The holding of assets in Switzerland and abroad, including (but not limited to) intellectual property rights and related assets, but excluding real estate in Switzerland, as well as the holding of shares or equity interests in its branches and the provision of related services; the company may establish branches, subsidiaries and representative offices in Switzerland and abroad and may participate in other companies in Switzerland and abroad; the company may grant direct or indirect financing to its direct or indirect subsidiaries as well as to third parties, including its shareholders or partners, direct or indirect, and their direct or indirect subsidiaries, and, for its own obligations as well as for those of other companies (including shareholders or partners, direct or indirect, of the company or companies in which these shareholders or partners hold a direct or indirect interest), issue securities of any kind, including by way of pledges, fiduciary transfers or fiduciary assignments of the company's assets, issue guarantees, enter into joint and several obligations, provide guarantees or otherwise secure obligations of the company or these other companies, with or without remuneration; furthermore, it may operate or associate with the aforementioned companies in cash compensations and net cash centralizations (cash pooling), including periodic balance adjustments (balancing), and this also without consideration, on preferential terms, without interest, excluding the company's profit motive and incurring a concentration of risks; the company may carry out for its own account or for the account of a third party, all commercial, financial and other transactions directly or indirectly related to its purpose or apt to promote it.