The company's purpose is to hold and manage participations in companies of the book trade and related industries. The company can conduct all business and take all measures that are suitable to promote the company's purpose directly or indirectly, such as acquiring, managing, using, encumbering and disposing of enterprises of all kinds, real estate and intellectual property rights in Switzerland and abroad, establishing branches and agencies, granting loans, managing capital and providing guarantees in favor of affiliated companies. The company can provide direct or indirect financing to third parties or companies in which it is directly or indirectly involved, as well as to direct or indirect shareholders or companies in which such parties are directly or indirectly involved, whether by means of loans and/or other financing, with or without consideration. The company can provide security of any kind for its own liabilities or the liabilities of the aforementioned persons, including by means of pledges, assignments, fiduciary transfers, guarantees of any kind or by means of offset obligations, with or without consideration, even if such financing, security or guarantees are in the exclusive interest of third parties or companies in which it is directly or indirectly involved, or of direct or indirect shareholders or companies in which such parties are directly or indirectly involved.