The company's purpose is to acquire, manage and dispose of participations in domestic and foreign companies of all kinds. The company may participate in other undertakings, 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 suitable to promote its purpose or the development of 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 such loans or securities are granted in the exclusive interest of its direct or indirect shareholders or other group companies and are provided free of charge.