For 25 years, Steven Halpern, editor of TheStockAdvisors.com, has surveyed the leading financial newsletter advisors asking for their favorite stocks for the coming year. This article is one of 100+ ideas in the Best Stocks for 2008 report.

"My favorite conservative stock for 2008 is Mastercard (NYSE: MA)," says Ken Kam, who first added the stock to the 'Best Ideas' portfolio of his Marketscope newsletter in June.

"With the financial sector getting killed as the credit crisis expands, investors are scrambling for quality and safety in financials -- the largest sector of the S&P 500. Mastercard fits the bill because of the reasons we liked it in the first place -- no credit.

"Until recently, most investors thought of Mastercard as a credit card company. Its comparables were American Express, Capital One, and Discover -- all credit card companies that HOLD credit card risk on their balance sheets. Mastercard does not.

"Mastercard processes the transactions and charges an interchange fee. The credit crunch spiraling its way through the market is affecting consumers. Access to credit has dried up so it is difficult, if not impossible, to get new mortgages or home equity loans.

"Credit cards have become the consumers last resort for credit. We see credit card transactions and purchases increasing significantly and Mastercard will benefit.

"Visa is the only true comparable for MA and it will be going public soon. That will provide investors with a better basis for comparison for a credit card PROCESSING company.

"But another reason we invested in Mastercard was because of its position in the debit card market, particularly in Europe. That opportunity continues to play itself out as Europe moves to single euro payments area (SEPA) this January."