LAS VEGAS, Feb. 25, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The Board of Directors for Southwest Gas Corporation (NYSE:  SWX) has increased the quarterly common stock dividend from $0.365 per share to $0.405 per share and has declared the following second quarter cash dividend:

The dividend equates to $1.62 per share, a 16 cent or approximately 11.0 percent increase, on an annualized basis.  The Company has paid quarterly dividends continuously since going public in 1956, and has raised its dividend in each of the past nine years.  Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey Shaw noted, "We are pleased with the consistency and stability of  our revenues, cash flows, and capital structure.  These factors, combined with the Company's strong operating performance, have positioned us to again increase the dividend.  Dividend increases are necessary to facilitate competitive and reasonable returns for our shareholders.  Over time, the Board intends to increase the dividend such that our payout ratio approaches our local distribution company peer group average while maintaining our strong credit ratings and our ability to effectively fund future rate base growth.  The timing and amount of any increases would be based upon the Board's continual review of our dividend rate in the context of the performance of the Company's two primary operating segments and their future growth prospects."

About Southwest GasSouthwest Gas Corporation provides natural gas service to more than 1.9 million customers in Arizona, Nevada, and California.  For more information about Southwest Gas, please visit www.swgas.com.