The company's purpose is to acquire direct or indirect participations in companies in Switzerland or abroad, as well as to acquire, operate, manage, administer and dispose of real estate, industrial facilities, business establishments and other assets, as well as intellectual property rights (all of which are excluded from activities requiring authorization). The company may participate in other companies, acquire, exploit, manage and dispose of real estate and intellectual property rights, establish subsidiaries and branches in Switzerland and abroad, and carry out all legal transactions that may be necessary or useful for the achievement of its purpose or for the development of the company or its group companies. Furthermore, the company may participate directly or indirectly in group financing, in particular by granting loans to its direct or indirect shareholders or other group companies, or by providing guarantees, sureties or other securities of any kind for their liabilities to third parties, even if these loans or securities are in the exclusive interest of its direct or indirect shareholders or other group companies and are granted free of charge.