Pulling Away.

The article reports that CIT Group Inc.'s growth has resulted from a mix of acquisitions and a push into new retail industry segments. The factoring firm kicked off 2004 by acquiring HSBC Business Credit,which was the fifth-largest factor with an estimated $4 billion to $5 billion in annual volume. John Daly, president of CIT Commercial Finance, said the firm has traditionally focused on apparel and textiles, but has slightly shifted its business focus due to the opportunities in the new industries. He noted that CIT has seen more than 50 percent growth in each of these aforementioned segments.