The company's purpose is to acquire, hold and manage participations in other companies of any kind in Switzerland and abroad. The company may, in addition, carry out all business that is suitable to promote or facilitate the development of the company and the achievement of its purpose, including, in particular, establishing branches in Switzerland and abroad, participating in companies of a similar nature in Switzerland and abroad, and acquiring and disposing of real estate. The company may grant direct or indirect financing to its direct or indirect subsidiaries and third parties, including its direct or indirect shareholders and their direct or indirect subsidiaries, provide security of any kind for its own liabilities and those of other companies (including direct or indirect shareholders of the company or companies in which these shareholders are directly or indirectly involved), including by way of pledges, fiduciary transfers or assignments of assets of the company, or provide guarantees, enter into suretyships or otherwise secure or guarantee obligations of these other companies, whether for consideration or not. Furthermore, it may engage in liquidity balancing/concentration of net liquidity (cash pooling) with the aforementioned companies or join such an arrangement, including periodic account balancing. All of this may be done by the company without consideration, on preferential terms, without interest, excluding the company's profit motive and assuming cluster risks.