Despite an apparent slowdown in volume, subprime lending remained a pretty lucrative business during the third quarter, as several lenders reported record profits. New Century Financial, for instance, reported $107.3 million in net income during the third quarter, a 65.3 percent rise from the same period in 2003. The record earnings brought New Century’s nine-month income to $296.9 million, a 73.2 percent year-to-year increase.