Final answer:
Doone Corporation's acquisition of 60 percent of XYZ Company's shares on January 1, 2014, represents a stock acquisition, meaning Doone Corporation has gained controlling interest in XYZ without the two companies necessarily merging into a single entity.
The Correct Option is; d) Stock acquisition
Step-by-step explanation:
On January 1, 2014, Doone Corporation's acquisition of 60 percent of the shares of XYZ Company represents a stock acquisition.
This type of business acquisition is different from a merger in that a merger involves two firms of equal power and status joining together, whereas an acquisition, in this context, refers to one firm purchasing a significant, controlling percentage of another firm without necessarily merging the two into a single entity.
The acquired company in an acquisition may continue to operate under its former company name, whereas a merger typically results in a single, unified company. This acquisition does not represent a joint venture, as that would imply shared control and collaboration without a change in company ownership, nor does it imply a hostile takeover, as the nature of the acquisition is not specified as being against the will of the target company's management.