Cash Flow is the amount of cash that actually flows into a corporation. It is net income plus depreciation and amortization. More importantly, there are times when a huge loss is reported by a company but given the depreciation and amortization book entry, the cash flow is positive. Total Return is price appreciation plus dividend or interest income. Dividend income is obtained from stock payouts, usually distributed quarterly.
Interest income is obtained from bond payouts, usually semi-annually.
Utility stocks and high yielding industrial stocks that have secure financial balance sheets and are attractive situations for conservative investors especially in view of the fact that these companies consistently raise their annual dividends. Dividend increases also result in higher stock quotes. But built into the purchase is a hidden yield.