EN
The intermetallic compounds Yb_{x}Gd_{1 - x}Ni_5 crystallize in the hexagonal CaCu_5-type structure. Based on wide ranging SQUID-type magnetometer, it was shown that the saturation magnetization decreases with growing concentration of ytterbium. The opposite tendency was observed for the Sommerfeld coefficient obtained in the heat capacity measurements. These results are confirmed using ab initio band structure calculations.