in step with evolving trends.

Are these stocks a buy or sell? Let us help you decide. Check out our Stock Picker Newsletter now.

Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F): Closing price $15.05

Research buy Ford indicates that automobiles having four-cylinder engines already account for over half of domestic new-vehicle sales, and that figure could grow to two-thirds by the end of this decade. The movement towards the smaller engines results from strict federal fuel-efficiency standards, known as Corporate Average Fuel Economy, or CAFE, which means that an increasing portion of cars, SUVs and trucks will enter the four-cylinder market by 2020. A number of analysts say that Ford’s estimates seem high, but Ford has before been atypical when referring to power trains.

Are these stocks a buy or sell? Let us help you decide. Check out our Stock Picker Newsletter now.

Don’t Miss: Boeing’s Grounded Dreamliner Can Finally Take Flight.

General Electric Co.’s (NYSE:GE) financial unit, GE Capital, will pay $6.5 billion in dividends back to the parent company in 2013 in a move to decrease GE’s reliance on its financial arm.

GE Chief Executive Officer and Chairman Jeff Immelt is looking to reduce the size of the company while focusing more on industrial business, which tends to be more highly valued by investors. Immelt wants to use the cash to return $18 billion to shareholders this year through a $10 billion stock buyback and special dividends. “This announcement is consistent with our goal to reduce the overall size of GE Capital and for it to return significant cash to GE,” Immelt said in a statement.

Immelt’s plans for growth have involved focusing more on transportation, manufacturing, healthcare, and energy. Immelt would like for the company to obtain higher profits from its industrial units. GE made 55 percent of its profit from industry last year, and Immelt would like that to increase to 65 percent by 2015.

The $6.5 billion in dividends would make up 30 percent of GE Capital’s total 2013 earnings. The money will be divided in two parts, the first being a $2 billion earnings distribution, the second a special dividend of $4.5 billion. If GE can cut GE Capital back by at least 10 percent, the company will shift from being viewed as too heavily dominated by its financial arm, to Immelt’s goal of being valued as an industrial conglomerate. GE Capital already paid $447 million back to GE in the first quarter.

Returning funds to investors should increase GE stock value as Immelt’s plans to focus more heavily on industry move forward.

Don’t Miss: GE’s $1 Billion Gamble on the Light Bulb and Appliances.

After a much anticipated wait, the Dreamliner 787 will finally take flight in the U.S. once again on Monday. Following its 11.a.m. central flight from Houston to Chicago, the United Airlines (NYSE:UAL) plane will officially make the first commercial flight in the U.S, with more than 250 passengers on board.

This momentous takeoff ended up taking much longer than predicted, as Boeing’s (NYSE:BA) 787 was grounded in January after the battery system caught fire on two Japanese Airlines planes. The aviation supermodel then remained grounded for 123 days as the battery system was revamped by putting more space between battery cells to prevent them from catching fire, CNBC reports.

It was an expensive setback, not only because United was forced to pull six planes from its schedule, generating an $11 million charge to the company in the first quarter, but also because it drew negative publicity to the Dreamliner that had been so highly anticipated and widely marketed.

As United advertised on every flight that its Dreamliner would transform the flying experience, CEO Jeff Smisek never predicted just how long his customers would have to wait for this transformation. Nonetheless, he still expresses confidence in his plane as his company continues to ramp up its production, stating that it will deliver 60 of the 787 planes this year.

Due to the negative publicity surrounding the plane, including a video of one Dreamliner with smoke drifting out of it in January, there is the question whether passengers will be too fearful to fly on the plane. When pressed about this concern, Henry Harteveldt, airline analyst with Hudson Crossing, replied, “There may be some who are concerned about flying on the 787, but I think they are far and few between.” He believes the plane’s new features will draw customers and help alleviate fear.

Following the flying ban that was lifted in April by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, United Airlines has been eager to get its first passengers, including the CEOs of United and Boeing, up in the air. And as of 11 a.m. central time, they’ll finally get that chance.

Don’t Miss: These CEOs Are Making Massive Piles of Cash.