Suncorp Metway dangled the prospect of a capital return in front of shareholders in its annual report published yesterday. Yet it used the same document to explain that the timing of any return was uncertain.John Story, chair of the board, wrote that "given continued fair winds, we anticipate the emergence of a capital that is surplus to the group, and it is our intention that this be returned to shareholders."I stress that this will be subject to a substantial resolution of the existing uncertainties within the external markets, and only when it is fully prudent to do so having regard to the circumstances within the group."In the same report, Story noted that pressures to preserve capital were real.He noted that the payout ratio last year was at the top end of the board's target range of 50 per cent to 60 per cent.Story wrote that this payout ratio "remains appropriate having regard to the continuing uncertainties within the external environment."He added that the payout ratio in the first half, which was below the target, was validated by the group's need to meet claims arising from a series of severe weather events in March.In the CEO's review, in the annual report, Patrick Snowball wrote that "it is especially important to maintain capital buffers, given the economic and regulatory uncertainty in today's business climate."Snowball also pointed out that "we have much more work to do before we can deliver a truly satisfactory result for our shareholders."On the banking side of the business, Suncorp defined a satisfactory return as "a sustained 15 per cent".One piece of good news for Suncorp is a lift in the credit rating for the bank.Standard & Poor's upgraded Suncorp Bank's long-term credit rating from A to A+.