The company's purpose is to hold and manage participations, manage its own assets, participate in other companies, assume representations, and acquire, manage and sell real estate in Switzerland and abroad. The company may establish branches in Switzerland and abroad, participate in other companies in Switzerland and abroad, acquire or merge with similar or related companies. Furthermore, the company may acquire, manage and sell industrial property rights, know-how, intellectual property rights, and enter into all transactions and conclude contracts that are suitable to promote the company's purpose or are directly or indirectly related to it. It may acquire, hold, encumber and sell real estate in Switzerland and abroad, with the exception of real estate transactions prohibited by the Federal Act on the Acquisition of Real Estate by Persons Abroad (BewG). It may also provide financing for its own account or for the account of third parties, as well as grant guarantees and sureties for subsidiaries and third parties.