First Hawaiian Bank said yesterday its net income rose in the third quarter on strong loan growth.

The state's largest bank, with $12.8 billion in assets, had net income of $55.4 million, up 6 percent from $52.3 million a year ago. Revenue, which consists of net interest income and noninterest income, rose 10.5 percent to $171.7 million from $155.4 million.

Net interest income reflects the difference between what First Hawaiian pays depositors and what it brings in from loans, while noninterest income includes services charges and fees.

“;Despite the challenges facing our economy and the financial services industry, First Hawaiian's consistent credit policies have continued to serve us well, Don Horner, president and chief executive officer, said in a statement. “;Last year was the most profitable in our 150-year history, and for the first nine months we are on pace to exceed 2007's earnings performance.”;

Total assets rose 2.4 percent to $12.8 billion from $12.5 billion.

Total loans and leases increased 24.2 percent to $7.7 billion from $6.2 billion. And total deposits inched down to $8.9 billion from $9 billion. The bank's loan-to-deposit ratio was 84.6 percent in the third quarter, up from 68.1 percent a year ago.

First Hawaiian, which has 58 branches in Hawaii, three on Guam and two on Saipan, is a subsidiary of Honolulu-based BancWest Corp. and a sister bank of San Francisco-based Bank of the West.

BancWest, which has assets of more than $70 billion, is owned by French banking giant BNP Paribas SA.