"We have very few buy recommendations currently; one exception is Franco-Nevada (Toronto: FNV.CA)," says resource expert Adrian Day.

In his The Global Analyst, the advisor explains, "Franco Nevada is one of our all-time favorites; it has top management, a solid balance sheet, and risk-averse business plan.

He continues, "The company previously merged with Newmont, and was reborn in a spin off nearly two years ago. Although the stock has nearly doubled since the IPO, it still represents good value.

"As the name suggests, Royal Gold (NASDAQ: RGLD) is a royalty company, one of the larger and longest-established of such companies, with a focus on gold," says resource exprt Adrian Day.

In his Global Analyst advisory, he explains, "In my view, the stock offers a combination of growth, low risk, and high potential." Here's his look at this "golden opportunity."

"In the past year, the company has acquired two significant royalty packages, the first last year from Barrick and more recently from Teck Cominco. The Barrick package includes approximately 70 royalties.

"Even before these acquisitions, it had a solid long-term growth record, in royalties and in revenues. Its pipeline is solid, including a royalty on the large Pensasquito mine of Goldcorp; when that ramps up in 2012, it will add about 25% to Royal's revenues.

"Loews (NYSE: L), the holding company of the New York-based Tisch family, is a way of buying a collection of good stocks at a discount, with much else thrown in free," says Adrian Day.

The editor of the top-notch The Global Analyst explains, "These value investors have a long record of buying quality assets cheaply when they are out of favor, nurturing them, and eventually monetizing them."

"Everyone loves a sale, right? Typically, the Tisch family buys major chunks of out-of-favor businesses, often publicly traded, and holds them for many years. They exemplify the important traits of successful value investors: discipline and patience.

"I calculate a New Asset Value for Loews-taking current (depressed) stock prices for its publicly traded holdings, the cash, and conservative valuations for the private assets-of almost $39 per share.

This post is part of a special annual report -- Top Stock Picks '09 -- in which TheStockAdvisors.com asked 75 leading newsletter advisors to select their favorite investment for the new year.

"Virginia Mines (TSE: VGQ) is an old favorite that is ready to shine again," says Adrian Day. In The Global Analyst, he looks at the firm holding interests in mining entities.

"In the long-odds resource exploration business, Virginia has a better model: it generates prospects which it farms out to partners at an early stage.

"The partners earn in to the properties by spending the exploration dollars. This is the highest-risk part of the exploration process.

"By this model, Virginia is able to maintain its balance sheet and avoid the dilution that bedevils exploration companies. It can then build a portfolio of minority interests in multiple projects which increases its odds of eventual success.

Three of the leading advisory services that focus on the natural resource sector have reaffirmed their bullish posture on silver and issued buy recommendations on their favorite silver stocks.

Mary Anne and Pamela Aden, editors of The Aden Forecast, outline their expected path for the metals: "Technically, silver looks good. It's next resistance is at $14.06 basis March. If it rises and stays above that level, silver could then quickly move up to $14.88, its May high."

They note that silver will remain very strong within its longer term uptrend as long as it remains above the $12.75 level. Meanwhile, they offer a pair of favorite silver stocks - Silver Standard Resources Inc. (NASDAQ: SSRI) and Pan American Silver Corp. (NASDAQ: PAAS).

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.

Canada-based Virginia Mines Inc. (TSX: VGQ) is the favorite speculative play for 2007 from resource expert Adrian Day. The editor of The Global Analyst, he says, "Gold and other precious metals have resumed their bull market. The best returns often come from junior companies, particularly companies that make a discovery. But in exploration, the odds are heavily against you. We have found a company, however, that combines the potential of the typical exploration company without the usual risk.

"Virginia Mines, the largest landowner in the Canadian province of Quebec, typically stakes prospective ground and undertakes initial exploration before bringing in partners, who typically spend all of the exploration dollars in return for a stake in any discovery.

"Though Virginia reduces its share of any one success, it increases greatly its odds of being successful. It is like have parts of multiple, non-expiring lottery tickets instead of simply one ticket in one drawing. Virginia has about a dozen active projects, including drill programs on at least four different properties over the next few months. It has top-quality management and a super strong balance sheet of C$45 million.

"Virginia may or may not succeed this coming year, but in the worst-case scenario, with no new success, the company will still be around, in a strong position, to fight another day. That's why Virginia is our favorite exploration company, and one we are comfortable owning for the long term."

To see Adrian's favorite conservative investment idea for 2007, click here.

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.

Gladstone Investment Corp. (NASDAQ: GAIN) is the top conservative investment idea from Adrian Day, editor of The Global Analyst. He explains, "An attractive vehicle for investors seeking above-average yield is the so-called Business Development Company.

"These are companies that lend money to small and middle-market companies, often receiving equity participation in addition to the interest on the loans. Because they do not pay tax at the corporate level, but pay out essentially all their net income to investors, yields tend to be high, and we've been successful with several previous recommendations, including Allied Capital and American Capital.

"One of the newest and most conservative is Gladstone Investment. Run by David Gladstone, who has had a multi-decade career in this industry, GAIN has been relatively cautious in investing its funds since going public in the middle of 2005. This is because of a sense that the market is overheated with either low returns or risky loans.