The company's purpose is to acquire, hold, manage and dispose of participations of all kinds in other companies in Switzerland and abroad, with the exception of any activity subject to the Federal Act on the Acquisition of Real Estate by Persons Abroad. The company may establish branches and subsidiaries in Switzerland and abroad. It may finance and promote any type of business and conduct other business to the extent necessary or useful for the achievement of its purpose. It may grant loans or other financing to third parties, including its direct or indirect parent companies and its direct or indirect subsidiaries, and provide security of any kind for the liabilities of such companies, including by way of pledges on or fiduciary transfers of the company's assets or guarantees of any kind, whether against payment or not.