Final answer:
Mergaronite acquired Hill on January 1, 2017, by issuing shares of its stock to the shareholders of Hill.
Step-by-step explanation:
Mergaronite acquired Hill on January 1, 2017, by issuing new shares of its stock to the shareholders of Hill. This means that the shareholders of Hill received shares of Mergaronite's stock in exchange for their ownership of Hill. The exact number of shares issued would depend on the agreed-upon terms and the value of the stock at the time of the acquisition. This process, commonly utilized in mergers and acquisitions, facilitated the transfer of ownership by granting Hill's shareholders ownership stakes in Mergaronite, emphasizing the strategic and financial intricacies involved in corporate consolidations and the valuation impact on share distribution during significant business transactions.