TOKYO (Reuters) -Nissan Motor ( NSANF ) slashed its annual operating profit estimate by 14.5% on Friday citing lower-than-expected vehicle sales and other factors.

Japan's third-largest automaker by volume now estimates an operating profit of 530 billion yen ($3.43 billion) instead of 620 billion yen for the year that ended in March. Net profit is now estimated at 370 billion yen instead of 390 billion yen.

Nissan ( NSANF ) said its vehicle sales would total 3.44 million vehicles for the year, lowering its estimate just two months after a revision down to 3.55 million units.

Chief Executive Officer Makoto Uchida told a press conference that weaker sales in China and the impact from the New Year's Day earthquake on Noto peninsula led to the lowered estimate.

($1 = 154.3800 yen)