LONDON (AP) — Lloyds bank, the part-nationalized British lender, said Monday it will pay a dividend again for the first time since the financial crisis as it prepares to shed state ownership. The announcement, however, was marred by news it had to set aside another 1.9 billion pounds ($3.1 billion) to cover the excesses of the past.

Lloyds Banking Group PLC said in a preliminary earnings statement that it made an underlying profit of 6.2 billion pounds for 2013, better than analysts had expected despite the new charges. The final earnings figures will be released next week.

Recommended Stories

Obama says he was a Cheesecake Factory regular for a decade in retort to Trump

Haley Stevens’s Democratic fiance backs Mike Rogers, says el Sayed imperils Jewish community

MAHA heavyweights try to put Lahn over the top in Iowa governor’s race