Consumer goods rental company Thorn Group has maintained growth, despite the overall weakness in the retail market. The company's Radio Rentals division increased customer numbers by 3.1 per cent and earnings before interest and tax by 12 per cent, to A$45 million.Thorn Group yesterday reported a net profit of $27.8 million for the year to March - an increase of 26.4 per cent over the previous year. Revenue increased 19.2 per cent, to $188 million, over the same period.Thorn chief executive John Hughes said Radio Rentals, which contributed more than 90 per cent of earnings, was affected to some extent by price deflation and weak consumer confidence. However, consumers in the group's lower income demographic were not cutting back on the furniture, white-goods and electronics' rentals that are Radio Rentals' bread and butter.Thorn Group reported its first full year of earnings from NCML, a credit management company it bought early in 2011. NCML contributed $2 million of earnings before interest and tax.Hughes said the business had not met expectations in its first year. It lost a debt recovery contract with the Australian Taxation Office in July last year and there were issues with some other contracts.The business has a new general manager and has been restructured.Hughes said he was anticipating a pick-up in consumer leasing business when the Government closes a loophole in the National Consumer Credit Protection Act that has allowed some unlicensed leasing businesses to operate. Hughes said: "It could represent as much as 20 per cent of the consumer leasing market."Thorn Group will start a trial of a new business, RENTdriveBUY, this financial year. Consumers will be offered a used car on a 12-month rental contract and during that period insurance, maintenance and registration will be covered in the contract.After 12 months, if the consumer has made all the payments, he or she will qualify for car finance and be able to purchase the car.Hughes said the idea was to provide a way for people with poor credit histories to qualify for a car loan. It would also act as a feeder into Thorn's personal lending division, Cashfirst.