June 15 (Reuters) - Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance ARI.N said on Monday it has decided to liquidate its assets, dissolve the company and return the capital to investors, following the sale of its commercial real estate loan portfolio in April.

The real estate investment trust said its board has declared a dividend of $3.75 per share on common stock, payable on July 15. The payment will be predominately classified as return of capital, it said.

• The company had in January agreed to sell its roughly $9 billion loan portfolio to Athene Holding at near-full value, expecting to receive about $1.4 billion in net cash after repayments and expenses, while retaining its equity interests in real estate assets.

• Following the sale's completion in April, Apollo Commercial conducted a strategic review, through which it determined the dissolution of the company was "in the best interest of the company and ARI stockholders," CEO Stuart Rothstein said on Monday.

• The company will seek shareholder approval for the move, and file a preliminary proxy statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission detailing its plan, it said.

• Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance is a REIT that originates, invests in and manages commercial real estate debt, including first mortgage loans and other property-related financing.