Why Arcos Dorados Holdings, Inc. Stock Jumped 15% in July

What:Shares ofArcos Dorados Holdings, Inc.(NYSE: ARCO) moved up 15% according to S&P Global Market Intelligenceas the company completed a debt repayment and rode the post-Brexit recovery. The chart below shows the stock's path over the last month, and the rise that began on July 14 when the debt repayment was completed.

ARCO data by YCharts.

So what:Arcos Dorados, the largestMcDonald'sfranchisee, said it completed repayment on R$613.9 million 10.25% Brazilian real denominated senior notes maturing on July 13, 2016.

The company had secured a four-year loan in March and used the proceeds to pay off the 10.25% last month. Arcos Dorados management has spent the year shoring up its financial position by selling off restaurants to franchisees and refinancing its debt.

Now what: While shares of Arcos Dorados have more than doubled since February, the stock has been a big loser, falling more than 70% since its 2011 IPO. A recession across much of South America, including Brazil and Venezuela, and a weak Brazilian real has pressured the company over its history, but the stock has been gaining new life under a new CEO.

Though those countries still have not reached an inflection point in any economic turnaround, management's moves have helped restore confidence in the stock and its future, and analysts are expecting the company to turn a small profit this year. Considering the underlying popularity ofMcDonald's, Arcos Dorados should eventually find its way back to meaningful profitability. We'll learn more when the company reports second-quarter earnings on August 3.

A secret billion-dollar stock opportunity The world's biggest tech company forgot to show you something, but a few Wall Street analysts and the Fool didn't miss a beat: There's a small company that's powering their brand-new gadgets and the coming revolution in technology. And we think its stock price has nearly unlimited room to run for early, in-the-know investors! To be one of them, just click here.

Jeremy Bowman has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of Arcos Dorados. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.