Fremont General Corp. is in talks with “five or six companies” interested in an acquisition of its troubled subprime mortgage business, the Santa Monica company said Wednesday.

Final presentations were being made today to interested investors, a company spokesman said. No other specifics were released. However, the company added that employees of its shuttered subprime lending unit would remain on paid leave during the talks.

Fremont said last week it was exiting the subprime mortgage business, and agreed to halt at least 14 practices that regulators said violated federal rules. The unit issues mortgages to people with lower credit ratings.

Shares in Fremont rebounded Wednesday after losing more than 60 percent over the last three months. Shares were up $1.67, or 25 percent, in afternoon trading on the New York Stock Exchange.