MEXICO CITY, Oct 29(Reuters) - Mexico's Grupo Financiero

Banorte reported on Tuesday a 7% hike in its

third-quarter net profit from the year-ago period, as its active

loan book topped 1 trillion pesos for the fifth-consecutive

quarter driven mainly by corporate loans.

Banorte's net profit hit 14.24 billion pesos beating an

LSEG-compiled estimate of 13.36 billion pesos from a revenue

estimate of 37.77 billion pesos.

Revenue for the group, which owns one of the country's

largest banks and pension funds, totaled 36.68 billion pesos in

the quarter, slightly below expectations but up 9% from a year

earlier.

Net interest income, the difference between what banks earn

on loans and dole out in deposits, grew 13% year-over-year in

the period.

The net interest income growth compared with the prior

year "was driven by loan origination and diversification, as

well as from the still partial benefit from a lower reference

rate in the funding cost on the larger loan book," the company

said in a statement.