Getting big returns from financial portfolios, whether through stocks, bonds, ETFs, other securities, or a combination of all, is an investor's dream. But for income investors, generating consistent cash flow from each of your liquid investments is your primary focus.Cash flow can come from bond interest, interest from other types of investments, and of course, dividends. A dividend is that coveted distribution of a company's earnings paid out to shareholders, and investors often view it by its dividend yield, a metric that measures the dividend as a percent of the current stock price. Many academic studies show that dividends make up large portions of long-term returns, and in many cases, dividend contributions surpass one-third of total returns.Canadian Imperial Bank in FocusBased in Toronto, Canadian Imperial Bank (CM) is in the Finance sector, and so far this year, shares have seen a price change of -15.36%. The bank and financial services company is paying out a dividend of $0.66 per share at the moment, with a dividend yield of 5.32% compared to the Banks - Foreign industry's yield of 4.35% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.67%.In terms of dividend growth, the company's current annualized dividend of $2.62 is up 13% from last year. Over the last 5 years, Canadian Imperial Bank has increased its dividend 5 times on a year-over-year basis for an average annual increase of 4.05%. Looking ahead, future dividend growth will be dependent on earnings growth and payout ratio, which is the proportion of a company's annual earnings per share that it pays out as a dividend. Canadian Imperial Bank's current payout ratio is 43%. This means it paid out 43% of its trailing 12-month EPS as dividend.Looking at this fiscal year, CM expects solid earnings growth. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2022 is $5.84 per share, with earnings expected to increase 1.39% from the year ago period.Bottom LineInvestors like dividends for a variety of different reasons, from tax advantages and decreasing overall portfolio risk to considerably improving stock investing profits. But, not every company offers a quarterly payout.For instance, it's a rare occurrence when a tech start-up or big growth business offers their shareholders a dividend. It's more common to see larger companies with more established profits give out dividends. Income investors must be conscious of the fact that high-yielding stocks tend to struggle during periods of rising interest rates. That said, they can take comfort from the fact that CM is not only an attractive dividend play, but also represents a compelling investment opportunity with a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy). This Little-Known Semiconductor Stock Could Lead to Big Gains for Your Portfolio The significance of semiconductors can't be overstated. Your smartphone couldn't function without it. Your personal computer would crash in minutes. Digital cameras, washing machines, refrigerators, ovens. You wouldn't be able to use any of them without semiconductors. Disruptions in the supply chain have given semiconductors tremendous pricing power. That's why they present such a tremendous opportunity for investors. And today, in a new free report, Zacks' leading stock strategist is revealing the one semiconductor stock that stands to gain the most. It's yours free and with no obligation. >>Give me access to my free special report.Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CM): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research