The alloys PdSb, PtBi and AuSn as well as the pure constituent metals have been studied with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The d bands of Pd, Pt and Au reduce in width and shift to higher binding energies on alloying. A relatively high electron density of states (DOS) at the Fermi level persists in PtBi, indicating an important contribution of the Pt 5d electrons to the DOS at the Fermi level. Relating XPS and Auger shifts on alloying, values for the screened two-hole Coulomb interaction in Pd, Sn and Sb were derived. Both for the pure metals and the alloys the measured intensities of the XPS lines are compared with theoretical cross sections. In general, good agreement is found except for the outer electron levels for which the theoretical cross sections are too low.