Last December, over 100 stocks were featured in our Top Picks for 2007 report. Now, at mid-year, we turn to the 20 advisors whose picks showed the strongest gains to get an update on their previous picks, as well as a new favorite stock for the second half of the year.

David Fried, editor of the Buyback Letter, chose Big Lots Inc. (NYSE: BIG) as his favorite stock for 2007, which rose 39% as of 6/1/07. Please see his original recommendation and his current opinion on Big Lots.

Fried's new pick is SkyWest, Inc. (NASDAQ: SKYW). He explains, "SkyWest, the nation's largest independently owned regional airline, is a contract carrier for United Airlines, Delta Air Lines and, most recently, Midwest Airlines.

"Nimbler than the big legacy carriers and not burdened by their bloated labor costs, SkyWest has a steady earnings stream, good cash flow, and an attractive P/E of 11. Its reputation as an efficient, low-cost operator and as the best-managed regional airline in the business was enhanced with the 2005 acquisition of Atlantic Southeast Airlines, which made SkyWest a player on the national stage.

"Since the mid-1970s, SkyWest has grown from a company with annual revenue of under $1 million to a publicly held company with annual revenues of more than $1 billion and almost 15,000 employees. SkyWest is set for continued long-term growth.

Each year Steven Halpern, editor of TheStockAdvisors.com, surveys the leading financial newsletter advisors asking for their favorite stocks for the coming year. This article is part of his 24th annual Top Picks Report.

Big Lots Inc. (NYSE: BIG) is a favorite conservative idea from David Fried, editor of The Buyback Letter. He explains, "Investors should indulge their 'inner bargain hunter' and put the nation's largest closeout retailer, Big Lots, in their stock shopping basket.

"Shopping -- and particularly deal hunting -- continue to be hugely popular pastimes, and discount stores are a good pick in a crummy or waffling economy. The company keeps a flexible inventory, has well-located and plentiful retail locations, and its sheer size ($2.5 billion market cap) gives it international buying power smaller chains cannot match.

"A new CEO has focused Big Lots, closing underperforming stores and introducing a new goal to encourage existing customers to spend more per visit. This strategy, called 'raise the ring,' has revived sales growth and paid off in improved earnings.