Panasonic's battery unit Q1 operating profit hurt by decreasing sales

FILE PHOTO: A man is reflected on Panasonic Corp's logo at Panasonic Center in Tokyo, Japan, February 2, 2017. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon/File Photo

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Panasonic Holdings said on Wednesday the first-quarter operating profit of its battery-making energy unit was hit by decreasing sales and faced a decline in production at its automotive battery factory in Japan.

Operating income for the key segment, which makes batteries for Tesla and other automakers, posted a 27% year-on-year decline to 21.6 billion yen ($141.97 million).

The company, however, maintained the full-year operating profit forecast for the unit at 109 billion yen.

($1 = 152.1400 yen)

(Reporting by Daniel Leussink; Editing by Himani Sarkar)