Don't Sell -- Hedge In May and Go Away

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Every May the mantra "Sell in May and go away" is repeated endlessly as to suggest only fools hold stocks into June. If true, does Wall Street pack up for the summer, turn on voice mail and head to the Hamptons (for more than the weekend)? Should investors heed Wall Street's admonition and exit while they can? Fortunately, there are methods to protect your portfolio without selling.

SPDR S&P 500 ETF SPY(SPY) , Apple(AAPL) and SiriusXM(SIRI) are widely followed equities. They make perfect examples, albeit for different reasons.

Apple last year was a terrific example of selling in May -- but only if bought again in June.

The 2007 and 2008 SPY charts make a convincing argument that indeed only fools hold stocks beyond May. Ignoring dividends earned, Investors buying SPY at the close of May 2007 have been underwater since January 2008. Unfortunately, dividends are not enough to push buyers over the top and realize a gain. On the other hand, even though diving off a cliff following May 2008, SPY has already recovered. We all want to believe we will correctly time the next market drop, but most are unable to consistently.

Apple last year was a terrific example of selling in May -- but only if bought again in June. Apple's price did close June down from May. Unfortunately, absent a subsequent repurchase, sitting out of Apple results in watching a 60% price rise without you. Again, most astute investors will leave precision timing to active traders.

Sirius last year provided our best example for selling in May. Sirius' price at the end of May 2011 was $2.35, just off a recent 52-week high made in the same month. No monthly closing price has been higher, and the May high remains the highest price paid since. Travel back one or two years (but not three) and once again an impressive run is missed; further proof how difficult timing entries and exits may be. (Oliver Pursche wrote an intriguing sell in May article explaining why this may be the wrong year to "go away in May.")