MEXICO CITY, July 21 (Reuters) - Mexico's Grupo Financiero

Banorte reported a 6% rise in second-quarter net profit on

Tuesday, slightly above estimates, boosted by strong demand for

consumer loans and higher fee income.

Net profit reached 15.55 billion pesos ($888.64 million),

above an LSEG-compiled estimate of 15.53 billion pesos, as

revenues totaled 43.15 billion pesos, up 12% year-over-year and

above a forecast of 42.41 billion pesos.

* Banorte named Tomas Lozano as chief financial officer;

Rafael Arana, who previously held both the CFO and COO roles,

will retain his position as chief operating officer.

* Lozano, a 19-year Banorte veteran who most recently led

investor relations, corporate development and financial

planning, will report to Arana, the company said in a statement.

* Return on equity expanded to 25.7%, up 209 basis points

year-over-year.

* Consumer loan growth led portfolio expansion, with auto

and payroll loans each rising 4% sequentially and credit card

loans up 2%.

* Net interest income fell 5% from the prior quarter, hurt

by lower valuation of inflation-linked securities, though the

bank said the effect was offset by adjustments to technical

reserves, leaving net income unaffected.

* Provisions fell 12% from the prior quarter following a

regulatory adjustment to reserve calculations for

government-backed loans implemented in June, though they rose

26% year-over-year in line with portfolio growth.

($1 = 17.4986 Mexican pesos at end-June)