TOKYO, May 9 (Reuters) - Japan's Panasonic Holdings ( PCRFF )

forecast on Friday a 39% profit jump for its electric

vehicle battery-making energy unit in the current business year,

after missing its profit estimate for the year that just ended.

Operating income for the key business, which makes batteries

for Tesla and other automakers, is expected to reach

167 billion yen ($1.15 billion) in the year to March 31, 2026,

Panasonic ( PCRFF ) said.

The unit made 120.2 billion yen in the year that ended in

March, falling short of its own 124 billion yen forecast.

($1 = 145.2000 yen)

(Reporting by Daniel Leussink; Editing by Muralikumar

Anantharaman)