LONDON (Reuters) - Nationwide, Britain's biggest customer-owned lender, said it more than doubled its underlying profit last year and hit a capital target set by Britain's financial regulator a year ahead of schedule.
Nationwide on Wednesday reported a 113 percent rise in underlying profit to 924 million pounds in the year to end March, benefiting from increased lending and a decline in costs.
"Our excellent financial performance and the successful achievement of a 3 percent leverage ratio, well ahead of plan, shows Nationwide has emerged from the financial crisis in better shape than ever," said Chief Executive Graham Beale.
(Reporting by Matt Scuffham; Editing by Huw Jones)