With consumers keeping their money in their wallets, it might be expected that sentiment towards finance companies specialising in store finance would be negative. However, several analysts have issued positive recommendation on Thorn Group and FlexiGroup in recent weeks.In a note issued on October 3, RBS Morgans downgraded its earnings forecast for Thorn Group by two per cent but maintained a buy recommendation. Thorn's operations include the consumer rental businesses Radio Rentals and Rentlo; the lending operation Cashfirst; the commercial lending business Thorn Business Services, and the collection agent National Credit Management.National Credit Management lost its contract with the Australian Taxation Office, giving rise to the downgrade.RBS said: "Radio Rentals' market position, a strong balance sheet and the group's growth strategy put the group in a good position over the medium term."RBS has a price target of $2.15 on the stock, which closed at $1.65 on Friday. Macquarie Equities rates Thorn Group outperform with a price target of $1.99. Like RBS,  its view is that loss of the ATO contract is a temporary setback. Macquarie said the Radio Rentals business is running well ahead of last year's performance.Macquarie expects Thorn's earnings-per-share to grow by 14 per cent in the current year. Given the "undemanding price-earnings ratio of 7.9 per cent, the stock remains in 'value territory'," it said.FlexiGroup generated some fresh analyst interest, and some favourable reviews, following an investor-only briefing and site visit two weeks ago.Macquarie has an outperform recommendation on FlexiGroup, which operates the Flexirent, Flexirent Commercial, Certegy and BLiNK businesses.FlexiGroup reported 27 per cent volume growth in the first quarter of the current financial year. It has forecast 12 to 15 per cent earnings growth for 2011/12, but Macquarie believes this is conservative.FlexiGroup has hired Andrew Pipolo, former managing director of PayPal Australia, to head its emerging e-commerce division that will attempt to create a version of the "Bill Me Later" point of sale offering for internet merchants owned by PayPal. It has a price target of $2.30 on the stock, which closed at $2.28 on Friday.Goldman Sachs has a buy recommendation on FlexiGroup and a price target of $2.46. Its note on the company said new products, including Certegy lay-bys and internet payment processing, would drive growth.In a note issued on October 6, Goldman Sachs said FlexiGroup's management had a good record in "seizing new business opportunities", which more than compensated for the weak retail environment.