Consumer finance company Thorn Group has reported another financial result notable for a flat earnings performance, but the company declared that investment in the diversification of the business was coming to an end and that it expected to resume profit growth in the coming year.Thorn Group made a net profit of A$28.1 million for the year to March - only slightly above the $28 million in made in 2012/13 and not much more than the $27.8 million it made in 2011/12.Earnings per share have fallen from 19.2 cents a share to 18.9 cents a share over the past three years and return on equity has fallen from 33 per cent to 26.1 per cent over the same period.Revenue was up 16 per cent in the year to March but higher investment costs meant the improvement in income did not flow through to the bottom line.Thorn Group chief executive John Hughes said: "Two years ago we went out to the market and said we would invest in a broader base. We said we would go through two years of flat performance."We have made investments in systems, people and bookbuild. We have come through that period."A lot of that investment has gone into the development of Thorn Financial Services, which provides small personal loans under the Cashfirst brand. The division's loan book grew 31 per cent to $28.4 million in the year to March. The division made earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation of $1.2 million - down from $1.6 million in the previous corresponding period.Hughes said: "We are still building the TFS book but it now has critical mass in terms of making a profit."Another of the divisions in which Thorn is investing for growth, Thorn Equipment Finance, grew its leasing book by 37 per cent to $63.5 million. The division's EBITDA jumped from $1 million in 2012/13 to $2.9 million in the year to March.Thorn's core business, its Radio Rentals consumer leasing business, grew its leasing book by 31 per cent to $125 million and increased EBITDA from $47.9 million to $49.4 million.James Marshall, who will take over as Thorn Group chief executive on June 1, said the division had had a good response to a new product - a 48-month finance lease. Marshall said Radio Rentals had had record installations for 10 of the past 12 months.