(Bloomberg) -- Societe Generale SA said it could have the potential to boost dividends when it has enough clarity on the regulatory and the outlook for the economy.

The lender, whose current payout ratio stands at 50% of its underlying net income, could offer more to shareholders once the implementation of the current round of Basel committee rules progresses, said William Kadouch-Chassaing, deputy general manager and head of finance in a conference on Thursday.

“In the likelihood that there is something such as a debate on excess capital, potentially, we could more opportunistic going forward when have total clarity on regulatory roadmap and economic environment”, Kadouch-Chassaing said.

The bank ended 2020 with a CET1 ratio of 13.5%, or 450 basis points above its maximum distributable amount, and aims for a 200 basis-point buffer in the long term, according to the latest quarterly earnings report.

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