When the going gets tough, it is not just investors who are confused about which firm to back — uncertainty affects analysts, who investors depend on more during downturns, as well. This ends up making analyst output jagged and screechy. Roger K Loh and René M Stulz studied analyst reports between 1983 and 2011 and found that analysts tend to churn out divergent views during a crisis. However, despite the divergence, these views tend to have a much more influential effect on stock prices.  

Title: Is Sell-Side Research More Valuable in Bad Times?

Source: The National Bureau of Economic Research