The company's purpose is to acquire, hold, manage and sell participations in other companies, both domestically and abroad. The company may establish representations, subsidiaries and branches in Switzerland and abroad, participate in other companies, take over representations and enter into any business that may be suitable to promote the purpose of the company or that is directly or indirectly related thereto. Furthermore, the company may acquire real estate in Switzerland and abroad, with the exception of those properties that fall under the Federal Property Law. The company may also provide financing for its own account or for the account of third parties, in particular the financing of participation companies, as well as guarantees and sureties for affiliated companies and third parties. 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, 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), provide securities of all kinds, including by way of pledges on or fiduciary transfers or assignments of assets of the company, or provide guarantees, enter into sureties or otherwise secure or guarantee obligations of these other companies, whether for consideration or not. Additionally, 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. This may also be done without consideration, on preferential terms, without interest, excluding the company's profit motive and assuming cluster risks.