Macquarie Bank estimates its leverage ratio at 5.5 per cent at September 2013. It is the first bank to publish this estimate on a capital measure - which has a three per cent minimum - that banks must meet by 2015.The bank may expect its leverage ratio to fall over time, taking the view that it still has around A$3 billion in surplus capital (the same as it had two years ago), a surplus that it aims to reduceMacquarie has shifted from measuring capital at an assumed seven per cent minimum to 8.5 per cent, which allows for the counter cyclical buffer. The group's surplus will be cut by a planned return of capital (a notional $250 million) that will take the form of a distribution of one stapled security in ASX-listed Sydney Airport for each Macquarie ordinary share held.The current share buyback will be cancelled, while Macquarie also proposes a share consolidation on a 0.9438 for one share basis, to adjust for the capital reduction (and to keep metrics comparable).