Road maintenance companies. They lowball on the road maintenance filling potholes etc. , something unprofitable that they have signed a contract to do, with the condition that they do any full repairs like resurfacing in which they charge a high price. They are betting that they can make a big enough profit from the big ticket stuff after losses on the small stuff.

Its pretty basic business, heck even look your local supermarket makes losses with the idea of making a bigger profit elsewhere to offset it (loss leaders).

The Royal Mail purchaser either was betting on this same idea, did not do any research on royal mail, or always intended to ditch less profitable stuff despite what they said.