The company's purpose is to acquire, hold, sell and manage participations in other companies in Switzerland or abroad and to finance participation companies as well as to trade in ships and other assets, with the exception of transactions prohibited by the Federal Act on the Acquisition of Real Estate by Persons Abroad (BewG). The company may establish branches and subsidiaries in Switzerland and abroad, participate in other companies, assume representations and engage in any business activity and conclude contracts of any kind that may promote the company's purpose or are directly or indirectly related to the company's purpose. The company may acquire or dispose of securities, patents and other intellectual property rights, as well as acquire, hold, manage, encumber and dispose of real estate in Switzerland and abroad, with the exception of transactions prohibited by the Federal Act on the Acquisition of Real Estate by Persons Abroad (BewG). In pursuing its corporate purpose, the company may take into account the interests of its shareholders. In particular, the company may grant loans and other direct or indirect financing to its direct and indirect subsidiaries and third parties, including its direct and indirect shareholders and their direct and indirect subsidiaries, including within the framework of cash pooling agreements (including zero balancing), and provide security of any kind for the obligations of these parties, including by way of pledges on or fiduciary transfers of the company's assets or guarantees of any kind. This also applies without consideration, on preferential terms, without interest, excluding the company's profit motive and/or assuming cluster risks.