The company's purpose is to acquire, hold and sell as well as manage and exploit participations of all kinds in domestic and foreign companies, and to perform the related coordination and management tasks. The company may establish branches and subsidiaries in Switzerland and/or abroad and participate in other companies in Switzerland and/or abroad, acquire, hold, encumber and sell real estate or intellectual property rights in Switzerland and/or abroad, and conduct all commercial, financial or other business that is directly or indirectly related to the company's purpose. Furthermore, the company may grant loans or other financing to its direct or indirect shareholders and their direct or indirect subsidiaries, as well as to third parties, for consideration or free of charge, and provide security of all kinds for the liabilities of such persons or group companies, including guarantees, pledges and fiduciary transfers of the company's assets. In addition, it may engage in liquidity balancing/net liquidity centralization (cash pooling) with group companies, including periodic balance adjustments (balancing), without consideration, on preferential terms, interest-free, excluding the company's intention to make a profit, and assuming bulk risks.