UPDATE 3-Southwest Gas unit Centuri Holdings seeks $1.8 bln valuation in US IPO

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April 8 (Reuters) - Southwest Gas Holdings unit Centuri Holdings said on Monday it is seeking a valuation of up to $1.8 billion in its initial public offering in the United States.

Centuri, which builds and maintains energy networks that power millions of homes and businesses across the U.S. and Canada, said it plans to raise about $260.4 million by offering 12.4 million shares priced between $18 and $21 apiece, according to a regulatory filing.

Icahn Partners LP and Icahn Partners Master Fund LP, the investment entities affiliated with billionaire Carl Icahn, have agreed to buy nearly 2.6 million shares of Centuri in a private placement at a price per share equal to its IPO price, Centuri said.

It is the latest in a series of companies that have pursued going public over the past few months, encouraged by rising bets of interest-rate cuts this year and a soft landing for the economy.

Walmart-backed digital marketing company Ibotta filed for an IPO in the U.S. last month, in the week that saw strong debuts from social media platform Reddit and chip firm Astera Labs.

Centuri, which has more than 12,500 employees and operates across 43 U.S. states and two Canadian provinces, plans to list on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "CTRI".

Last year, parent company Southwest Gas said it plans to separate Centuri through an IPO, use the proceeds to cut its debt and reduce its ownership after the launch.

UBS Investment Bank, BofA Securities, J.P.Morgan and Wells Fargo are among the underwriters for Centuri's offering.

(Reporting by Jaiveer Singh Shekhawat in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra Eluri and Shilpi Majumdar)