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Label Element Value
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Document Type dei_DocumentType 485BPOS
Period End Date dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate Mar. 31, 2015
Registrant Name dei_EntityRegistrantName PIEDMONT INVESTMENT TRUST
CIK dei_EntityCentralIndexKey 0001311913
Amendment dei_AmendmentFlag false
Creation Date dei_DocumentCreationDate Jul. 29, 2015
Effective Date dei_DocumentEffectiveDate Aug. 01, 2015
Prospectus Date rr_ProspectusDate Aug. 01, 2015
The Piedmont Select Equity Fund  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Risk/Return rr_RiskReturnHeading

Risk/Return Summary
Investment objective: rr_ObjectiveHeading

Investment Objective
Investment objective rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock

The Piedmont Select Equity Fund’s (the “Fund”) investment objective is to provide long-term growth of capital. The Fund’s investment objective may be changed by the Board of Trustees (the “Trustees”) without shareholder approval.
Fees and expenses of the fund: rr_ExpenseHeading

Fees and Expenses of the Fund
Fees and expenses of the fund, narrative rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund:
Annual fund operating expenses, heading rr_OperatingExpensesCaption

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Date Of Termination rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssetsDateOfTermination Aug. 01, 2016
Portfolio turnover, heading rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading

Portfolio Turnover
Portfolio turnover, narrative rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 13% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover Rate rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate 13.00%
Expense Example, Narrative rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock

Example. This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% total return each year, the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same, and the contractual agreement to limit expenses remains in effect only until August 1, 2016. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, the following table shows you what your costs would be based on the assumptions listed above.
Strategy, Heading rr_StrategyHeading

Principal Investment Strategies
Strategy, Narrative rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

To achieve its investment objective, the Fund typically invests in equity securities of large and medium capitalization U.S. companies that the Advisor believes are reasonably priced with potential for growth in the near or long-term. The Fund generally seeks to purchase securities for the long-term, seeking to achieve long-term capital appreciation as the marketplace realizes the value of these companies over time.

 

Philosophy

 

The Advisor has a general philosophy about investing that it uses in making investment decisions for the Fund. The Advisor’s philosophy is:

 

 • Invest for the long-term in businesses with solid financials and proven operating histories;

 

 • Invest in businesses that are growing and have cash-generating brands; and

 

 • Invest in businesses run by managers who think like owners and are focused on creating value for shareholders.

 

Methodology

 

Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets in common stocks, preferred stocks, securities convertible into such stocks or other equity securities (collectively, “equity securities”). For purposes of this investment policy, “net assets” shall mean net assets plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes. The Fund will provide shareholders with at least 60 days prior notice of any changes by the Trustees in this investment policy.

 

When making purchase or sale decisions for an existing or prospective investment by the Fund, the Advisor searches for companies having, among other things, a consistent pattern of sales growth over time (usually at least 5 years), a strong balance sheet as evidenced by debt-to-equity ratios or similar measures (i.e., companies that keep debt down to an appreciable amount for their respective industry), high returns on equity as compared to their peers, a reasonable valuation on a price earnings-to-growth ratio or other positive financial and business factors. The Advisor believes companies that exhibit one or more of these characteristics have the ability to grow their businesses, have financial flexibility as they are not overly indebted, and are productively reinvesting the capital that they have created back into their own businesses for future growth.

 

In addition, the Fund may make short sales if the Advisor wishes to hedge or offset long positions held by the Fund (e.g., through “paired trades”, where a short position is established to hedge a corresponding long position), or if the Advisor expects the market price for the security to drop in the future.

 

The Advisor may sell an equity position in a company when it no longer meets the criteria which led to the original investment, or the valuation (as evidenced by its price-to-earnings ratio or other financial measures) becomes excessive. The Advisor may also sell equity securities when the Advisor believes more attractive opportunities are available, or to raise cash.

 

Generally, all the securities in which the Fund invests will be traded on domestic securities exchanges or in the over-the-counter markets. The Fund may invest in foreign securities if they are traded on a U.S. securities exchange or in the over-the-counter markets.

 

A short sale is a transaction in which one sells a security it does not own in anticipation of a decline in the market value of that security. To complete a short sale transaction, the Fund will borrow the security from a broker-dealer, which generally involves the payment of a premium and transaction costs. When the Fund makes a short sale of a security, the Fund will have to replace the security in the future, whether or not the price declines.
Risk, Heading rr_RiskHeading

Principal Risks
Risk, Narrative rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

An investment in the Fund is subject to investment risks. Therefore, you may lose money by investing in the Fund. There can be no assurance that the Fund will be successful in meeting its investment objective. Generally, the Fund will be subject to the following additional principal risks:

 

Market Risk: Investments in equity securities are subject to inherent market risks and fluctuations in value due to earnings, economic conditions and other factors beyond the control of the Advisor. As a result, the return and net asset value of the Fund will fluctuate.

 

Management Style Risk: Different types of securities tend to shift into and out of favor with stock market investors depending on market and economic conditions. Because the Fund generally invests in value stocks (stocks that the Advisor believes are undervalued), the Fund’s performance may at times be better or worse than the performance of stock funds that focus on other types of stock strategies (e.g., growth stocks), or that have a broader investment style. Also, there is no assurance that the Advisor’s selection process will be successful in identifying stocks that produce superior returns while minimizing risks.

 

Mid-Cap Company Risk: Investing in the securities of medium capitalization (“mid-cap”) companies generally involves greater risk than investing in larger, more established companies. This greater risk is, in part, attributable to the fact that the securities of mid-cap companies usually have more limited marketability and, therefore, may be more volatile than securities of larger, more established companies or the market averages in general. Because mid-cap companies normally have fewer shares outstanding than larger companies, it may be more difficult to buy or sell significant amounts of such shares without an unfavorable impact on prevailing prices. Another risk factor is that mid-cap companies often have limited product lines, markets, or financial resources and may lack management depth. These factors affect the Advisor’s access to information about the companies and the stability of the markets for the companies’ securities. Additionally, mid-cap companies are typically subject to greater changes in earnings and business prospects than are larger, more established companies, and there typically is less information publicly available concerning mid-cap companies than for larger, more established companies.

 

Although investing in securities of mid-cap companies offers potential above-average returns if the companies are successful, the risk exists that the companies will not succeed and the prices of the companies’ shares could significantly decline in value. Therefore, an investment in the Fund may involve a greater degree of risk than an investment in other mutual funds that seek capital growth by investing exclusively in more established, larger companies.

 

Issuer Risk: The value of any of the Fund’s portfolio securities may decline for a number of reasons which directly relate to the issuer, such as management performance, financial and business performance, market perceptions and reduced demand for the issuer’s goods or services.

 

Sector Risk: Sector risk is the possibility that securities within the same industry or group of industries will decline in price due to sector-specific market or economic developments. If the Fund invests more heavily in equity securities of companies in a particular sector, the value of its shares may be especially sensitive to factors and economic risks that specifically affect that sector. As a result, the Fund’s share price may fluctuate more widely than the share price of a mutual fund that invests in a broader range of sectors. Additionally, some sectors could be subject to greater government regulation than other sectors. Therefore, changes in regulatory policies for those sectors may have a material effect on the value of securities issued by companies in those sectors. The sectors in which the Fund may invest more heavily will vary.

 

Short Sales Risk: The risk of price increases is the principal risk of engaging in short sales. The Fund may suffer significant losses if securities that the Fund sells short appreciate rather than depreciate in value, since the price would rise higher than the price at which the security was sold by the Fund and the Fund will realize a loss when the position is closed. While the possible loss on a security that is held long is limited to the price paid for the security, there is no limit on the amount of potential loss on a security that is sold short.

 

Derivative Risk: The Fund may invest, on a limited basis, in derivative instruments consisting primarily of equity options and financial futures. The use of such instruments requires special skills and knowledge of investment techniques that are different than those normally required for purchasing and selling common stock. If the Advisor uses a derivative instrument at the wrong time or incorrectly identifies market conditions, or if the derivative instrument does not perform as expected, these strategies may significantly reduce the Fund’s return. In addition, the Fund may be unable to close out a position because the market for an option or futures contract may become illiquid.

 

Non-Diversified Fund Risk: In general, a non-diversified fund, such as the Fund, may invest a greater percentage of its assets in a particular issuer and may own fewer securities than other mutual funds. Many mutual funds elect to be “diversified” funds such that, as to 75% of their assets, no more than 5% of their assets can be invested in the securities of any one issuer at any given time. The Fund is not subject to this limitation, so it may hold a smaller number of securities than a diversified fund. When the Fund holds a small number of securities, it is subject to the risk that a large loss in an individual issue will cause a greater loss for the Fund than it would if the Fund were required to hold a larger number of securities.
May Lose Money rr_RiskLoseMoney Therefore, you may lose money by investing in the Fund.
Risk, Nondiversified rr_RiskNondiversifiedStatus Non-Diversified Fund Risk: In general, a non-diversified fund, such as the Fund, may invest a greater percentage of its assets in a particular issuer and may own fewer securities than other mutual funds. Many mutual funds elect to be “diversified” funds such that, as to 75% of their assets, no more than 5% of their assets can be invested in the securities of any one issuer at any given time. The Fund is not subject to this limitation, so it may hold a smaller number of securities than a diversified fund. When the Fund holds a small number of securities, it is subject to the risk that a large loss in an individual issue will cause a greater loss for the Fund than it would if the Fund were required to hold a larger number of securities.
Bar Chart and Performance Table, Heading rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading

Performance Summary
Performance, Narrative rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

The bar chart and performance table that follow provide some indication of the risks and variability of investing in the Fund by showing the changes in the Fund’s performance for each full calendar year over the lifetime of the Fund, and by showing how the Fund’s average annual total returns for the 1 year, 5 years and since inception periods compare to those of a broad measure of market performance. How the Fund has performed in the past (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. All performance information shown below reflects fee waivers by the Advisor; had advisory fees not been waived, returns would be less than those shown. Updated performance information, current through the most recent month end, is available by calling 1-888-859-5865.

 

The table that follows shows how the Fund’s average annual total returns compare with those of the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index. The table also presents the impact of taxes on the Fund’s returns. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown, and after-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.
Performance, Information Illustrates Variability of Returns rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns The bar chart and performance table that follow provide some indication of the risks and variability of investing in the Fund by showing the changes in the Fund’s performance for each full calendar year over the lifetime of the Fund, and by showing how the Fund’s average annual total returns for the 1 year, 5 years and since inception periods compare to those of a broad measure of market performance.
Performance, Availability by Phone rr_PerformanceAvailabilityPhone 1-888-859-5865
Performance, Past Does Not Indicate Future rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture How the Fund has performed in the past (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.
Bar Chart, Heading rr_BarChartHeading

Calendar Year Total Returns
Bar Chart, Closing rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock

The Fund’s year-to-date return through June 30, 2015 is 5.00%.

 

During the period shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a quarter was 12.69% during the quarter ended March 31, 2012 and the lowest return for a quarter was -19.29% during the quarter ended December 31, 2008.

 

The impact of taxes is not reflected in the bar chart; if reflected, returns would be less than those shown.
Year to Date Return, Label rr_YearToDateReturnLabel year-to-date return
Year to Date Return, Date rr_BarChartYearToDateReturnDate Jun. 30, 2015
Year to Date Return rr_BarChartYearToDateReturn 5.00%
Highest Quarterly Return, Label rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel highest return for a quarter
Highest Quarterly Return Date rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate Mar. 31, 2012
Highest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn 12.69%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel lowest return for a quarter
Lowest Quarterly Return Date rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate Dec. 31, 2008
Lowest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn (19.29%)
Performance Table: rr_PerformanceTableHeading

Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2014
Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes.
Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown, and after-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.
The Piedmont Select Equity Fund | The Piedmont Select Equity Fund Shares  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Trading Symbol dei_TradingSymbol PSVFX
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) rr_MaximumCumulativeSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice none
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.90%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets none
Dividend expense on securities sold short rr_Component1OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.03%
Brokerage expense on securities sold short rr_Component2OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.01%
Other operating expenses rr_Component3OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.73%
Total Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.77%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 1.67%
Less: Management Fee Waivers [1] rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets (0.28%)
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Management Fee Waivers [1] rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 1.39%
Expense Example, 1 YEAR rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 142
Expense Example, 3 YEARS rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 499
Expense Example, 5 YEARS rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 881
Expense Example, 10 YEARS rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 $ 1,953
2006 rr_AnnualReturn2006 3.74%
2007 rr_AnnualReturn2007 9.69%
2008 rr_AnnualReturn2008 (33.02%)
2009 rr_AnnualReturn2009 21.74%
2010 rr_AnnualReturn2010 10.28%
2011 rr_AnnualReturn2011 4.61%
2012 rr_AnnualReturn2012 10.62%
2013 rr_AnnualReturn2013 30.11%
2014 rr_AnnualReturn2014 3.87%
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 3.87%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 11.52%
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 5.55%
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Apr. 26, 2005
The Piedmont Select Equity Fund | - Return After Taxes on Distributions | The Piedmont Select Equity Fund Shares  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 3.28%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 11.39%
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 5.43%
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Apr. 26, 2005
The Piedmont Select Equity Fund | - Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | The Piedmont Select Equity Fund Shares  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 2.68%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 9.19%
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 4.42%
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Apr. 26, 2005
The Piedmont Select Equity Fund | Standard & Poor's 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year [2] rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 13.69%
5 Years [2] rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 15.45%
Since Inception [2] rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 8.45%
Inception Date [2] rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Apr. 26, 2005
[1] Sheets Smith Wealth Management, Inc., the Fund's investment adviser (the "Advisor"), has entered into a contractual agreement with the Fund under which it agrees to waive Management Fees and to assume any other expenses of the Fund, if necessary, in an amount that limits "Annual Fund Operating Expenses" (exclusive of interest, taxes, brokerage commissions, extraordinary expenses, brokerage costs and transaction-related expenses, Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses, dividend expense on securities sold short and payments, if any, under a Rule 12b-1 Plan) to not more than 1.35% of the Fund's average daily net assets. The contractual agreement is currently in effect until August 1, 2016 and may continue from year-to-year thereafter, provided such continuance is approved by the Trustees. The contractual agreement cannot be terminated prior to August 1, 2016 without the Trustees' approval. See "Management of the Fund - Expense Limitation Agreement" for further information.
[2] The Standard & Poor's 500 Index is an unmanaged index of the common stocks of 500 widely held U.S. companies.