S&P 500 Stocks That Defy 'Sell In May' Myth: 5 Companies With Strong Historical Gains

Despite the old market adage “Sell in May and go away,” historical data tells a different story — May has actually been a profitable month for the U.S. stock market in recent decades.

Over the past 20 years, the S&P 500 — tracked by the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust SPY — has posted an average return of 0.6% in May, finishing the month in the green 15 out of 20 times.

The most substantial gains were recorded in May 2008, up 5.9%, and May 2024, up 5.1%, while the worst performance came in May 2010, with an 8% drop.

Several S&P 500 stocks have consistently outperformed during May, with average returns well above the broader index. Here are five standout names with at least 5% average May returns over the past two decades.

5) Netflix Inc. NFLX

Average May return: +5.8%
Winning ratio: 60%
Best May performance: +29.7% (2014)
Worst May performance: -20.8% (2012)
Next earnings release: July 16, 2025
Notable trend: May is Netflix's third-best performing month after January (14.7%) and October (6.94%).

4) McKesson Corp. MCK

Average May return: +6.35%
Winning ratio: 90%
Best May performance: +17.9% (2017)
Worst May performance: -9.1% (2018)
Next earnings release: May 8, 2025
Notable trend: Currently riding a 6-year winning streak in May, and it’s historically McKesson’s best month of the year.

3) Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. TTWO

Average May return: +6.58%
Winning ratio: 85%
Best May performance: +22.1% (2017)
Worst May performance: -18.3% (2012)
Next earnings release: May 15, 2025
Notable trend: The company has delivered gains in each of the past 12 Mays, making it the strongest month for the stock historically.

2) Nvidia Corp. NVDA

Average May return: +7.81%
Winning ratio: 70%
Best May performance: +38.4% (2017)
Worst May performance: -25.16% (2019)
Next earnings release: May 28, 2025
Notable trend: May ranks as Nvidia's second-best month, just behind August, up 8.2%.

1) Advanced Micro Devices Inc. AMD

Average May return: +6.58%
Winning ratio: 60%
Best May performance: +41.8% (2013)
Worst May performance: -17.4% (2012)
Next earnings release: May 6, 2025
Notable trend: May is AMD's second-strongest month, trailing only November at 9.5%.