By Bret Jensen:

I posted an article back in August about the attractiveness of buying low-beta stocks with solid dividends. The stocks profiled -- Merck (MRK), Scana Corp (SCG) and Lorillard (LO) -- all have had nice runs since then. I think Scana is no longer a buy, as it has run up 20% since the article, and seems fairly valued. Merck still has some value but is not as attractive as it was at $31 back in August. Lorillard has gained over 12% since the article and just came out with a stellar earnings report. It still looks like a value at these levels and if anything, is gaining momentum.

Key highlights from Lorillard's earnings report

  • The company is raising its dividend 19% to $1.55 a share
  • Earnings increased 26% year over year and sales rose 9% over the same time span
  • Lorillard increased its domestic retail market share 0.8% to 14%

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