Oct. 17 (Bloomberg) -- General Motors Corp., looking to raise cash as U.S. sales slump, said it started distributing financial information to potential buyers of its Hummer sport- utility-vehicle unit.

The automaker ``has had interest from a few parties,'' said Joanne Krell, a spokeswoman for Detroit-based GM, in an interview today. She declined to name them. GM hasn't set a date for a possible sale of Hummer and still is considering other options for the division, Krell said, without giving details.

Selling Hummer would help GM toward its goal of increasing liquidity by $15 billion by the end of 2009 through actions including asset sales. Hummer's U.S. sales this year through September declined 47 percent, more than double GM's 18 percent drop, as high gasoline prices curbed SUV demand.

GM hired Citigroup Inc. for a review of the unit that began in June. The automaker acquired rights to the brand in 1999 from AM General LLC for an undisclosed sum. On Oct. 15, GM named Cadillac general manager James Taylor to the newly created job of Hummer chief executive officer to help with the unit's transition.

Hummer sales peaked in 2006 at 71,524 vehicles, before dropping 22 percent last year, according to Autodata Corp. in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.

GM rose 3 cents to $6.43 at 4:01 p.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. The shares have declined 74 percent this year.

To contact the reporter on this story: Greg Bensinger in New York at gbensinger1@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: October 17, 2008 16:07 EDT