The company's purpose is the acquisition, holding, administration, and sale of interests in any companies or enterprises in Switzerland or abroad, in the sense of a holding company. The company may, in particular, in Switzerland and/or abroad: carry out any activity, undertake any financial, commercial, or industrial operations, and conclude all contracts suitable for developing its purpose or directly or indirectly related thereto; acquire, hold, encumber, administer, and dispose of, directly or indirectly, real estate in Switzerland (only for exclusively commercial purposes) and abroad; create branches or subsidiaries and, more generally, participate in any enterprises having a direct or indirect relationship with its purpose; deposit, acquire, hold, and sell patents or any other intellectual property rights and acquire, hold, and grant licenses; grant loans, guarantees, or other securities to shareholders or affiliated companies (direct or indirect) or to third parties (or in their favor), it being specified that these guarantees or other securities may be granted for its own obligations or the obligations of other persons (including its shareholders or affiliated companies, direct or indirect), even in the exclusive interest of these other persons, and for a consideration or free of charge.