"If you think filling up an SUV is painful, try footing the bill for a massive 1,000-foot ocean liner -- or in the case of Carnival Corp. (NYSE: CCL), an entire fleet of 84 floating cities," notes value investor Nathan Slaughter.

In his Half-Priced Stocks he explains, "Despite unprecedented fuel costs, the company continues to power forward." Here's his bullish review.

"Last quarter, Carnival shelled out $530 per metric ton for fuel, up sharply from $330 per ton a year ago. And after pumping about 800,000 metric tons, the company rang up a total fuel bill of $425 million.

"For the year, management is expecting fuel costs to come in about $750 million higher than in 2007, which will trim earnings by about $0.92 per share. Fortunately, the company is in a position to absorb those higher costs.

"Over the past three months, two million passengers have boarded a Carnival ship, for an occupancy rate of 104.8% (indicating some berths held more than two guests). And those visitors paid $2.6 billion for their tickets and plunked down another $743 million in the lounges, casinos and gift shops after they arrived on board.

In his Half-Priced Stocks newsletter, value investor Nathan Slaughter recently assessed stocks based on the general investment philosophy of Benjamin Graham, the noted value investor under whom Warren Buffett studied.

One issue that stands out in his view is Cabela's (NYSE: CAB), one of the world's largest specialty retailers of hunting and fishing gear, camping equipment, and outdoor apparel.

"The cornerstone to Graham's success and his enduring legacy to value investors was his 'margin of safety' concept. Specifically, he would take a hard look at dividend yields, price-to-book ratios, and other key metrics.

"Cabela's originated as a direct marketer and once primarily sold its products via catalog, but has since augmented that distribution channel with e-commerce operations and a growing chain of nearly 30 stores spread throughout 19 states.

Nathan Slaugher sees video game retailer GameStop (NYSE: GME) benefiting from several popular new video software titles. Here's the advisor's latest review from his Half-Priced Stocks newsletter.

"The shares of have staged an impressive rally, vaulting over 30% since the beginning of March. Most of those gains followed the firm's fourth-quarter earnings release, which showed more of the same phenomenal growth that we've grown accustomed to.

"Driven by brisk demand for popular software titles like Activision's Call of Duty 4 and Electronic Arts' Rock Band, same-store sales jumped 17.4%, pushing overall revenues ahead nearly 25% to $2.9 billion.

"Meanwhile, despite the quarter being one week shorter, earnings soared 46% to $190 million, or $1.14 per share -- ahead of optimistic guidance that had been raised not once, but twice.

"The indiscriminate sell-off in the financial sector has left some banks at valuations that haven't been seen in 20 years," says value investor Nathan Slaughter.

In his Half-Priced Stocks newsletter, the advisors looks to one out-of-favor favorite among banks: Minneapolis-based U.S. Bancorp (NYSE: USB). Incidentally, he notes that Warren Buffett recently added to his position in the banking stock.

"US Bancorp is the nation's sixth-largest bank in terms of assets, with nearly $238 billion at last count. The firm operates over 2,500 branches in 24 states, mostly in the western and midwestern parts of the country, including an established presence in key markets such as St. Louis, Denver and Seattle.

"Over the past year, the company has seen solid increases in both loans and deposits. More importantly, it paid out just 3.8% on those interest-bearing liabilities, far below what it earned on loans and other investments -- with the net interest margin expanding to 3.91%.

"And, that rate could move even higher in the coming months thanks to a more favorable interest rate environment. And as for credit quality, U.S. Bank remains at the very top of its peer group.

"I am adding Enterprise Products Partners (NYSE: EPD) to my 'Deep-Discount' portfolio," says Nathan Slaughter, editor of Half-Priced Stocks.

The advisor explains, "Enterprise is among the nation's largest pipeline operators, owning nearly 900 miles of crude oil pipelines and 33,000 miles of natural gas, natural gas liquids (NGL), and petrochemical pipelines." Here is his review.

"Following a series of acquisitions, Enterprise is now one of the nation's largest publicly-traded energy partnerships. As a master limited partnership (MLP), the company is generally exempt from federal income taxes, provided it distributes the lion's share of its cash flows to shareholders (technically referred to as unitholders.)

"This special status allows MLPs to shell out generous payments, although these distributions typically don't qualify for the reduced 15% dividend tax rate.

"As opposed to the 'upstream' business of exploration and production, Enterprise is a 'midstream' energy player -- a sector coveted for its steady cash generation potential. Much of Enterprise's diverse revenue stream comes from pipeline charges, which are influenced more by volume flow than by volatile commodity prices.

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.

"Pool Corp. (NASDAQ: POOL) is my favorite speculative idea for 2008," says Nathan Slaughter, editor of Half-Priced Stocks. "Pool Corp. is the world's largest wholesale distributor of swimming pool supplies -- selling more than 100,000 different products from a nationwide network of 285 customer service centers.

'Sales have advanced 21% annually over the past decade, and earnings have more than kept pace -- climbing at a stellar 34% clip. Naturally, all of this has translated into hefty gains for shareholders, with the stock soaring almost 1,000% over the past ten years.

"In recent months, though, the company has been an indirect victim of the sluggish housing market, as a slowdown in new home construction in key markets like Arizona and California has forced management to trim back its full-year earnings guidance.

"However, don't let this short-term weakness cloud the sunny long-term outlook. The vast majority of the company's business is tied to maintenance for older pools. Only around one-third of its revenues stem from new pool construction -- and the bulk of that comes from existing homes, not new ones.

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.

"McGraw-Hill (NYSE: MHP) is my top conservative pick for 2008," says Nathan Slaughter, editor of Half-Priced Stocks. "If you want to beat the market in 2008, then you might start with the one company that actually owns the market, or at least the S&P 500 Index; McGraw holds the keys to the widely used stock barometer, as well as other benchmarks from the ubiquitous Standard & Poor's family.

"From futures contracts to ETFs, there is a staggering $5 trillion of investable assets linked to these indices -- which generate piles of recurring royalty and licensing revenues.

"Elsewhere, the firm is also a leading provider of textbooks and other supplemental learning materials. There are roughly 55 million students enrolled in grades K-12, and state governments currently spend more than $8,500 per student each year -- a total that is forecast to hit $11,000 within the next seven years.

"Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway has disclosed that is has taken a 6.4% stake in CarMax (NYSE: KMX)," says value investor Nathan Slaughter.

CarMax, the used-car retailer, is a holding in Half-Priced Stocks, and the advisor sees Buffett's interest as an additional reason to stay bullish. Here is his review.

"Berkshire Hathaway is the insurance and investing conglomerate controlled by billionaire investor Warren Buffett, whose moves are widely followed by Wall Street.

"It's impossible to know for sure if Berkshire's stake is the result of Buffett's own buying or that of one of Berkshire's subsidiary companies, but either way it's a vote of confidence for CarMax. KMX has been sliding in recent months due to fears that a consumer slump would impact sales of used cars. But we continue to believe those concerns are overblown.

"Corning Inc. (NYSE: GLW) still offer great value," says Nathan Slaughter. In his Half-Priced Stocks newsletter, the advisor explains, "Corning is a 150-year-old company that is involved in some of today's most exciting cutting-edge technologies."

The advisor notes that in the 1870s, the company developed the glass used in Thomas Edison's first light bulb. In later years, it was instrumental in advancements like the television cathode ray tube and even designed the surface of the Hubbell telescope.

Today, he points out, Corning is best known for the glass substrates used to make liquid crystal displays (LCD). In fact, the company dominates 50% of the global market for the thin glass panels used in computer monitors and televisions.

In addition, Corning does have a stake in a number of other fast-growing fields such as fiber optics, diesel engine pollution control, and scientific laboratory instruments. And, he adds, through its 50% ownership stake in Dow Corning, the firm boasts more than 7,000 silicone-based products that run the gamut from fuel additives to solar power cells.

Motorola (NYSE: MOT) is a long-term holding in the "Deep Discount Portfolio" compiled by Nathan Slaughter. This portfolio from his Half-Priced Stocks newsletter focuses on what he believes are the "most undervalued stocks on the market."

Regarding Motorola, he explains, "When we first added mobile phone and wireless equipment manufacturer Motorola to our Deep-Discount Portfolio back in March, we knew the company was headed for a temporary business slump."

As expected, he states, Motorola has struggled since then, surrendering market share to Nokia (NYSE: NOK) and Samsung and reporting back-to-back quarterly losses.

Furthermore, he adds, Wall Street has been frustrated with the firm's lack of new product development, particularly given the excitement surrounding the successful iPhone launch from Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL).

In recent years, Slaughter contends, Motorola has posted impressive 40% growth in handset unit shipments, tops in the industry. However, he observes, since hitting a homerun with the wildly popular Razr phone, sales have cooled off, and the company now needs to reinvigorate its lineup.

Fortunately, the advisor argues, management has outlined plans to do just that. In fact, the firm is planning to unveil not just one follow-up product, but a whole wave of new phones.

"Since the first 'one-armed bandit' was introduced in the late 1800s, slot machines have become a thriving multi-billion dollar global industry," says says Nathan Slaughter. "And International Game Technology (NYSE: IGT) is the '800-pound gorilla' in the slot machine industry" he explains in his Half-Priced Stocks.

And while he notes that the earliest slot machines were crude mechanical devices, the latest are "technological marvels," equipped with rich high-resolution plasma monitors, stereo surround-sound speakers, live streaming video, and other features.

And looking ahead, Slaughter explains, there are other exciting developments on the horizon to look forward to -- such as server-based gaming, where entire banks of slot machines connected to a central server can be reconfigured instantly.

In Nevada, he notes, slot revenues surpassed those generated by blackjack and other table games in 1981 and never looked back. Last year, he observes, they accounted for 66% of total casino revenues statewide.

Citigroup Inc. (NYSE: C) should appeal to value and income investors, according to says Nathan Slaughter. Indeed, he notes, for those who are attracted to the safety and stability of large companies, they don't come much bigger than Citigroup, a "behemoth in the banking industry." Here's his review.

Slaughter, the editor of Half-Priced Stocks, a newsletter focused on value-oriented situations, points out that Citigroup, with 200 million customers, generated more than $140 billion in revenues last year and boasts assets in excess of $1 trillion.

In fact, he notes, last year's profit of $21 billion is greater than the entire GDP of more than 100 different nations.

However, he states, "Don't make the mistake of thinking this is a lumbering giant with no growth drivers. Citi has built a vast network throughout the world's emerging markets, which helped the company increase its deposit base by an impressive +20% last year."

Further, he adds, "The company's expansive reach should fuel growth for years to come, and analysts are targeting healthy earnings growth of +10% annually over the next five years."

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.

IMAX Corp. (NASDAQ: IMAX), which specializes in the development of high-end theater projection and sound systems, is the favorite speculative idea for 2007 from says Nathan Slaughter.

The editor of Half-Priced Stocks notes, "IMAX has been slammed by a 'perfect storm.' Within the span of a few months this year, the company has been battered by investor backlash due to a failed buyout, an informal SEC probe, a class-action lawsuit and, in November, sub-par quarterly results.

"While there is always a danger associated with 'trying to catch a falling knife,' the rewards significantly outweigh the risks at this point. Until fairly recently, IMAX movies were primarily a novelty found at museums, planetariums, and marine centers. But two major technological breakthroughs are bringing the IMAX experience to mainstream America.

"The first is its MPX technology, which allows commercial multiplex owners a cost-effective way to retrofit traditional 35-mm screens and convert them into IMAX theaters. Through the first nine months of 2006, IMAX inked 25 new deals. Further, its digital re-mastering technology that converts traditional 35-mm films into rich 70-mm IMAX format has led to a series of partnerships with major Hollywood studios like Disney and Time Warner, which are increasingly choosing to release blockbuster hits in IMAX theaters.