<ARTICLE> UT <LEGEND> This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from Southwest Gas Corporation's Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 1996 and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such financial statements. </LEGEND> <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> 9-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1996 <PERIOD-END> SEP-30-1996 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 1,226,509 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 72,606 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 117,850 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 60,912 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 1,477,877 <COMMON> 28,196 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 345,554 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> (10,683) <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 363,067 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 662,502 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 41,425 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 5,748 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 0 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LEASES-CURRENT> 0 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 405,135<F1> <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 1,477,877 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 437,218 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> (7,655) <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 411,830 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 411,830 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 25,388 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> (4,320)<F2> <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 21,068 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 40,445 <NET-INCOME> (11,722) <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 0 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> (11,722) <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 15,852 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 0 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 60,200 <EPS-PRIMARY> (0.46) <EPS-DILUTED> (0.46) <FN> <F1>Includes: trust originated preferred of $60,000, current liabilities, net of current long-term debt maturities and short-term debt, of $153,593 and deferred income taxes and other credits of $191,542. <F2>Includes distributions related to trust originated preferred securities of $4,106. </FN>