NEW YORK (AP) -- Southwest Gas Corp. says its loss narrowed in the third quarter as the company cut costs and saw positive returns on some of its investments.

The Las Vegas company, which provides natural gas to about 1.8 million customers in Arizona, Nevada and California, on Thursday reported a net loss of $8.3 million, or 18 cents a share, for the three months that ended Sept. 30. That compares with a loss of $16.7 million, or 38 cents a share, for the same period in 2008.

Revenue dipped 15 percent in the period to $317.5 million.

Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters expected a loss of 36 cents a share on revenue of $264.3 million.

Company stock slid 7 cents to $25.85 in after-hours trading.