The firm blamed growing costs of raw materials and emerging economy foreign exchange declines for its bottom-line profit dropping by 45.2 percent to 316.7 billion yen ($2.9 billion).
The disappointing nine-month performance and a change in accounting methods forced the manufacturer to downgrade its net profit forecast for the fiscal year to March to 410 billion yen, compared with 500 billion yen projected earlier.
Annual sales are now seen at 11.6 trillion yen, down from an earlier estimate of 12 trillion yen.
The results came as Nissan and its partners Renault and Mitsubishi Motors are seeking to turn the page on Ghosn's arrest for financial misconduct, which has exposed a rift in the three-way tie-up.
CEO Hiroto Saikawa vowed to "refine" the firm's ties with Renault, whose new boss Jean-Dominique Senard is expected to take Ghosn's position on the Nissan board.
"This alliance is our very big strength and asset," Saikawa told reporters after the earnings were announced.
He said that the firms "respect each other's independence" but strive for "win-win" results by maximising synergies.
Ghosn stands accused - among other things - of under-declaring some nine billion yen in salary between 2010 and 2018 and continues to languish in a Tokyo detention centre after being refused bail.
Nissan said it was accounting for this under-reported salary - technically owed to Ghosn - although Saikawa said that "I personally don't think that we will reach a conclusion to pay this money."