Consumer finance

Responding to the needs of borrowers with specialised requirements, many smaller consumer finance companies have been able to grow strongly in the shadow of larger, general lenders that find these groups hard to service. Sub-prime lending, for example, has produced better results for smaller players. Examples of investments in the consumer finance segment include Investor AB’s purchase of a 50% stake in Lindorff Group in 2008, and private equity firm Bridgepoint’s acquisition of 1^st Credit in 2004.